Tiger Cage (1988) User Reviews (14)

Fast and gritty Hong Kong action

[Bogey Man · 7/10 · 1 February 2003]

Hong Kong film maker veteran Yuen Woo Ping is best known for his wonderful kung fu classics like Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master from the late seventies, the films that made Jackie Chan a star. Yuen himself loves kung fu/martial art films most and prefers directing them over other genres. His another very noteworthy achievements include this film, Tiger Cage (1988), that spawned also two sequels. Tiger Cage belongs to the Hong Kong cinema category I like very much, the mean and gritty modern day action films that are at their most merciless and incredible impact in films like Johnnie Mak's Long Arm of the Law (1984), Johnnie To's and Andrew Kam's The Big Heat (1988), David Lam's The First Shot (1993) among many many others.

Jacky Cheung (Bullet in the Head), Dodo Cheng, Simon Yam (Bullet in the Head, Dr. Lamb etc.) and Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey, Once Upon a Time in China 2 etc.) star in this film telling the story of drug trafficking cops and gangsters and the violent struggle by the righteous officers to finish the illegal activities off from the streets of Hong Kong. There are some unexpected plot turns coming so there's no need in describing more about the plot which is after all nothing special and there only to give a good excuse to the many action scenes that are here as amazing as can be expected by Yuen.

The film is pretty dark and gritty but still miles away from Johnnie To and Andrew Kam's incredible The Big Heat that is perhaps the most infernal, brutal and mind blowing of these actioners I've ever seen. And it has some very strong social issues and problems to tell to make the film even more powerful and memorable. Also Tiger Cage has some good points about corrupt police officers and violence in the big city, and the end scene also gives a sadly deserved punch to the criminal character (and his ideals) who just couldn't stop when it still was possible. Also the final freeze frame of the film is pretty clever ending as the expression on the character's face is the final statement the film makers wanted to leave to the audience's mind about criminal life and violence.

The action choreography is pretty jaw dropping at times and includes some memorable fights with the super star Donnie Yen and (among others) some Western drug traffickers. Especially the final 10 minutes are among the most furious and insane action I've seen in any Hong Kong film and the viewer is quite breathless by the time the mentioned freeze frame comes. The film is very violent too and it is a little surprise by the director who has made many comic kung fu films without violence this gritty and honest.

The acting is pretty (or very) weak at times and the film also has some serious little errors like the clock times on the wall at one part. They change as nastily as possible with the edits. Also the "gas scene" near the end among some other similar things is too hard to take seriously as the characters act so stupidly and don't seem to do as anyone should do in a situation like that. Also, if they had concentrated a little more on the characters and their deeper relations it could have been much more interesting all the time. Not to speak of if they had wanted to make even more serious and noteworthy piece in the tradition of those mentioned and for example the work of John Woo. Now Tiger Cage is perhaps little too close to just another "Hong Kong action flick" without anything other purpose than just action and the entertainment received through that. Not good enough.

Tiger Cage fortunately lacks the typical comic elements of Hong Kong cinema and is pretty restricted all the time (the action of course excluded!). It is a pretty noteworthy albeit little film, and definitely another proof of its director's talent and also a good example of the modern day action genre that saw its birth in the eighties. Tiger Cage is now 7/10 level stuff and if I didn't appreciate the action choreography and things required to do scenes like that, I think the rating could be lower. Hopefully the sequel Tiger Cage II (1990) will improve in every department this film is lacking.

HK action classic!

[dworldeater · 8/10 · 20 September 2023]

Tiger Cage is a change of pace for director Yuen Woo Ping . Being previously known for martial art comedy classics like Drunken Master, this is set in a contemporary setting and has little time for humor. Tiger Cage is gritty, dark and violent. This moves along nicely with fluid storytelling, memorable characters and good.acting. Jackie Chung gives a solid performance as male lead opposite actress Do Do Cheng. Ng Man Tat and Simon Yam were excellent as well and Donnie Yen does well in a early supporting role. This is a Yuen Woo Ping film so all of the fights and action are top tier. The action is as down and dirty as the subject matter of police corruption and betrayal. Tiger Cage as such is very bloody and very violent. However, this was a well made film and a good watch.

Enjoyable movie despite its generic storyline...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 9 July 2020]

I happened to stumble upon the 1988 movie "Tiger Cage" (aka "Dak ging to lung") from director Woo-Ping Yuen in 2020. Needless to say that with my fascination of the Hong Kong cinema, of course I sat down to watch this movie.

Not only is it a Hong Kong movie, but it also has a pretty interesting cast ensemble, which includes the likes of Simon Yam, Donnie Yen and Jacky Cheung. So the movie does have a pretty good foundation of having strong performances and being interesting to watch.

Turned out that "Tiger Cage" was actually a rather enjoyable crime/action movie. Sure, it was generic, especially for the movies of the genre in late 1980s from Hong Kong cinema. But it proved to be an entertaining movie nonetheless. The storyline was well enough composed by writers Wing-Fai Wong and Kwong Kim Yip, although it was rather straight forward and somewhat generic actually.

There is a good mixture of drama and action in the storyline to actually keep the movie going at a good pace. And while there are no surprises along the way as the movie plays out, it doesn't make it a boring movie given the pacing and the storyline.

My rating of "Tiger Cage" is a six out of ten stars. If you enjoy the 'older' Hong Kong cinema, then "Tiger Cage" is definitely well worth watching.

Excellent old school Hong Kong action suspense

[ebiros2 · 7 November 2011]

The cast of this movie runs like who's who of popular actors of the '80s. Donny Yuen, and Simon Yam are about the only ones still active today.

There's drug trafficking in Hong Kong, and corrupt cops are in on it. Inspector Fan (Jackie Chung) is an officer working in the drug enforcement division of the Hong Kong police department. He's on the trail of the drug traffickers, and finds out that one of his associates are in on it. He video tapes the scene, and gives the tape to his girlfriend Amy. But he gets framed and gets accused of drug possession. He now must clear his guilt by somehow collecting the evidence.

The format is somewhat classic Hong Kong drama of the '80s. D&B studio made the movie. D&B had consistent good quality on almost all of their movies, and this one is no exception. The story is good, and acting is great.

It's still a fun movie to watch. As a fan of D&B studio's movies, I wish they made more movies like this today.

Recommended for viewing.

It truly delivers the goods.

[tarbosh22000 · 7/10 · 6 January 2014]

Hong Kong detectives Fan (Cheung), Shirley (Cheng), and Terry (Yen), among others, are a select band of cops set up to be a hard-hitting narcotics squad. As they take down the drug-dealing baddies, they realize there is a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. It even involves police corruption at the highest levels. When it's discovered that there is a tape that shows some of the illegal doings, all hell breaks loose as the forces of evil vie for the tape, while the good cops must protect it - at any cost.

We absolutely loved Tiger Cage. If you love those classic Hong Kong police actioners from the golden age of the 80's/early 90's, this one is a killer. It's fast paced, colorful, exciting, and has plenty of bone-breaking action. There's tons of shooting in a gritty urban environment, but also some top notch Martial Arts battles as well. Donnie Yen's big fight scene naturally stands out. Speaking of Yen, Tiger Cage is kind of like Flashpoint before Flashpoint. The stunt work is awesome, as many characters take a lot of punishment and keep on coming. The whole movie has that dynamism and infectious energy that makes these Hong Kong productions so addictive. This kind of violent, no-holds-barred style is like manna from heaven for action fans and makes productions from other countries seem slow and dull by comparison.

It's not just a mindless shoot-em-up, however. Interwoven are the timeless themes of honor, betrayal and loyalty. This emotional approach gives the film (as well as other HK productions) its unique flavor and gives the violent doings a reason to exist. There are characters you really, really root for, as well as some super-evil bad guys. You never lose interest in what you see on the screen. Adding yet another layer of greatness is the fact that VCRs play a pretty important role in the movie. So it gets in that 80's flavor as well.

If you can see this on Netflix Streaming, do, because it's a top-notch stream in widescreen with subtitles. But any way you see Tiger Cage, it truly delivers the goods.

Better than most HK crime flicks from the era, but still lacking individuality which fails to give a memorable experience.

[tntokmenko · 6/10 · 23 April 2013]

Fortunately we have an all-star cast of Hong Kong legends working their magic here, (Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Jacky Cheung, Ka-Yan Leung) along with director Woo-ping Yuen helming this action extravaganza. The story is nothing special, straightforward with a few twists thrown in to keep the audience interested. Drug smuggling ring, betrayals, corrupt cops, and all the other usual elements of a late 80's HK crime flick. Dull in this regard however the movie wasn't intended to showcase script writing, rather we get some nice displays of martial arts fighting.

The fight choreography and shootouts are the highlights of the film, although the plot wedged in-between sequences feels painfully like filler to meet the minimum run time. In typical fashion bizarre Chinese humor is used as a device to provide character development, and as usual it feels misplaced in a serious crime movie such as this. Despite the small amount of character development it's sufficient to provoke a reaction when the protagonists end up in peril. Donnie Yen only is given a few minutes of screen time, but during his few minutes he really steals the show. The action is entertaining but not enough to deem a second watch. I would only recommend to those wanting to see Donnie Yen's early work. -6/10

What to expect from a Hong Kong action movie

[The-Sarkologist · 7/10 · 21 December 2013]

Sometimes, when you are fortunate, a very cool Hong Kong action movie will appear on SBS outside of the Cult Movie program (9:00 pm Saturday). Tiger Cage was one of them. What is it that makes a Hong Kong action movie any different from your typical American action movie? The answer from my friend is that in Hong Kong cinema, the movies tend to be more violent than those in America. It is not just violence that Hong Kong cinema pushes the boundaries, it is also sex. In the movie Erotic Ghost Story, there is more flesh than in your average American movie. American movies generally only show one or two bare breasts in selected (non-pornographic) movies, where as Hong Kong cinema will not worry about such restrictions. Even then, with most of the action movies that I have seen, nudity is mostly non-existence.

Tiger Cage is about a group of cops in the drug unit of the Hong Kong police department. It opens with the bust of a major crime ring but the leader escapes. He then returns to kill one of the police officers only to be later arrested himself. The dead officer was engaged to marry another officer on the team so she is out for vengeance. What is slowly unravelled though is that a number of the officers on the team are a part of a drug ring. They are not being paid to turn their heads, but rather they are actively involved in dealing with drugs.

Tiger Cage is not typical of an action movie as the plot focuses more around the characters rather than the antagonists. In a normal movie there might be an explosive opening and then the team will chase one particular bad guy. The criminals in Tiger Cage play a minor part as it is the team that the police are fighting. The focus of this movie is corruption within the police force than crime outside of it.

As with most Hong Kong action movies, Tiger Cage is an explosive action movie. It pulls no punches and protects nobody. Both men and women are subject to the violence in the movie, and they are willing to go places that the Americans do not (such as a guy's head being skewered on a coat hook). Tiger Cage is typical of Hong Kong action and is a good movie to see for those who enjoy that genre.

Hong Kong cop action at its peak

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 19 September 2014]

TIGER CAGE is an ensemble Hong Kong cop film with much in common with the same era's IN THE LINE OF DUTY flicks. This one features Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Jacky Cheung, Carol Cheng and others as a team of crack detectives who take down a drug syndicate at the film's outset. The only problem is that some of the bad guys survive, swearing revenge on the cops who destroyed their operation.

What follows is a roller-coaster ride of a film filled with breakneck action and all of the wonderful martial arts choreography that you'd hope from the genre. This one's directed by Yuen Woo-ping and boy, does he know how to direct a proper thriller: there are barely any slow spots, just tons of action and action that drives the plot forward at that. It's one of the most purely entertaining Hong Kong thrillers that I've seen.

Cast-wise, I have to say that most of the leading members give more than impressive performances, not least an incredibly youthful Donnie Yen in what I think might have been only his second leading part. Simon Yam seems experienced and reliable even at this early stage of his career. Jacky Cheung acquits himself well in a role that Jackie himself could have played, and it's always a pleasure to see American bodybuilder Michael Woods on top form as a hulking henchman. TIGER CAGE is a film filled with twists, betrayals, stunts and incredible one-on-one fights, and Hong Kong film fans will be in movie heaven.

Hard & Gritty Crime Thriller!!

[jrat6200 · 10/10 · 5 June 2004]

Hong Kong used to produce some of the most hardcore action movies in the 80's and early 90's. Having not producing any in a while, their trying to come back to formula with movies like Fulltime Killer and Infernal Affairs. Anyway, in my opinion, Tiger Cage is an excellent crime thriller amongst Hong Kong cinema. It still stands above some movies in Hong Kong and the all "arrogant" Hollywood. They don't make movies like these anymore. The plot is great, and the movie didn't seem to have any flaws. Whether a protagonist or a antagonist, Simon Yam always proves that he is the man for the job. As for this movie, he plays the villain very well. Might I also add that Jacky Cheung gives a gritty performance. Donnie Yen gives Michael Woods a run for his money, and Carol "Do Do" Cheng is great as a female cop who struggles to keep her personal life as well as her cop life intact.

The action is top notch. Hardcore and served with devastating blows is the way I like it. Master Yuen Woo Ping did a fine job with this one. Also, look out for his minute Cameo. While Martial Arts was evident in the movie, old-fashioned street fighting was served with the main course. Watch the last 15 minutes and see what I mean. Donnie Yen is always impressive, but I was surprised at Jacky Cheung. The boy has some kicks to his disposal. He does it with so much vengeance. This is one of Yuen Woo Ping's better movies. In fact, this is one of his best movies (way better than that Matrix BS).

Overall, this movie is one of Hong Kong's best efforts and deserves a re-release and restoration. One can only hope that this and more Asian movies are treated with respect (MIRAMAX AAARGGGH!!!!).

Final Judgment: ****/****

Not caged

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 25 December 2022]

Also no pun intended - also no Tiger come to think of it. This is the first movie in the Tiger Cage trilogy (which is the international title of course). Not even sure how "related" the movies are ... well actually they are not ... unless you count the title as a connection. But let's get back to the beginning! And a movie that has quite a few fine actors in it.

The movie starts off with an action scene, that could easily have been the climax/highlight of the movie. But it only is here to set the tone and "introduce" us to the characters. We will find out way more about them ... how they relate to each other, but also their morality.

Don't get it twisted though: this does not get too deep into the psyche. If someone is "evil" it is not that we will know their reasoning ... not for all of them that is. We get some explanation and there are some things that try to explain the logic of the character ... but that is not the main selling point here ... that is the action part(s) of it! If you dig that, you will have a grand ol time with this ... and the movie would deserve it too.

Watch for the fighting scenes

[captain_astronaut · 4/10 · 23 May 2022]

The action is fun, but the acting, dialogue, and character behavior make it almost unwatchable. Every "good" cop is an idiot who put themselves in obvious situations that will get them murdered. Simon Lam's oversized David Byrne suit makes him look like a clown. I'm sure it all comes down to cultural differences, and it makes total sense in Hong Kong.

Down and dirty D&B cop film

[iaido · 24 October 2000]

In the 70's Hong Kong gave birth to the period (classic) kung fu film. The 90's saw the rise of the `flying' kung fu film. And, the 80's saw the surge of cops and crooks films with titles like Long Arm of the Law, the In the Line of Duty series, and Tiger Cage.

Jacky Cheung plays the title role of a cop out to bust some dope dealers, and eventually the very interior of his corrupt department. Carol Do Do Cheng, Donnie Yen, and Simon Yam also star as fellow cops- Carols husband, a fellow cop, being killed by the dope gang, Donnie as a young rookie who finds out his mentor is dirty, and Simon as the two faced, nothing but evil, corrupt supervisor. Its a dark, double crossing tale offset by moments of kung fu and comedy amongst the standard police drama plotline. From the opening shootout that begins the film, you know that you are in for some rough and tumble action, as hundreds of bullets are shot, bodies fall and are hit by cars, the fighting is gritty, and so on. Donnie gets one fight scene (really the only martial arts sequence) with two drug dealing gwailos. Simon Yam is just plain bad with a capitol B. Jacky over-grimaces his way though the drama, and poor Carol gets the stuffing beat out of her a couple of times. The story is well paced, by the great Yuen Woo Ping, and is a competent addition to the Hong Kong cop film library.

There are more than the usual subtitle language errors like- "My gun has no eyes.", "I want you to be limply in jail all your life.", "I am ready for discinplinary and investify.", "They're now fugitive with arms."

absolutely brilliant

[truck82 · 9/10 · 29 November 1999]

i have seen all three of the series and this one is the best the other films don't really have a plot you can follow the only one that has a plot at all is the second one but it lacks the action of the first one and that is my view of this film

Bearable, but barely

[peter07 · 5/10 · 19 July 2009]

I saw this at the Pucheon Fantastic Film Festival in Korea this year, and well, the only reason I did was because no other film had a ticket remaining. And true to form, I WAS disappointed.

The movie did have a sense of suspense in keeping the audience guessing who was the bad guy, but a lot of clichés and ridiculous fight sequences held it back.

The female cop showed little emotion and wasn't that likable as were most of the other characters. I did like the action scenes with a young Donnie Yen, though.

If you're into formulaic Hong Kong action flicks that are as predictable as they are silly and boring, this film is for you. But definitely not for me.