88 Films UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Directed by famed action choreographer Cory Yuen (Fong Sai Yuk), SO CLOSE is a thrill-a-minute shootout, with lightning-quick action sequences and great performances by Shu Qi (Gorgeous), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer) and Karen Mok (Black Mask). When a gang of assassins murders their parents, two sisters inherit the family business – a state-of-the-art computer surveillance system. Armed with the ability to see around corners and disappear into thing air, the sisters become the most accomplished killers for hire in Hong Kong. But when the sisters fulfil a contract and take out a wealthy computer magnate, a beautiful undercover detective is suddenly hot on their tail. Now loyalties are tested, alliances are questioned and survival becomes the most extreme sport of all. With some of the best action scenes to appear on film this year, SO CLOSE is a high-octane hit! (111 Mins)

 

Columbia Tristar UK DVD Synopsis: Directed by famed action-choreographer Cory Yuen (The Transporter, Jet Li's The Enforcer), SO CLOSE is a thrill-a-minute shootout, with lightning-quick action sequences and great performances by Qi Shu (The Transporter), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer) and Karen Mok (Black Mask). A crooked businessman brings in a pairof high-tech assassin sisters to murder his elder brother so he can take over the family's business empire. When a determined policewoman starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together, the businessman realises that he must destroy all evidence... including the assassins and the cop! The three women are left to fight for their lives, while helping each other along the way. With some of the best action scenes to appear on film this year, SO CLOSE is a high-octane blockbuster hit! (106 Mins)

 

Views: Slickly made and crammed with exciting martial arts action and ballistic shoot-outs, So Close thrusts Corey Yuen Kwai back into the girls-with-guns sub-genre that first made him famous as a director! Also known as Virtual Twilight, Virtual Weapon, and Closer in Japan, the film tells the tale of two beautiful sisters – both highly trained assassins and computer hackers – who use their late fathers satellite technology to complete their missions. But things soon take a turn for the worst when they learn that their latest employer double-crosses them and sends other assassins to silence them. On top of that, the sisters must contend with an interfering female cop who, eventually, joins forces with them to stop a mutual enemy and take revenge!

​

Released in Hong Kong cinemas over 20 years ago in 2002, So Close failed to light up the box-office yet still managed to become a firm favourite for many Hong Kong film fans around the world. It was interesting year for Hong Kong films with So Close having to go up against films such as Black Mask 2: City Of Masks, five Troublesome Night chapters, Tiramisu, Jet Li's Hero, Wesley's Mysterious File, The Era Of Vampires, and Top Ten earners like My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Golden Chicken, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Eye, and the incredible Infernal Affairs. In hindsight, So Close was pretty much the only Hong Kong femme fatale movie to hit the big screens that year – so it's quite surprising that it didn't do any better. Perhaps the Hong Kong cinema goers left their love for this amazing sub-genre back in the mid-90s when it started to fade out with actresses like Moon Lee retiring from the industry, Michelle Yeoh leaving for Hollywood, and the likes of Yukari Oshima and Cynthia Khan getting handed nothing but low budget generic action features. But around the same time, 3 young actresses were kicking off their careers – eventually going on to become the stars of So Close...

​

Heading up the heroic trio is the beautiful Shu Qi – starlet of over 100 productions including Viva Erotica, Beijing Rocks, Bishonen, Gorgeous, The Assassin, Mojin The Lost Legend, Journey To The West, and The Transporter which was also directed by Yuen Kwai himself – and half of which of those productions she had starred in before So Close came about. She is joined by the equally talented Vicki Zhao Wei who was only starring in what would have been her 8th film, gaining more attention in the couple of years leading up to this with her roles in Andrew Lau's The Duel, Chow Sing Chi's Shaolin Soccer, and Jeff Lau's Chinese Odyssey 2002. Of course, since playing the role here of Shu Qi's sister, Zhao Wei has went onto star in a host of hit films including Warriors Of Heaven & Earth, Red Cliff, Painted Skin, 14 Blades, and Jingle Ma's Mulan, as well as making her directorial debut with So Young. The last of the trio is the wonderful Karen Mok – a highly entertaining actress who had shared the screen with both her co-stars numerously over the years, impressing in films such as A Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2, Black Mask, God Of Cookery, King Of Comedy, Shaolin Soccer, and more as well as gaining some Hollywood attention when she starred alongside Jackie Chan in the hugely underrated Around The World In 80 Days as his main nemesis.​ They are joined by handsome Korean actor Song Seung Hun – star of popular K-drama Black and the decent 2012 John Woo produced film A Better Tomorrow – as well as Hong Kong cohorts such as Jackie Chan Stunt Team member and fan favourite Ben Lam, Derek Wan, Bill Chan Sek Sau, Josie Ho, Kam Hing Yin, Henry Fong, and the wacky Lau Yi Tat, as well as appearances from Kenji Tanigaki, Jude Poyer, Adam Chan, and Wong Wai Fai among many others. But perhaps the biggest joy is seeing the legendary Yasuaki Kurata star as the big boss – and the ultimate challenge for our heroes. Starting life in the Hong Kong film industry back in 1971 with the Shaw Brothers studios appearing in titles such as The Angry Guest, Four Riders, and Heroes Of The East among others. Already a star back in his native Japan, Kurata would further win the hearts of Hong Kong film fans by wowing in films such as Legend Of A Fighter, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, Shanghai Express, Eastern Condors, and Fist Of Legend to name but a few.

​

Hong Kong film-maker extraordinaire, Corey Yuen Kwai, directs and choreographs So Close with style and while it may be far from perfect, still manages to bring back the excitement he created with femme fatale classics such as Yes Madam, Righting Wrongs, and She Shoots Straight – delivering a collection of powerful fight scenes that definitely don't disappoint, although with some Hollywood flair and use of CGI, no doubt inspired after his years spent there working on Jet Li projects such as Romeo Must Die, Kiss Of The Dragon, and The One. To bring So Close to life, Yuen Kwai teamed up with his usual two teammates – the prolific Jeffrey Lau Chun Wai and David Lai Dai Wai; both of whom have shared directorial duties with him on many titles over the years on titles such as All For The Winner, Saviour Of The Soul, Mahjong Dragon and Women On The Run – all of which absolutely need their own Blu-ray releases (with the latter gaining one from Vinegar Syndrome since writing). While David handles that duty here as the assistant director, Lau provides a decent script while managing to stay away from his usual 'mo lei tau' style of comedy.​ The film was produced by the late Chui Po Chu, who worked with Corey Yuen Kwai on films such as Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2 and The Bodyguard From Beijing, as well as carrying duties as a producer or production manager on films such as The Spooky Bunch, The Story Of Woo Viet, Once Upon A Time In China, Fist Of Legend, Tai Chi Master, Black Sheep Affair, Kung Fu Hustle, Fearless, CJ7, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon to name but a few. Starting off in the industry as a script supervisor in the late 60s, Chui also worked as the assistant director on films such as Impetuous Fire, The Invasion, and John Woo's Young Dragons in the early days of Golden Harvest. Unfortunately, Po Chu would pass in 2019, not long after producing her last film called My Best Summer...

​

While it was considered by many as just another popcorn movie, So Close had a lot to contend with upon release, yet has managed to prove itself to still be as entertaining over two decades later – playing like a femme fatale homage to John Woo's heroic bloodshed films of yesteryear and proving to be one of Corey Yuen Kwai's finest directorial duties in years, making it one that deserves the attention of all Hong Kong action fans!

​

Overall: Although it's not perfect and lacking the gritty action of Hong Kong cinema's 80s and 90s classics, So Close still proves to be an action-packed ride with some great moments and plenty of fantastic action!

​

88 Films Blu-ray Extras: Hong Kong Press Tour, Japanese Press Tour, Interviews with Shu Qi, Karen Mok & Vicki Zhao Wei, Yasuaki Kurata Audio Commentary on Select Scenes, Trailer

​

Columbia Tristar DVD Extras: Trailer

​

Watch my unboxing of this 88 Films Blu-ray release HERE​

​

Watch my video retrospective for this film HERE