A Disappointing Continuation

The first must-see film of the year.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Average for This Type of Thing, an Expensive, Slick Looking, Overproduced Kung Fu Action. Director Tong (a former stunt man) has Made a Career Helming Hong Kong Films and Seems to be Trying Forever to Become "International".Problem Is, the Appeal and Charm of Hong Kong Action is Hong Kong Action Unfettered by a Hollywood Looking Production that is so Pretentiously Pandering to a "Wider" Audience that the Core and Soul of its Raw and Reliable Homeland Sizzle is Wanting.The Only Thing Recommended Here is Some Daring Set Piece Stunt Work. But Even that is Derivative and Lacks a Certain Spontaneity. The Wire Work is Clunky and Rapper Coolio is the Clunkiest of the Clunk Going On Here. It's Not Awful but Some of it Is. A Very Weak Story and Even Weaker Acting, Makes the Whole Movie Sink Under its Contrived Conceit of Cool, and Again, Not Helped by Hiring Coolio. The Movie Looks Good and the Few Disjointed Action Scenes Make for Some Fun, but Overall it is a Mediocre Mess. An Appeal for a Hollywood Sleekness when None is Required.

CHINA STRIKE FORCE has some strikes against it. One is the odd casting of Coolio and the Japanese female lead. The other is the casting of two pop idols, which usually signal a flighty, silly movie.While CSF is sometimes silly, it's mostly entertaining. Not incredibly so by any stretch, but entertaining enough that you wouldn't mind watching the film again. The action is good, and Coolio gives the film some terrific laughs.CSF is one of those films that doesn't do anything it does with great excellence, but it's always good enough that you never feel cheated.6 out of 10.

*warning- spoilers* The film is reasonably acted as far as Hong kong actioners go and this is the best non-chan, non- woo HK film I have seen. The actors are all okay ranging from adeqaute to moments of cheesyness or woodenness. Mark Dacascos is very good in this as the bad guy and he makes an excellent baddie in a limited part. His demise was also a let down, I felt there wasn't a big enough showdown between him and Aron Kwok. Mark was excellent in this as usual with his fighting, he did not look out of place infact his form and acrobats beat the others hands down and he did some impressive stunt work whereas say Van Damme would have been consistently doubled. The film has a good pace, Coolio is funny in an over the top way and there are some exceptional stunts. The fight scenes are first class although as far as Hong Kong goes I have seen better and some unrealistic stunts and wire work also look dodgy but overall I was entertained. Dacascos stole the show for me and his only weak moment was where he was smoking a cigar, it is obvious he's not really a smoker with his strict training he undertakes and the fact he looked like he was going to throw up, aswell as a sore sounding throat. Overall this is a good way to pass 90 or so minutes although the DVD I own has a bad picture and mediocre sound. 7/10

I would expect China Strike Force to be better or as good as his previous movie (AD2000) but it disappointed me. Not enough fighting scene and too many sex scenes. Well, I feel that they were trying to sell the whole movie with the sexy Japanese actress. Very hard sell. I think they can do better than that.