Righting Wrongs is a classic 80s Hong Kong action film with a very dark and cynical side. Yuen Biao stars as a prosecutor who always gets his man, whether in the courtroom or outside the law in vigilante fashion. When he is implicated in the murder of a triad leader, Hsai (Yuen Biao) must track down the real culprit to clear his name. He is joined by Sandy (Cynthia Rothrock), a guilao cop, after a witness clears Hsai's name.

There were many times during Righting Wrongs that I was shocked at what I was witnessing on the screen. In terms of an action film, it excels on all points. What is really surprising though, at least in the original Cantonese version, is the level of brutality and absolute unconventionality it delivers in terms of character outcomes and it's moral message. Yuen Biao is portrayed as a conventional hero, but he delivers justice as he sees fit, no matter what the consequences are and what laws he may be breaking. If he fails in court to bring someone to justice, he simply sets forth to kill them (if warranted). Even the presiding judge seems to indicate that this is the right thing to do and goes so far as to give Biao a moral approval to deliver his form of punishment. The line between justice and injustice is severely blurred in this film, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

The director, Corey Yuen, really brings everything to the table in terms of action and martial arts. Although many of the fight scenes seem a bit undercranked, they are well choreographed and make great use of the sets in which they take place. In particular, the scenes that involve Rothrock (who is fantastic in this film) vs Biao and then later vs US Karate diva Karen Sheperd should be benchmarks for comparison. Yuen Biao is also in prime shape for this role and never misses a beat. Overall, a highly recommended movie.

9/10