User reviews

Well, well, well I never thought that I would ever enjoy a film that was made in Hong Kong where Jackie Chan or Chow-Yun Fat was the main star. But I was pleasantly surprised by this simple story about the next generation of police. I'm glad that this movie was made the way it was, I'm sure it could have been really beefed up to be ultra-violent or been packed down with Asian stars that are well known to North America. But that's the whole draw of this film, the fact that there are no expectations to be filled with this story. That being said, I think that the cast was perfect for the film, they had the look, the moves, and the attitude that made this one of the more memorable movies that I have seen in the past year. Initially I was a little daunted by the fact that Benny Chan had previously helmed Jackie Chan's "Who Am I?", which I utterly loathed, but the sins of the past were forgiven, quite easily after the film was done. Now, in no way should anyone make a stupendous deal over this film, it's just a neat little film that is fun to watch. And I certainly had fun watching it, especially on DVD with that neat behind the scenes documentary. The cast & crew emulated a great sense of cheer and happiness, off-camera, which I clearly noted during the on-camera. I can't wait to see what happens with the sequel, due out in 2001. I'll be one of the first to score tickets to that show, and you can quote me on that. Kudos, especially, the hip young cast:)

I rented Gen-x cops and I was in love with it from beginning to end. The plot didn't suck and It was easy to follow. As a martial artist, the choreography looked great to me and the main characters were interesting. However, I felt that the movie dragged on a bit towards the end. Usually, action films feel like they move fast. This movie felt like it was two and a half hours long. I will definitely rent the sequel, Gen- Y cops, though. So if you're a martial arts movie buff, rent this and have fun; but if you're a newbie to the genre, rent a Jackie chan movie first.

I was pretty disappointed with this film. The young stars of the movie just don't have the charm and talent to wow me like I was hoping they would, they just seem like pretty faces pouting and tossing off a few poorly-filmed kung fu moves. The gunplay was about the only exciting thing to watch--certainly influenced (ripped off?) from John Woo's style. It all ended up feeling pretty flat to me, nothing much better than a run-of-the-mill US action movie. Save your money unless you just want to look at the pretty stars.

The one line summary says it all. They are young. They are cool. They kick ass. They are pretty boys (cops) with big guns (no pun intended). Add an uberly uber sexy Toru Nakamura as the vengeful Yakuza boss, and what you'll get is a Gift from Heaven TM for all slash fangirls. Who cares about the plot? (Which actually is quite interesting). Ahem. I'll be serious now. When top secret bomb material is stolen by an aspiring and vengeful Yakuza boss (masterfully played by the wonderful Toru Nakamura), a detective considered by his colleagues to be a clown, decides to hunt down the villain. To infiltrate the criminal organisation, he finds a trio of kicked-from-the-academy former cadets and sends them under cover. The "icredible trio" unravels the mystery and at the and has a big KABOOM fight with Yakuza boss. Simple premise, isn't it? Anyway, if you don't want to be mentally challenged and are looking for good time (pretty boys), some mindless shooting and fighting, nice special effects, that's the movie for you. 7/10

I never got around to watching "Gen X Cops" when it was initially released, but just got the chance here in 2012. Looking at the cover I must say that I was a little bit hesitant about it as it had a bunch of the "pretty young boys" of Hong Kong cinema on the cast list. But still, being a fan of Asian and Hong Kong cinema, I decided to give it a go.

And I must honestly say that I was thoroughly entertained and the movie was far better than I had expected it to be.

The story is about three young police officers, Jack (played by Nicholas Tse), Match (played by Stephen Fung) and Alien (played by Sam Lee) who are cocky, reckless and lacking discipline. Kicked from the police force, the eccentric inspector Chan (played by Eric Tsang) recruits the youngsters as a special unit force to avert a disastrous situation between Hong Kong weapons dealer Daniel (played by Daniel Wu) and Japanese terrorist Akatora (played by Tôru Nakamura). Tensions run high and a lot is at stake for all involved.

The story was actually quite good, despite having these particular people on the cast list. I will say that it was actually a joy to see Sam Lee in this movie, and of the young "pretty" boys, he is actually the one and only of whose movies I really enjoy. Aside from that fact, then Eric Tsang was great in the movie as well. More so, it was spectacular to have Francis Ng (playing Lok) in a small supportive, but very influential role, and he always do a great job. And of course, Jackie Chan's cameo was great as well.

"Gen X Cops" is full of action and adrenaline, and sure it does appeal more to a younger audience, but still it was a great action movie if you enjoy Hong Kong action cinema. And it was a visual treat to see the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center to be blown up. Given, this isn't up to the level of John Woo's action movies from the 90's, but still it was good entertainment.

Having seen this movie now, I am definitely going to give the sequel a watch within the nearest future.

GEN X COPS is one of those popular youth-centred action movies that were made throughout the 2000s in Hong Kong: films like TOKYO RAIDERS and INVISIBLE TARGET, ensemble features featuring casts of good-looking young actors handling guns and martial arts with aplomb. More often than not, director Benny Chan was at the helm of these productions, and even NEW POLICE STORY, with its storyline of a young, disillusioned cop-killing gang, sometimes felt as if Jackie Chan was past it and extraneous to the central plot. GEN X COPS is one of Benny Chan's earlier offerings, made as a follow-up to his more traditional Jackie Chan vehicle WHO AM I?, and it turns out to be a lot of fun.

The somewhat complex storyline sees a comedic cop (played to the hilt by the ever-reliable Eric Tsang) assembling a team of rookie cops to go undercover in the Hong Kong underworld and track down some missing weapons. Said cops are a rebellious, fun-loving bunch, presided over by the ubiquitous Nicholas Tse, and their subsequent thrills and spills are directed with aplomb.

GEN X COPS is all about life and vitality (despite the killing) and despite the familiarity of the proceedings, it gets by on sheer energy alone. The various action sequences are well handled and the film features one of the most impressive explosions I've witnessed in a while. The icing on the cake is, of course, Daniel Wu, playing a bad guy with a lot more depth than you'd expect from a testosterone-fuelled production like this, but don't go in looking for Jackie; his presence amounts to a 30-second cameo, if that.

...and here's why:

1) The plot is an overlong, unengaging mess

2) The action scenes are generic (mostly shootouts in which it's often hard to tell who's shooting at whom, and special effects-enhanced explosions).

3) The fight scenes are brief and overedited. There is one girl (Grace Yip) that appears to be a better fighter than the three male leads, and where is she during the climactic fight? Nowhere to be seen!

4) 15 years after the "Lucky Stars" series, Eric Tsang is still providing the same kind of lame-brained "comic relief". Isn't it time for this guy to give it a rest?

Two spectacular sky-diving sequences are all I'll remember from this one...and yes, it's easy to see why the very handsome Nicholas Tse has so many female fans.

*1/2 out of 4.

I was expecting more hand to hand fights in this rater then gun fights. Although it had a lot of fights with guns it wasn't a disappointment. The gun fights had a slight John Woo style to them and for a HK action film this had a fairly big story rather then the usual small one with mindless fights involved.

6 out of 10

This movie totally SUCKED! I was SHOCKED! I rented this movie because Jackie Chan produced it, and I figured I was in for a real action movie, Jackie Chan style. What I got was a load of slop! I kept waiting for the movie to get better and it never did. There are NO Jackie Chan style action sequences. The story is paper thin. The fat, stupid cop named "Chan," is a character for whom the audience is supposed to feel sorry, but you hate him just as much as the characters in the movie do! They are all making fun of him and you have to agree with them! He is not likable. Neither are the Gen X cops! They are just a bunch of punks. I would have liked to have seen at least ONE Jackie Chan style fight scene, but there wasn't any to be found.

At the end of the movie, Jackie Chan makes a cameo as a fisherman. He tells the three young punks, "When I was your age, I was stronger, faster, and better." That line sums up this movie! It is totally true! Not only was Jackie better when he was younger, he still IS better and he is more than twice the age of the stars of this movie! They did not display ANY talent worth watching.

As if that wasn't enough, the plot and dialogue were absolutely awful. This is nothing but cheap, poorly written crap. I hated this movie and I am sorry I rented it. This movie is not up to standard for a Jackie Chan project. Avoid at all costs!

This was one of the best HK films to come out in 1999. The three leads, Nicholas Tse, Stephen Fung, and Sam Lee gave their all as Jack, Match, and Alien. Explosive gunfights combined with martial arts combat were awesome!!! Daniel Wu was a bit wasted in my opinion. They should have had his fight in the film. Nevertheless, Jackie's cameo was a riot in the end. I never expected to see him in the film, but 2 members of his Sing Ga Ban (Bradley Allan, Ken Lo) made appearances. This is a must see for new and old fans of the action genre.

GEN-X COPS (Te Jing Xin Ren Lei)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Anamorphic)

Sound format: Dolby Digital

Jackie Chan co-produced this routine blockbuster as a showcase for some of Hong Kong's hottest new teen stars, including Nicholas Tse, Stephen Fung, Daniel Wu and comic relief Sam Lee. The convoluted storyline posits Tse, Fung and Lee as a trio of rebellious young cops, recruited as undercover agents by police commander Eric Tsang to investigate the shady business dealings between low-level Triad underling Wu and a Japanese crime lord (Toru Nakamura) who has seized a shipment of deadly explosives for nefarious purposes, prompting a sequence of betrayals and counter-betrayals amongst members of the opposing criminal factions, until events reach an explosive climax during a showdown at the newly-opened Hong Kong Convention Center.

Veteran director Benny Chan (A MOMENT OF ROMANCE, NEW POLICE STORY) marshals proceedings into a cohesive whole, though the movie fizzles badly after a dynamic opening sequence before rallying again somewhere around the halfway mark. The action scenes are staged and executed with all the breathless abandon one expects from HK cinema, but many of them unfold so quickly, it's often difficult to know who's doing what to whom, or even why, and crucial plot points are sometimes lost along the way. Few of the actors emerge with any credit, though Nakamura is admirably solemn as an English-speaking Japanese villain who clings to old-fashioned notions of truth and righteousness in a world where such virtues no longer have currency. The young leads are OK (Wu's transition from beleaguered second-in-command to ruthless hard man is surprisingly convincing), while Tsang spends much of his screen time trading insults with his younger, slicker police counterpart (Moses Chan). Stand-out set-pieces include a breathtaking skydive from the roof of a high-rise building, and the climactic scenes of destruction at the Hong Kong Convention Center, rendered via CGI and miniatures by a US effects team, supervised by Oscar-winner Joe Viskocil (INDEPENDENCE DAY, APOLLO 13).

Sensitive viewers may be irritated by some xenophobic comments directed toward the Japanese villains, and there's a couple of dialogue exchanges which play directly to bigoted attitudes about gay men, but the offence is fleeting, if unnecessary. Ultimately, this big budget fluff - designed to compete with a flood of Hollywood blockbusters dominating the HK box-office - amounts to little more than a feel-good fantasy thriller, as slick and hollow as the very films it seeks to emulate. A huge success on its home turf, the film spawned an inevitable sequel, GEN-Y COPS (2000).

(Cantonese and English dialogue)

sit back, cease all brain activity and just enjoy this amusing movie.. it won't win an oscar and the story makes little sense but it has some funny moments and the action is pretty cool.. i rate it 7/10

I cannot believe somebody liked this movie. I bought it on DVD (very cheap, since it was part of a Hong Kong Legends commercial pack) and I never watched it till the end. This movie sucks.

I gave it a 1 since 0 is not possible.

avoid at all cost.

I rented this film tonight because there has always been so much hype surrounding it. Thought I'd give it a try. Here our my thoughts...

Packaging is slick. Sound track is thumping. Actors are all very pretty. Cinematography looks like a big budget action pic.

But man, this flick is skin deep.

Before I proceed, I have to say that I am a big fan of HK cinema. More stuff from the 80's. Chow Yun Fat, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung stuff. Great stuff. But, unfortunately, this new generation has got a long, long way to go.

The story. It just seemed like they didn't have a script. The film just didn't have a story. And because of that, you just couldn't invest yourself into any characters. If they indeed had a script, that would be even scarier.

Actors. The changing of the guard has truly left a great deal to be desired. You would think with such veteran actors like Chow Yun Fat, Leslie Chung, Tony Leung, etc. that the younger generation of HK actors would have some incredible role models to look up to and learn from. Wow, the actors in this film were very, very green. The older actors in the film were all good...to be expected. But the main cast of young, pretty boys who were prettier than the girls...wow. Somehow I get the sense that the producers must have just picked some pretty boys off the street and said, "hey, you wanna be in a movie?" The only actor who had a grounded, real, and convincing presence in the young cast was Nicholas Tse. You can tell that he works hard at and takes his acting seriously. And the bar to judge is not high. He's the only actor in the entire cast that actually has an emotional connection to his words.

I wanted to love this film. I don't have super high standards. As long as it's real, the actors are truly emotionally invested, and the story compelling, I give it a thumbs up. But man, Gen X Cops is like that car that is totally blinged up on the outside. It's got the body kit, chrome wheels, tinted windows, big ass exhaust...all that cool stuff on the outside. But under the hood is just a lawnmower engine.

I know this movie was a huge hit in asia. I was there when it was playing. I also know that this was meant for a certain audience and it should be seen for what it is...just a simple, slick action pick. I'm not trying to hate on it. But seriously, I felt like I was duped. All they needed to do was find actors who were really good and qualified to act in these roles. Trust me, true charisma and acting chops will outshine just pretty looks every time. Plus, giving a bit of thought into a more thought-provoking story line would be the least they can do.

Hopefully Gen Y Cops will be better. But I'm afraid to rent that after this experience.

C9

Review: When I saw that Jackie Chan had produced this movie, I was expecting the young actors to be doing some amazing Kung Fu with some great stunts but it turned out to be about a bunch of gun tooting teenagers with an attitude. Its very fast paced and I didn't know who the goodies or the baddies were half the time because everyone kept on killing each other. Anyway, the film is based around Inspector Chan who isn't really taken seriously in his department, so to prove that he can take-down a bunch of arm dealers, he creates a young elite force to work for him. They then go up against the notorious young teenagers who are not afraid to kill whoever crosses them. The gang boss who controls the whole operation, goes toe to toe with the elite force and the showdown at the end is definitely worth a watch. Personally, I switched of from the film after a while because it seemed a bit messy. There was just too much going on at once and the dark tone of the film made it feel a bit seedy. With that aside, I can understand why it went down well in its native country because it does feel like a cult movie but for this day and age, it did seem a bit dated. I also found it hard to connect to any of the characters, except for the inspector who put in a great performance so it has to get the thumbs down from me. Disappointing!

Round-Up: This movie was directed by Benny Chan who made the great Shaolin and has directed a few movies with Jackie Chan which include New Police Story, Robin-B-Hood and Who Am I?

I recommend this movie to people who are into their action/thriller/comedies starring Nicholas Tse, Stephen Fung, Sam Lee,Eris Tsang, Daniel Wu and Jackie Chan. 3/10

This movie stars three upcoming actors of the HK film industry. All which I happen to be fans of. Nicholas Tse portrays the cautiously handsome leader of the gen x cops Jack. Sam Lee plays the comic relief and excellent shot Alien. Steven Fung plays the ladies man Match. And Grace Yip plays the bad ass, bi lingual computer whiz Y2K. Full of action packed scenes and good times I'd recommend this movie to anyone a fan of HK action movies or sheer entertainment.

Almost ten years after the impressive debut of Benny Chan, comes this erratic action film that does have a few bright spots. Response piece to the Andy Lau breakthrouh feature, Tian Ruo You Qing/Moment of Romance(1990). A more light and humorous film than A Moment of Romance(1990) which was a tragedy. The humor in here ranges to very funny to very bad. One actor that stands out in his performance is singer and actor, Nicholas Tse.

Tejing Xinrenlei/Gen X Cops(1999) represents the new generation of performers in Hong Kong Cinema today. Eric Tsang has the thankless role of Inspector Chan. The action scenes are high tech but not as impressive as action during the hayday of Hong Kong cinema. Nicholas Tse is a cross between Andy Lau and Leslie Cheung in his acting style. Will be known in the future years more for his cast than for the movie itself.

I think the title pretty much sums it up. This is easily one of the most entertaining movies I have seen in a long time. Great action sequences, funny lines, and a story which, while not exactly leak-proof, almost exists.

Sam Lee is hilarious, and Toru Nakamura positively smolders as Akatora, a Japanese yakuza member. I am desperately waiting for it to come out on VCD so I can watch it again and again. For those familiar with Hong Kong geography, you will notice that the second parachute jump actually takes place in several places. Jackie Chan's appearance near the end is also a treat.

Not to scare anyone off but this film is what America is scared to make because of the school shootings. Now everyone thinks they have to tone down on the violence and who is doing the violence. But this comes out of Hong Kong and it's a rated R teen action comedy. The story is very thin and I will try to do my best. A police station is bombed to cover up a large arms deal going down on the same night. And assigned on the case is a cop who has very large problems. He hires three teens to go undercover and infiltrate a mob and find out who bombed the police station and where the arms are going. This film is fitted for teens, lots of loud techno music, bright colors, teenage themes and enough action to make even John Woo happy. The action is fast and furious. There are lots of gunfights, explosions and fights. Produced by Jackie Chan himself this film knocks all those want to be teen action films (Mod Squad) out of the water. Anyone under 21 will enjoy this film a whole lot. And it also appeals to older action film fans. Gen-X Cops does what the titles say it's a teenage action thriller that is fully loaded.

This is Hong Kong action for the year 2000. The misadventures of Jack, Match and Alien are both humorous and entertaining.

Although the script isn't exactly Oscar worthy material, it's fresh and exciting, and more importantly a lot of fun to watch in action! The action scenes were done quite well, and the acting in this film surprised me. I wasn't expecting anything special, but Nicholas Tse and Stephen Fung did a great job. Sam Lee was less interesting, but funny throughout the film. Toru Nakamura is a fantastic bad guy, and Jackie Chan's cameo appearance was humorous and well placed.

Overall, although occasionally a little silly, Gen X Cops is very entertaining and definitely worth a view. 8 out of 10.

I've seen Nicholas Tse recently in Tsui Hark's "Time and Tide" and was very impressed with his performance. He's one of the few Hong Kong pop actors that are making a fine transition into acting than compared to some others (IE. the horrible Ekin Cheng). I saw this movie a few days ago and I have mix reactions to this movie. This movie had a mixture of English, Japanese, and Cantonese. Oh this review is on both the dubbed and subtitled versions.

First, I'll go with the flaws. The story was too Hollywood for me. How many movies have we seen a group of criminals steal a nuclear bomb and it's up to the heroes to save the city from mass destruction? Way too many times. The dialogue was just so cliche. For example after a criminal betrays his own boss for money "It's about money right? It's part of the game, you know that!" Some of the actors are just really bad like Sam Lee's character Alien, you swear you'll start to think this man has soon too many Jim Carrey movies. Also there was too many episodic character developments like it jumped from a brother and brother, to a cop and a criminal with morals, a son of a criminal who wants revenge on another criminal...and so on. Still with me?

Now for the bright spots of the movie. The action sequences are just kinetic! Fast cuts, people diving and shooting at the same time, stand offs, Kung Fu scenes, and anything you can think of for a Hong Kong action movie. The women in the movie are some good eye candy, if you know what I'm saying. Nicholas Tse does a good job, not as good as he did in Time and Tide, but since this is his earlier work, you see his potential. The actor who played Akatora was impressive even sometimes his thick Japanese accent would make you miss some of his English words. In the musical note, there was this great Hong Kong punk song at the end of the credits that was pretty catchy.

So even with mix reactions, do I recommend this movie? Well it depends. If you're looking for a good popcorn movie this would be it. If you're looking for a smart action movie that reminds you of a John Woo movie? This wouldn't be it. So whatever you choose, just look for the amazing shootouts and a promising actor name Nicholas Tse.

(1999) Gen-X-Cops (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY

Co-produced, co-written and directed by Benny Chan, also co-produced by Jackie Chan centering on a group of four young looking teenage cops of Jack (Nicholas Tse), Match (Stephen Fung), Alien (Sam Lee), and Y2K (Grace Ip), infiltrating a gun smuggling operation led by Akatora (Tôru Nakamura). Daniel Wu and Eric Tsang also stars as he plays the inspector who recruited the Gen X Cops. There's a lot of small appearances including Jackie Chan, Ken Lo and Bey Logan to name a few. The dismissal plot is nothing more but serves only as a backdrop/ vehicle to showcase the action and the comedy sequences, sometimes making the most of it's widescreen environment.

After sitting through a year of American films trying to copy Hong Kong-style action, it was with great enthusiasm that I went to the Fanime 2K convention in San Jose and witnessed some of the greatest action films that were swept under the rug by the "big HK boom" of 1998-1999. Incuded among those was Gen-X Cops.

Gen-X Cops, while not the best in any specific genre, is a must-see if you're ready to jump into Hong Kong cinema, whether for the first time or after an absence. The action scenes are incredibly clean, having been shot real-for-real whenever possible. The plot has enough integrity to keep the film interesting without boring the audience to death. It's not perfect - the dubbing job isn't the best in the world (the film has a lot of English in it already, and the soundtrack can get jarring as it switches between dubbing and the original language. I watch the subtitled version whenever possible.) and most of the characters are under developed, but it is made up for with reams and reams of classic Hong Kong style. And style is what this film is all about.

this movie is really well produced, it has superb action sequences, and the actors all are excellent in their roles. This movie has comedy, not the comedy of jackie chans movies thank god, i personally dont like the action on chans movies, i prefer movies like this one. It is a bit more serious, and not as exaggerated as jackie chan movie, it has a balance, and it is no ridicule. i think is the action movie of the year. Unfortunately, here in mexico this movies have no good distribution, not even on video, I hope sometime soon this kind of oriental movies are distributed as they deserve.