Duo bao qiao jia ren

Sharon Kwok is so damn cute and adorable in everything I've seen her so far, it's a shame her film career was relatively short. In "Dead Target" she plays the granddaughter of a man who, several years ago, had hidden a priceless crown - a Chinese national treasure - somewhere in Thailand, where he continues to live. When Sharon receives a letter from her grandfather asking her to meet him in Thailand and bring with her a pendant that is part of a treasure map, she does not suspect that he was forced to write that letter by an evil gang of guys (and girls) who have kidnapped him. Luckily for her, she meets an undercover Interpol officer (Chin Siu Ho) aboard her flight, and although they don't really get along at first, he offers to help her.

"Dead Target" is almost worth seeing for Sharon Kwok alone. She has one of the most winning smiles you'll EVER see, but she's also not afraid to get knocked around as well as do some knocking around of her own when it's time for action. What makes her especially enjoyable in this film is that her character is not a martial arts expert, but she's still able to fight using her bravery, her smarts, her fitness (she is an aerobics instructor), and any object that can be used as a weapon. The story is kind of monotonous (little more than one long chase), but there is plenty of action, some nice moves from Chin Siu Ho, some impactful falls, and a scene where some elephants attack and stomp the bad guys that looks amazingly real! And of course, it could also inspire you to seek out more Sharon Kwok films. (**1/2)