This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Captivating movie !

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It seems that there is little to differentiate this movie from the 1991 Aaron Norris version, but when I come to think of it, the real name is probably something like "King of Killers" or "Punishment Angel" or something like that. The thing is that the movie was released on Chinatown video with this name so this is that name that I am using.As I said before, this movie could be called "The King of Killers" namely because it is about an assassin called the King of Killers. He kills for free and only kills people who deserve it. As such he kills a high profile Japanese business man and upon his death a fund is activated to go to those who are the first to bring down the killer. Unfortunately, and this is the twist, somebody else was paid some money upon the businessman's death, and upon discovery, they think he killed him.The movie is basically an action packed adventure where at first it looks like a bumbling idiot and a naive mainlander are trying to hunt a professional killer, but it turns out that the idiot is trying to make sure that nobody thinks that he is the killer, which is true since he is a real idiot. What makes the movie cool is not the in-depth plot, or strong themes, but rather the cool action sequences. This movie has one of the best elevator shoot-outs that I have ever seen, and the final battle is one worth waiting for. What this movie is is a Hong-Kong action flick, and as one, it delivers.

Contract Killer(Sat sau ji wong) has dynamite action scenes but they are too few and far between. Jet Li is teamed up with a guy who, I swear, could pass for John Belushi's long lost Chinese half brother. The dubbing is ludicrous in the version I bought. I found out that there is a better version known as Hit-man that is also six minutes longer. Anyway, the little fat guy even sounds like Belushi and is the comic relief as a con man. Jet Li is a wannabe hit-man and doesn't know the first thing about it although he kicks ass like crazy. A Japanese mobster is killed by the "King of Killers" and his family ponies up a reward of one hundred million dollars. Jet's character, Fu, and "Norman", the fat guy, con their way into the competition and mayhem ensues. The so called comedy is pretty lame but there are a few good jokes. The action, as I said is terrific and intense. The Japanese employ a tall, white guy as a body guard/killer and he is wicked bad. He has a neat gimmick with tiny, high intensity flashlights (lasers?) disguised as rings and in the toes of his shoes which he uses to temporarily blind his opponents so he can beat the bejesus out of them. There is a weird scene where the grandson of the slain Mr.Big eats some of grand pa's ashes. I think it was to gain his strength, or something like that. Anyway, it was bizarre and different, which is a good thing. I don't know who does the English voice overs on these movies but they should list those people on the credits because it is their hard work which you hear on the soundtrack. So, for good martial art ass kickery, this movie delivers. You will need to "fast forward" through the stupid stuff

Fast action and lots of laughs too!In The Contract Killer, Jet Li supplies the charisma and quick kicks as a lowly trainee hitman going for the big score in tracking down the King of All Hitmen.Li's character is in tandem with a sly, but bumbling conman, played by the great Hong Kong character actor Eric Tsang (Men Suddenly in Black, Accidental Spy), who excels at menace and comic relief. Tsang gives one of his typical 3D performance a la Bob Hoskins or Sydney Greenstreet. A rare directorial effort from actor/stuntman Wei Tung, who also directed Magic Cop.

I bought this movie on DVD for just £4.00 and im very impressed with it, what a bargain !Its funny (very funny in some parts), fast and the guy who plays Li's friend in this movie is a hilarious hapless character.This movie has some interesting, new aproaches to Hong Kong movies. Such as a bad guy who wears extremely powerful laser-lights to blind his enemy - sounds cheesy, but ill hear your opinion once you have seen it in action, its very effective.Jet Li's performance in this movie is by far his best, although 'Fist Of Legend' is still his best movie all-round. This movie is still well worth anybodies Fiver' (or five bucks :) .