The only feeling better for a cinephile in learning that a film you dig or never got the chance to see is getting a physical release is learning that said film that’s out of print or region locked is getting re-issued for your region. There was a collective gasp when Shout! Studios announced their Hong Kong Cinema Classics titles as it meant several films that folks haven’t been able to get their hands on for some time would be available. Now it’s happening again as 88 Films, through their 88 Asia Collection sublabel, is re-releasing Alfred Cheung Kin-Ting’s crime thriller On the Run (亡命鴛鴦) starring Yuen Biao (Warriors Two; Eastern Condors), Pat Ha Man-Jik (Winners and Sinners; Nomad), and Charlie Chin Chiang-Lin (Winners and Sinners; Eastern Condors) in a brand-new Region A edition with new artwork and all the features of the 2022 Region B edition.
When his law enforcement ex-wife, Lo Huan (Idy Chan Yuk-Lin), is assassinated, Special Branch Officer Hsiang Ming (Biao) decides not to wait for her new beau, Superintendent Liu (Chin), to track down the culprit, opting to do so himself. However, when he finds the mysterious assassin Ah Chui (Man-Jik), Ming finds himself also targeted by law enforcement, forcing the two to team up temporarily in order to figure out what’s going on in order to have a chance to stay alive.
The following home release review is based on a Blu-ray retail copy of On the Run provided by 88 Films via MVD Entertainment Group.
With this being a re-release of the 2022 Region B edition, let’s cover the similarities and differences in order to ensure you know what to expect. To begin with, all of the supplemental materials appear to be the same, as do the restoration and subtitling. The only main difference is the slipcover and front-facing liner art which is redesigned by frequent 88 Films collaborator Sean Longmore (Rosa; The Last Blood; and others). The interior liner artwork is described in the press release as “original HK poster artwork,” but I can’t tell if this is the same as the 2022 edition or a different poster. As with other standard 88 Films releases, the plastic disc case is see-through (though not clear), so whichever liner art you decide to have front-facing, you’ll be able to somewhat enjoy the interior artwork when you open the case. For slipcover fans, the O-Ring is a standard 88 Films design, meaning that it should provide ample support given its sturdy cardstock (compared to more flimsy average slips with regular releases). Additionally, and it’s an important item to note, the subtitles are somewhat inconsistent at times. These are supposedly remastered (presumably the same from the 2022 edition), but a few moments remain in which the translation feels as though it doesn’t match the tone or intention of the scene (such as Lui’s statement to Ming not to be sad as they stand in the morgue with Lo’s body) or the fact that the text appearing at the conclusion of the film declaring the fate of the remaining characters offers a different spelling of Ming and Chui than is what’s used in the film itself. Given that the text included in the film is different, one surmises that the translations were conducted by the 88 Films team versus the text at the end, which likely was created in 1988 in the original run of the feature.
ON THE RUN packshot displaying reversible liner. Photo courtesy of 88 Films and MVD Entertainment Group.
It’s important to note all of this because, if you have the 2022 Region B edition, there’s no reason for you to pick this up unless the artwork is calling to you.
With that said, On the Run is a brutal film and quite different from other Biao projects like The Champions (1983) or Project A (1983), sharing more in common with other Hong Kong action thrillers Taxi Hunter (1993) and The Last Blood (1990). The moments of whimsy are few and often ill-timed/executed and the usual martial arts set pieces that allow Biao to shine are non-existent, traded for gun fights and fisticuffs. This is worth mentioning because, even within the scope of the crime thriller subgenre, unsuspecting viewers may come to On the Run with expectations that may go unmet. The reality of On the Run is that the script by Keith Wong (Paper Marriage) and Cheung (The Medallion; Millionaires’ Express) is infused with tensions brought on by the upcoming handover of Hong Kong by Britain back to China, which occurred in 1997. This is teased in the introductory sequence when Ming briefly meets with his ex at a restaurant, she preparing to take their young daughter to Canada and he asking if they can delay finalizing their divorce so he can go with them. It’s not made clear why the split family are seeking to emigrate or why both are willing to leave law enforcement and it’s a question the film spends zero time answering until the violent conclusion of the film. There, we learn why Lui set his plan in motion to get rich no matter the personal cost and why — the unease of Hong Kong returning to mainland control and the removal of police corruption. It’s an absolute horseshit reason for everything he does, beautifully cementing Lui’s place as one of cinema’s worst dirty cops, as if all the dumb things he and his cronies do up to that point haven’t been unbelievably unthought out up to that point already. Plenty of other Hong Kong thrillers have embedded the cultural disquiet of the handover into their narratives, but this may be the first that cuts deeply solely because audiences familiar with this sort of bloody crime thriller understand that no one is getting out of this without wounds, permanent or otherwise. Even when the film indulges in era-expected misogyny (an odd scene with Chui and a dress) and homophobia (an interrogation scene between Lui and Ming’s supervisor), one still finds themselves a little shocked and broken by the escalating desperation of Lui and the pervasivity of violence. It would be almost comical how Ming gets shot in the same shoulder twice if not for where the rest of the bullets find their stop.
On the Run is a solid crime thriller whose ramping violence crescendos with exacting viciousness. It’s not the farcical comedy or actioner that fans of other Bo Ho Films projects starring Yuen Biao, but it does include a whole host of familiar faces in different types of roles (such as Yuen Wah as a nebbish crony instead of a Big Boss) that’s a hallmark of Hong Kong productions. If you’ve not yet snagged the Region B edition, everything old will feel new again — just be forewarned that this isn’t a jaunt into the crime underworld. This is a steep descent with no innocence regained.
On The Run Limited Edition Special Features:
- *NEW* O-Ring with new artwork by Sean Longmore
- Stunning 2K transfer from original film elements
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Cantonese Mono
- Remastered English subtitles
- Audio Commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast On Fire Network
- Audio Commentary with Asian Cinema Experts Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto
- Running Away – An Interview with Alfred Cheung
- Predicting the Future – An Interview with David West
- Alternate Ending
- Hong Kong Trailer
- Reversible sleeve with original HK poster artwork and new art by Sean Longmore
Available on Blu-ray January 20th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official 88 Films On The Run webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group On The Run webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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