By 1982, the martial arts movie in its traditional guise was starting to flounder. The era of the Kung Fu comedy was starting to fade, and the era of Jackie Chan was just starting to hit full gear as “Project A” was to come the next year and the modern action movie would begin to form. “The Postman Strikes Back” consequently falls somewhere in between and as it receives a fresh Blu-ray release from 88 Films, it's time to step back and revisit a movie that probably deserves a bigger audience.
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Errand Horse (Leung Kar-yan) is a postman delivering mail to remote villages. With the impending railway, on the way his work will be obsolete. A chance encounter with a young thief (Yuen Yat Chor) leads to a meeting with Hsu (Eddie Ko), an official who has an offer of delivering some cases to a warlord. After initially declining he accepts. He gathers the assistance of Bu (Fan Mei-sheng) an explosive expert and Fu Jun (Chow Yun-fat) a gambler who is assigned to the group by Hsu. A young lady from the village (Cherie Chung) joins, as she wants Errand Horse to take her to the city. The one rule they are given is not to open the cases. As they journey across hostile territory, they realize that Hsu may not be as benign as they thought. Tragedy and heroism follow as the truth emerges.
At the helm was Ronny Yu who would find fame with “The Bride of White Hair” and eventually have one of the more successful hollywood careers of the post 1997 exodus. There is a polish to the piece that is often lacking in genre product. There is a very cinematic vibe with the compositions and some of the set pieces are fresh and original. The mid-section across snow-covered backdrops is a highlight and features a great action sequence on a frozen river. The finale amidst the lines of trees also impresses. There is a sense that Ronny Yu is in control of the production, and it remains one of the best looking films of its time. Handling choreography duty is the legendary Yuen Woo-ping and as to be expected does not disappoint.
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The final reel sees Eddie Ko switch into ninja mode (those who have seen “Duel to the Death” will be familiar with this!). It's the one element that really dates “The Postman Strikes Back” but not necessarily in a bad way. The early 1980's saw a mini explosion of ninja features in Hong Kong cinema with “Ninja in the Dragons Den” also released that same year. Up to this point, the action sequences had been fairly grounded with minimal enhancement, focusing on the skills of the combatants. Any ninja action automatically enters the world of the fantastical with flames coming from the palms of the suit, body doubles and the ability to move underground. Go with the flow and it's really enjoyable, it just takes us out of the films sense of reality at that point. This is not a criticism as such, more an observation of the action trend for the time.
Leung Kar-yan is an interesting curio in the history of action cinema. Not an actual martial artist per se, he instead was an excellent mimic of styles, that meant he could slip into most roles quite comfortably. It's a laconic performance here, as he is playing very much the strong, silent type which contrasts well with the supporting acts that attempt to steal the show. Prominently featured in the modern advertising is Chow Yun-fat at 2 years away from “The Story of Wu Viet” and 4 from his breakout performance in “A Better Tomorrow”. He looks scarily young in this and gives us glimpses of the charisma he would showcase more prominently. Along for the ride in her feature debut is his to be frequent co-star Cherie Chung. It's a lesser part for her and gets very little to do until her very sudden exit; fortunately better parts would be forthcoming. Fan Mei-sheng is his typically bombastic self as the team's demolition expert. His career stretching back to Shaw Brothers days was filled with loud-mouthed, short-tempered characters. Whilst this part is no different, there are quieter moments as his friendship with Chow Yun-fat's gambler unexpectedly develops in a nice touch and adds an additional layer of emotion as the climax is reached. Rounding up the bunch is Yuen Yat Chor as the naïve thief. A frequent supporting player in his brother Yuen Woo Ping's features, he again has little to do but makes a decent fist of an unwritten role.
Eddie Ko is one of those I recognize the face figures in the industry. Probably best known for starring in John Woo's “Heroes shed no Tears”. He was a frequent figure during this time, often seen in a villainous role with moustache on display. Always a proficient performer rather than a show stealer, he gives a solid performance prior to his switch into the Ninja garb.
Watching “The Postman Strikes Back” in retrospect, it is readily apparent how much it is influenced by the western genre, more so than is often the case in a category that would repackage them frequently. The changing of the times with the railroad coming through is a classic trope signifying the end of an era and the introduction of a new. The central McGuffin of the cases when revealed is another debt to this idea of shifting eras. One that martial arts movies would rarely address directly by being careful of the time setting. It owes a debt to the later westerns particularly of Peckinpah and the Italian Spaghetti works, with the idea that this group are displaced and out of touch. It adds an air of fatalism to the piece that enhances the narrative. One of the final scenes before the climactic duel utilizes slow-motion to dramatic effect and would not look out of place in one of these aforementioned westerns. It's very much a “Men on a Mission” action\adventure with martial arts sequences thrown in as opposed to a pure Kung Fu flick.
“The Postman Strikes Back” is an excellent and underrated action feature. What it lacks in depth it makes up in visual flare and action. It represents a transition into the more modern action genre whilst containing enough of the classic martial arts with enough to please fans of both. Check it out, enjoy and you'll never argue with your postman about a late delivery again!
