Reviewed by: Beat TG Date: 04/05/2025 Summary: Typical but Stylish Action Potboiler HIGH VOLTAGE -- or more known for its' alternative English title ASIAN COP: HIGH VOLTAGE -- is one among several low-budget Hong Kong action movies shot in the Philippines from early to late 1990s. Most of them are average but this movie is actually one of few good ones out there. The story is your typical fish-out-of-water one. Donnie Yen plays a hot-tempered, avenging cop who goes after a ruthless drug dealer (Roy Cheung) -- responsible for murdering his wife -- from Hong Kong to Philippines. There, he is aided by two local cops, played by Edu Manzano and Joel Torre, in his quest to catch the drug dealer who has aided local criminals of his own to make things difficult for the Hong Kong and Filipino cops. One strength of the movie is the mere direction, either by Andrew Kam (best known for his directorial work on THE BIG HEAT and SWORDSMAN), Donnie Yen himself, or someone else. It's a Hong Kong/Filipino co-production so there was bound to be equally as much input from both ends. I read some information on Donnie's old website (the one that existed between 2001-2010 before Donnie made a huge update of the website under a new url removing all information!) that there was an original director of choice, a Filipino, who left the production so Andrew was brought in directing his segment before Donnie took over to complete the rest of the movie, and going uncredited for his effort. Regardless of who did most of the directing, the result is very satisfying. It makes HIGH VOLTAGE stand out compared to other low-budget Hong Kong productions of its' type, where everyone put effort in creating something rather than let things go to waste for nothing. The movie looks far from a typical Hong Kong movie with an international/rushed feel to it like many others. Legend has it that the movie was entirely shot in Filipino and English. But that has been disproved by Philippine Film Archive and Golden Sun Films -- the movie's current worldwide distribution rights owner -- citing the movie being a joint production between Hong Kong and Philippines. The movie was shot in Cantonese and Filipino, and thereby featuring a vast cast of well reputed Hong Kong and Filipino actors. However, most home video releases of the movie have only had the movie in all-out Cantonese -- yes, the Filipinos are dubbed in true Hong Kong fashion. Some reliable sources confirm a Filipino cut of the movie running longer than the Hong Kong cut as well, just to add an interesting trivia. Hopefully the Filipino Cut will surface on home video in the near future, especially under treatment from highly respected independent distribution labels such as UK-based Eureka Video, 88 Films, and Arrow Films. The acting is nothing remarkable but it's serviceable enough to hold viewers' attention with conviction. Donnie Yen is pretty much himself of using his early typical screen persona being tough-as-nails, impulsive, and stubborn found in many of his movies from 1988 to 2007. Roy Cheung, famous for playing villains, is no different here too and showcases his antagonistic screen presence to good but predictable (if you will) effect. Filipino-American actor Edu Manzano, earning his fame from various genre movies in 1980s and 1990s Filipino cinema, excels decently without looking like he's busting out theater acting like so many foreign actors in Hong Kong cinema. Joel Torre -- known for the Jose Rizal (one of the national heroes of the Philippines) biopic 3RD WORLD HERO and the internationally acclaimed crime thriller ON THE JOB -- as Manzano's cop buddy does the same. He is the movie's comical relief, and delivers jokes and providing the needed entertainment to good success beyond the seriousness of the movie's tone. The highlight of HIGH VOLTAGE is the action scenes, of course -- this being a Donnie Yen-led movie it has always been that way. When Donnie shot the movie in 1994, he had just parted ways with long-time collaborator Yuen Woo Ping after an alleged feud on set of WING CHUN. This gave Donnie freedom to seek opportunities elsewhere; From low-budget movies to TV shows. Donnie also started action directing on his own, as basis to establish a career behind the scenes. THE KUNG FU MASTER and FIST OF FURY, both TV shows produced by ATV, became his first gigs as action director creating his own distinct but less appealing style compared to the fast-paced Peking opera style of action choreography by the likes of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Corey Yuen, and Yuen Woo Ping. Donnie went on with the experiences to put his effort on this movie crafting the same style, emphasis on creative camerawork, fast but easily imaginative editing, specially telegraphed movements/fighting techniques coupled with undercranking (a.k.a. film footage that are shot and sped up at the same time to make the movements appear a bit faster than normal), and compellingly attentive sound effects for grand impact. The end result is worth watching over and over; Particularly the discotek brawl scene as well as the apartment fight scene, and the fight scene between Donnie and Filipino martial arts actor Gabriel Romulo -- where Donnie even pays a nice homage to the end fight scene in Jet Li's FIST OF LEGEND using a belt vs a sharp weapon! If you like LEGEND OF THE WOLF and won't mind a low-budget Hong Kong action movie with a stylish narrative, creative action scenes, and filled with genre conventions then HIGH VOLTAGE comes highly recommended. Rating: 7.5/10 Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: mrblue Date: 08/14/2009 Summary: Decent Donnie Yen plays a loose cannon Hong Kong cop sent to the Philippines to bring back a criminal. This film is extremely low budget, but there's a lot of action thrown into the mix to keep you entertained. This was one of Donnie's first attempts at action directing, and he overuses camera tricks, but overall the action is decent enough. Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: Sydneyguy Date: 01/22/2006 Summary: Average A run of the mill cop movie which ends up predictable. The action is sped up and Donnie yen's characters has been done better from other actors. Does he always have to try to look cool in all his movies? Roy Cheung always plays the villians well. WAtchable movie if you got nothing better to do, i am not sure watching a english dubbed version of the movie would of changed my opinion if i saw the chinese version, but i doubt it Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: redbean Date: 12/09/1999 Donnie is a dedicated loose cannon cop (imagine that!) who is sentto the Phillipines to escort an extradited criminal/witness. He is teamed up with a dedicated straightlaced Filipino cop. After Donnie runs into an old nemesis, the fun begins... There's some stylish editing and wipe effects, and the final fight sequence is really cool.

Reviewed by: leh Date: 12/09/1999 It's one of those "international thrillers" that HK makes to sell to the rest of the world - non-HK locations, some non-HK actors etc. D&B Films used to be the experts in this genre. That said, it's pretty fun in my opinion - totally no-brain entertainment, with some good action direction by Donnie Yen. The plot is terrible, of course, but what did you expect. Worth renting...

Reviewed by: hokazak Date: 12/09/1999 Pretty good Donnie Yen cop story in which Donnie goes to the Philippines in search of a bad guy (Roy Cheung Yiu Yeung) named "Dick" who had earlier killed his wife and injured him. Unfortunately this seems like the choreographers and stunt crew may have been Filipino or otherwise not from Hong Kong, because there is too much American style filming and choreography of the fight scenes - quickly cutting back and forth between the donor and recipient of a blow so that you can only see one of them at a time, etc.. In some ways, then, Donnie Yen's great wu shu abilities are wasted in this film - though it still beats out most American films for action and hand-to- hand combat. (It's ironic that Donnie did the action choreography in this film....) Not great by Hong Kong movie standards though. If you haven't already, check out one of Yuen Woo Ping's great cop-movie collaborations with Donnie Yen - like the incomparable "In The Line of Duty 4" or the enjoyable first to parts of the "Tiger Cage" trilogy. Or even "Crystal Hunt."

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