The Inspector Wears Skirts (1988)
Director: Andrew Haigh
Starring: Sibelle Hu, Cynthia Rothrock, Alex To, Sandra Ng
Primary genre: Action
Secondary genre: Comedy
Touching a Hong Kong subgenre (FYI “Girls with Guns”) in a decade (i.e., the 1980s) where the American cinematic counterparts saw women as femme fatales and sex objects for capitalistic opportunists and macho men, “The Inspector Wears Skirts” builds an entire film of female police recruits who can kick equally ass like their male counterparts.
All the traditional elements which you would have expected from a Hong Kong production are present - a meagre plot that is an excuse to tie random and delightful characters in a plethora of “Police Academy” (1984) skits, zero growth, non-stop action and elementary school level humor. This ain’t Zhang Yimou’s “Hero” (2002) but a stripped down movie with a basic, almost anemic infrastructure barely holding thing together. If you go for a bathroom break, chances are you missed a segment where someone is ridiculed or being made fun of that has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. Key characters come and go (e.g., Cynthia Rothrock) and even the stunning Sibelle Hu despite an action heavy opening act, does not have much to do either throughout the entire running time.
Entries from Hong Kong’s “Girls with Guns” became more prominent after the success of Corey Yuen’s “Yes Madam!” (1985) starring the legendary Michelle Yeoh appealing to a wide Asian market, yet they remain unknown to modern Western audiences who keep complaining about the lack of strong female roles. However, it is fascinating to see how cinema’s action mecca dedicates entire movies to (gorgeous and) dynamic women who perform outrageous stunts while maintaining their unique traits and femininity (take some lessons Disney).
To try to talk down any of the shortcomings of Wellson Chin’s flick is fruitless; his purpose is not an intricate plot or never saw them coming twists but A+ enjoyment due to a charismatic and believable cast of capable action heroines in the faces of Sibelle Hu, Cynthia Rothrock, Sandra Ng (who is by far the standout and utter hilarious) and Kara Hui who put those pesky men back into their place and rightfully so (almost every male character is a moron and the excuse for extended slapstick moments including an out of place musical number!). It helps that the stunts and fighting choreography are supervised by Jackie Chan’s Stunt Team (producer here) offering a technical panache missing from other, lesser wholesome flicks of the era.
Despite a sudden ending - a common trope of Hong Kong cinema, “The Inspectors Wears Skirts” is pizza night heaven. A tremendously entertaining flick that although it does not reinvent the action wheel, it aims to give a different take on the proceedings from a female perspective in the male dominated arena of cinematic martial arts. Not bad for 1988!
Funny, female centric martial arts flick
+Top notch action…
+And stunts
+Quite funny
+Great cast, especially Sandra Ng
+Woke by today’s standards and that is a good thing
-No plot
-Abrupt ending