''Future X-Cops'' (''Mei loi ging chaat'' 未來警察) is a 2010
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
action film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
directed by
Wong Jing
Wong Jing ( born 3 May 1955) is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker with strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, Wong Jing played a prominent role in Hong Kong cinema duri ...
. The film is about terrorists Kalong (
Louis Fan) and Feina (Tang Yifei) who travel back in time to attempt to assassinate Professor Ma (Ma Jingwu). The two are chased by the cyborg cop Zhou Zhihao (
Andy Lau
Andy Lau Tak-wah (; born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maint ...
) who has also traveled back in time to stop them.
The film was delayed in post-production to work on the
special effect
Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual wor ...
s. The film performed well in Hong Kong where it was the second highest-grossing film in its opening week.
Plot
In 2080, in an unnamed Asian metropolis, cyborg terrorists attempt to assassinate Professor Ma (Ma Jingwu) on the tenth anniversary of his energy-saving Solar Canopy but are defeated by the cyborg cop Zhou Zhihao (
Andy Lau
Andy Lau Tak-wah (; born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maint ...
). Zhou's wife, Meili (
Fan Bingbing
Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time'' ...
) is then killed and terrorist leader Kalong (
Louis Fan) and his wife Feina (Tang Yifei) manage to escape arrest. Kalong and Feina travel back in time to 2020 to try to assassinate the teenage Ma but are pursued by Zhou and his daughter Qiqi (Xu Jiao). Posing as a traffic cop, Zhou attracts the attention of policewoman Wang Xue'e (
Barbie Shu
Barbie Hsu (; born 6 October 1976) is a Taiwanese actress, singer, and television host. She is best known for her leading role in the television series ''Meteor Garden'' (2001).
Life and career
Hsu was born in Taipei, Taiwan on 6 October 1976 ...
), who falls in love with him.
Cast
*
Andy Lau
Andy Lau Tak-wah (; born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maint ...
as Zhou Zhihao (Kidd Zhou)
*
Xu Jiao
Xu Jiao (, born 5 August 1997) is a Chinese actress. She made her film debut in the 2008 sci-fi film '' CJ7'' where she played a boy, and won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer
The Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer is ...
as Zhou Qiqi (Kiki Zhou)
*
Barbie Shu
Barbie Hsu (; born 6 October 1976) is a Taiwanese actress, singer, and television host. She is best known for her leading role in the television series ''Meteor Garden'' (2001).
Life and career
Hsu was born in Taipei, Taiwan on 6 October 1976 ...
as Wang Xue'e (Miss Holly)
*
Fan Bingbing
Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time'' ...
as Meili and Millie (Guest star)
* Ma Jingwu as Professor Ma (Professor Masterson)
* Tang Yifei as Feina (Fiona)
*
Louis Fan as Kalong (Kalon)
*
Mike He
Mike He (also spelled Mike Ho; ; born 28 December 1983) is a Taiwanese actor who started his career as a model before switching to acting. He has been managed by HIM International Music since 2010. HIM International MusiMike signs contract with ...
as Ma Jinxiang (Sergeant Masterson)
*
Zhang Li as Huo Li Shuyi
* Liu Yiwei as Druggie
* Ding Sheng as Tie
*
Law Kar-ying
Dr Law Kar-ying BBS MH (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and actor.
Background
Born Law Hang-tong on September 22 (August 27 Lunar), 1946 in Shunde, Guangdong as the eldest son of actor Law Kar-kuen (羅家權) an ...
as Scissors
*
Blackie Chen
Charles "Blackie" Chen or Chen Chien-chou (born 2 May 1977 in Kaohsiung) is a Taiwanese television host, actor, basketball manager, entrepreneur, and a former basketball player. He is also the founder and current chief executive officer of the T ...
as Misfortune, the young undercover 2020 cop
* Huang Licheng as a 2080 cop
* Chen Xiaofeng as Kabao
* Xiao Jian as Stone
Production
To create the special effects for the film,
Andy Lau
Andy Lau Tak-wah (; born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maint ...
wore a green jumpsuit which allowed computer-generated armor to be seen on his body.
''Future X-Cops'' was delayed due to a lengthy post-production process in Korea that was made to boost the films visual effects. There were rumors of financial woes of one of the film's investors which director Wong Jing denied.
Release
''Future X-Cops'' was released in China on March 30 and in Taiwan on April 2, 2010.
The film grossed a total of $27,037 in Taiwan.
It was released in Hong Kong on April 15 where it premiered in second place in box office rankings for that week.
The film grossed a total of $439,978 in Hong Kong.
Reception
Film Business Asia
''Film Business Asia'' was a film trade magazine based in Hong Kong. The magazine was created in 2010 by Patrick Frater, former journalist for ''Variety'', ''The Hollywood Reporter'', and '' Screen International'' and Stephen Cremin, co-founder o ...
gave the film a four out of ten rating noting poor effects, uneven acting, and "pothole-sized gaps in logic and continuity, even by Hong Kong genre standards."
Twitch Film
Screen Anarchy, previously known as Twitch Film or Twitch, is a Canadian English-language website featuring news and reviews of mainly international, independent and cult films. The website was founded in 2004 by Todd Brown. In addition to films, ...
gave the film a poor review stating that there was "honestly nothing to recommend in this film" and that it was "troubling to see how well it has been performing at the mainland box office. Its opening weekend here in Hong Kong is also seeing it beat out other new releases like ''
Monga'' and ''
Kick-Ass'', both of which are far superior films."
References
External links
*
{{Wong Jing
2010 films
2010 action thriller films
2010 science fiction action films
2010s spy films
2010s superhero films
Films about terrorism in Asia
Films directed by Wong Jing
Films set in 2020
Films set in 2080
Films set in Asia
Hong Kong science fiction action films
Chinese science fiction action films
Martial arts science fiction films
Films about time travel
Taiwanese science fiction action films
2010s Hong Kong films
2010s Cantonese-language films