Last year, 88 Films brought the Hong Kong classic The Inspector Wears Skirts (1988) to Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S., and right out of the gate for 2024, they’re delivering the sequel, which came out just one year later in 1989. In The Inspector Wears Skirts II, Sibelle Hu returns to her role of Madam Wu, as does director Wellson Chin. But did they capture lighting in a bottle for a second time?
This time there’s no assistance from Cynthia Rothrock, but her role in the first film (also known as Top Squad) was nothing more than an extended cameo. Good or bad, it’s still a piece of cinematic history that’s being preserved for future generations to discover, and that’s the real triumph.
Madam Wu (Sibelle Hu) returns to train four new Banshee Squad members who immediately do not get along. Alongside them is an all-male unit led by Inspector Kan (Fung Shui-Fan), who thinks they’re more qualified, but Madam Wu isn’t just some woman. The two teams will have to learn to work together to make the Hong Kong P.D. proud when facing off against a deadly terrorist threat.
There are a few issues that plague The Inspector Wears Skirts II; first off, it’s mostly a comedy. Much like the original, comedy was the focus over action, and while it worked then, this time, it feels a little strained. Second, it seriously lacks action. There’s one pretty terrific action sequence during the finale. The first film had two amazing action sequences that rewarded the audience for sticking with it, but I don’t feel general audiences would really stick around during part two for that reward. It’s a shame since the Jackie Chan Stunt Team put together a solid sequence for those who do. Jackie Chan once again produces and lends out his daredevil team to make it special.
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Finally, my last issue with it is that it all feels very familiar. It copies the formula of the first film and plugs in some new characters. It’s fine, but a continuation with the entire original cast may have been more rewarding. Overall, it’s a solid flick though it does disappoint in certain areas.
The disc has plenty of extras to dive into, like an interview with Stuntman Mars, an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, an interview with director Wellson Chin, an interview with stuntman Go Shut Fung, the Hong Kong trailer, and a stills gallery. In addition to all this, there’s a limited edition slipcase, a double-sided poster with the original artwork as well as a new piece from Sean Longmore, and a reversible cover.
The Inspector Wears Skirts II is entertaining enough but doesn’t quite live up to the legacy of the original. That’s alright, though; it’s still a classic worthy of any Hong Kong film collection you may have.
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