Top Squad

Actress Sibelle Hu stars as Madam Wu, a character that is spun-off from the "Five Lucky Stars" movie series. Here, she is in charge of training a group of female Banshee Squad Members of the Hong Kong Police Force. Next door to their academy is the male Tiger Squad Members, led by Inspector Kan (Shui-Fan Fung).

What started out as some rigorous training action quickly was reduced to a prolonged scene set at a roller-skating rink towards the middle of the movie, where the Tiger Squad members try to court the Banshee Squad members. This scene really dragged with unnecessary slapstick humor that distracts from the movie's main plot. The subplots of the members courting one another and the rivalry of Madam Wu and Inspector Kan are not interwoven into the story well, making you wonder what the main objective of this movie's story is. Some butt-kicking and gut-totting action do not take place until the end of the film.

So, if you are a fan of slapstick comedy, give this film a watch. If you are a fan of action movies only, watch the beginning, than forward to the end.

Grade C-

This was a typical Hong Kong police movie with girls being trained to be super cop. It is worth watching because of Ellen Chan (known as Jean) in the movie. She acted as the most pretty and outstanding, and smart girl in the lady cadet. All the lady cadets like her and the guy cadets keep on going after her. Other cast like Sandra Ng Kwan Yue and Alex Toh were unknown at that time. This movie was the masterpiece that makes Ellen Chan one of the most popular actresses in the late 80s and early 90s. When you watch this movie, expect your jaw to drop when you see Ellen.

Tough commando Madam Hu (Sibelle Hu, My Lucky Stars) is recruited to train a hand-picked squad of policewomen to become specialists in diffusing hostage situations. Faced with the task of turning a group of pretty girls, narcissists, and nervous nellies into ideal law enforcers, she enlists the help of her comrade Madam Law (Rothrock, Above the Law) to teach the giggling girls the ropes of apprehending terrorists; it will take their combined efforts to prepare them to take on a pack of deadly jewel thieves looking to steal one of Hong Kong's most precious diamonds.

An enjoyable HK Kung-fu film, though don't expect wall-to-wall action. There's one in the beginning featuring Cynthia Rothrock, and where Sibelle and Cynthia thwart a suicide bomber with a flagpole, a three-on-one weapons encounter involving a staff, sword, and three-section nunchaku, and a daredevil stunt featuring dropkick delivered from 15 feet off the ground. Phew! In the middle of the mayhem is a typical undisciplined girls joining a Commando academy, then through trials and tribulations they become disciplined. It's quite fun with some good comic moments.

I've spent so many years looking for a copy of this film on DVD but still, there's nothing. I had it on video, years ago and watched it constantly.. absolutely love this film! Love the action, the sense of humour... It's just a brilliant film! And I'd absolutely LOVE to be able to watch it again!

I had the opportunity to sit down and watch the 1988 Hong Kong action comedy "Ba Wong Fa" (aka "The Inspector Wears Skirts") for the first time here in 2023. Oddly enough, with my interest and fascination with the Hong Kong cinema, then I had actually never heard about the movie prior to getting to watch it.

Writer Kam Fu Cheng put together a fair enough script and storyline here. However, while the movie certainly was watchable, then it was also at the same time not a particularly outstanding movie. So I hadn't really been missing out on a gem in the Hong Kong cinema.

There were a few moments here and there throughout the course of the movie that brought a smile to my lips. But for a comedy, then "Ba Wong Fa" wasn't really all that funny. I wasn't brought to laughter once throughout the course of the movie.

They had a good cast ensemble in the movie, and it was definitely nice to see Sandra Kwan Yue Ng on the screen. And the movie also had Dennis Chan, Ken Lo and Fui-On Shing on the cast list, though in smaller roles. So there were some familiar faces. Oh, and the movie also had Cynthia Rothrock on the cast list, though it wasn't something I found a particular joy in, as I have never been a fan of hers.

I can check this movie off the 'watched-movies-list' now. But I doubt I will ever return to watch director Wellson Chin's movie a second time.

My rating of "Ba Wong Fa" lands on a very bland five out of ten stars.