Black Mask
A former supersoldier becomes a masked Hong Kong vigilante when his violent comrades turn a cancelled experiment into a criminal war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- hyperkinetic
- irreverent
- violent
- action movie night
- martial arts marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly find the film an exciting, fast-moving showcase for Jet Li and Hong Kong action craft, while faulting its implausible story and excessive violence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tsui Chik adopts the Black Mask persona to conceal his identity while fighting former supersoldiers and gangland criminals.
The film combines supersoldier mythology and masked heroics with Jet Li-led fistfights, wire-style movement, and Hong Kong action staging.
The cancelled experiment leaves Micheal and his comrades displaced, with former test subjects becoming violent criminals.
Micheal works quietly as a librarian while secretly possessing the skills and history needed to challenge the soldiers.
Films like Black Mask, and why
Fist of Legend
hong kong martial arts action, charismatic star performance, and hyper-kinetic fight choreography
The Shadow
stylized superhero vigilantism, comic-book energy, and relentless close-quarters combat
The Crow
masked vigilante action, gangland violence, and exaggerated comic-book spectacle
Police Story 3: Super Cop
martial arts heroics, police partnerships, and inventive high-impact action set pieces
Movie Details
- Director
- Daniel Lee
- Release Date
- 1996-11-07
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (300)
Cast
- Jet Li
- Lau Ching-Wan
- Karen Mok Man-Wai
- Françoise Yip
- Patrick Lung Kong
- Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
- Xiong Xinxin
- Henry Fong Ping
- Sze Mei-Yee
- Roy Szeto Wai-Cheuk
Common questions
- What is Black Mask about?
- A former supersoldier becomes a masked Hong Kong vigilante when his violent comrades turn a cancelled experiment into a criminal war.
- What is Black Mask like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Black Mask as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Black Mask violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Black Mask as brutal.
- What did critics think of Black Mask?
- Critics broadly find the film an exciting, fast-moving showcase for Jet Li and Hong Kong action craft, while faulting its implausible story and excessive violence.
- Which films are like Black Mask?
- Films with a similar feel include Fist of Legend, The Shadow, The Crow, and Police Story 3: Super Cop.
- How long is Black Mask?
- Black Mask runs 99 minutes.
