The Heroic Trio

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The Heroic Trio
File:TheHeroicTrio.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Johnnie To
Produced by Ching Siu-tung
Johnnie To
Yeung Kwok-fai
Written by Susanne Chan
Starring Michelle Yeoh
Anita Mui
Maggie Cheung
Damian Lau
Music by William Wu
Cinematography Tom Lau
Poon Hang-Sang
Edited by Ng Kam Wah
Distributed by China Entertainment Films Production
Release dates
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  • 12 February 1993 (1993-02-12)
Running time
88 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese

The Heroic Trio (Dung fong saam hap, TC: 東方三俠, pinyin: dōng fāng sān xiá) is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by Johnnie To, starring Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, and Anita Mui as the titular trio. Other cast include Damian Lau, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Paul Chun, James Pak and Yan Yee Kwan. The main characters of the film are reunited in a sequel, another 1993 film, Executioners.

Cast and roles

Synopsis

An invisible woman is kidnapping newborn babies who are destined to be emperors and delivering them to the mysterious subterranean supernatural Evil Master. The police are powerless, and the city must be saved by three very different women who share a terrible past. Anita Mui plays the mild-mannered wife of a police inspector who's also the mask-wearing, sword-slinging and knife-throwing crime fighter, Wonder Woman. Maggie Cheung plays the shotgun-toting, hard-boiled bounty hunter, Thief Catcher. Michelle Yeoh is Invisible Girl, the troubled but determined strong right arm of the Evil Master.

Characters

Female Heroes

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a crime fighting vigilante, trained from childhood by her strict martial arts master father. Her secret identity is Tung, wife of Police Inspector Lau, who eventually finds out who she is. Aside from her fighting prowess, she uses a collapsible sword and throwing knives in the shape of butterfly wings. She is played by Anita Mui. She is referred to as Shadow Fox in the English dub.

Ching

Ching aka Ching Ching is the martial sister of Tung, and left their disciplinarian father as a child. She was then taken in by Evil Master, and serves as his main servant. Though the Thief Catcher is her childhood friend, the two are only reunited as adults. Ching is responsible for the kidnapping of the babies using an invisible robe, which is given to her by the Professor. She is ordered to kill the Professor for the robe, but is conflicted because she has fallen in love with him, eventually deciding to fight in his memory after he dies. Ching is known to the Evil Master as "Number 3". She is the most skilled fighter of the trio, and uses a chain whip. She is portrayed by actress Michelle Yeoh in the film.

Thief Catcher

Thief Catcher is an irresponsible and greedy bounty hunter. She is initially hired by the Police Chief to rescue his own kidnapped son, and she steals a baby from the hospital as bait for the kidnapper. In the ensuing struggle with Wonder Woman, the baby is accidentally killed, causing her to reevaluate her life. She grew up and underwent similar training with Ching as a child, though she escaped after 3 years (taking another 10 to regain her humanity); her designation was originally "Number 7". She is referred to as Mercy (short for Mercenary) in the English dub. Often, she prefers to use her rifle and explosives in a fight, though she also has a boomerang-like sword. She is also an expert motorcycle ride. She is played by Maggie Cheung.

Villains

The Evil Master

He is the main villain of the film. He compels Ching to steal newborn babies as part of his supernatural scheme to provide China with a new emperor. Ching has worked for him for many years. The Thief Catcher likes to refer to him as "Damned Old Monster!" as she strongly dislikes him. Played by Shi-Kwan Yen.

External links