You are currently displaying English
月黑風高 (1995)
The Case of the Cold Fish


Reviewed by: Taijikid
Date: 05/16/2006
Summary: A favorite HK comedy

Dismiss the paper-thin plot, and simply sit back and enjoy the wacky humor and rich characterization of this sadly overlooked comedy.

Star Michael Chow is in top form as the head of a small police station on a sleepy island near Hong Kong. When a murder occurs on the island, an overzealous HK officer, played to perfection by Michael Wong, is assigned to investigate. This sets the stage for the inevitable clash between the gung-ho city cop and the slacker country cop. Or are things really all that black and white? By the movie's end, the two cops have come to understand and appreciate each other as officers and as human beings. Throughout the film the audience's sympathy for both men grows, as we begin to see their strengths and failings, their frailties and their innate goodness.

The two Michaels offer wonderful performances. Michael Chow draws a complex portrait of a lonely cop with little hope in his life and yet who possesses a good deal more wisdom than is initially evident to the viewer. Michael Wong gives us a good-natured parody of his usual screen persona, complete with hilarious mistakes in his Cantonese dialogue.

The secondary characters are all well done in their brief roles, with Shing Fui On shining in his comic portrayal of the bumbling cop who moonlights as a Daoist priest. The village setting is a definite plus; and additional kudos are due to the composer of the music, which effectively underscores the droll elements of the screen play.

Whenever I want a gentle laugh over the absurdities of the human comedy, I put The Case of the Cold Fish in my DVD player. Director Jamie Luk and company can be proud of this one.


Reviewed by: jfierro
Date: 12/21/1999

While drinking the night away on a lazy, tourist island, big citycop Michael Wong gets in a fight with a much-hated local man. When the man turns up dead the next day, Michael first ends up being a suspect, and then ends up leading the local police force in the murder investigation. This, of course, sets up a hilarious series of culture clashes as HK cop Michael Wong learns to appreciate the laid-back style of local police chief Michael Chow. Great in a low-key way.


Reviewed by: hktopten
Date: 12/21/1999

The two Michaels worked well together and it wasn't like all those run of the mill true crime drama. It's so simple in its execution all you have to do is just sit back and enjoy. Recommended.