Jet Li stars as a former member of "Squad 701", a team or military professional killers who, thanks to brain surgery, no longer feel pain or emotion. When it is discovered that some of these assassins are still capable of feeling it is decided to "exterminate" the whole squad and forget about the project.

Some of them escape, one of which is Li.

He’s starts to live another life under the false identity of Tsui Chik and works as a librarian. He is soon befriended by a cop named Shek (Lau Ching-wan) who known to his fellow cops as "Rock" because of his cold attitude.

The trouble starts when the group is reformed under the leadership of the 701 Squad boss and starts killing every major Hong Kong drug dealer in order to control the whole territory themselves. When Shek is unsuccessful in stopping them, Tsui steps in under the identity of Black Mask but this time fighting for justice - HK comic book style.

The action scenes are quite good and while containing quite a bit of wire work, they still contain some really good techniques and exchanges. Li looks very good in all of the fights scenes and flies around a bit ( but that’s ok because its out of a comic book ) and the beautiful Francois Yip (Rumble in the Bronx) does a good job of kicking but as well! A fight between her and Li up on top of a tower is a great rush and last scene where Li delivers some of the fastest leg kick combinations I’ve ever seen is quite good as well. Not to mention some steel whip chain techniques with a live power wire.

Towards the end the character development loses it a bit and Li’s female sidekick is a bit annoying at times but over all, Black mask, along with First strike, are probably two of one of the best HK action films of 1996.

I give Black Mask 7/10