Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Carrie Ng

Although many Hong Kong action fans have criticized Quentin Tarantino for stealing the premise of Reservoir Dogs from Ringo Lam's 1987 hit City on Fire, those accusations do a disservice...( read more  read more... ) not only to Tarantino--who vastly improved upon every scene he "borrowed"--but also to Lam and his charismatic star, Chow Yun-fat, whose talents were evident long before they were lured to Hollywood. City on Fire may seem overly familiar now, with its standard undercover-cop-befriending-the-bad-guys scenario, but it remains a first-rate example of Hong Kong urban-action drama, and as a star vehicle for Chow it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The shootouts and chase scenes are as good as anything Hollywood offered in the late '80s, and the chaotic environs of Hong Kong provide an exotic backdrop that further enhances the routine plot line.

Chow plays the undercover cop, still agonizing over his betrayal of a criminal friend during a previous case; when he's asked to infiltrate a gang of violent thieves, his rapport with one of the gangsters threatens the integrity of his assignment. While his superiors battle among themselves (one protects Chow, the other pursues him), director Lam keeps it all ticking along with surefire pacing and an amusing subplot involving Chow's dissatisfied fiancée. The film is fascinating to watch for its obvious precedents to Reservoir Dogs (including a climactic "Mexican standoff" between the untrusting criminals), but it's best appreciated as a showcase for Chow, who's instantly captivating from the moment he appears onscreen. (Note: Disney's DVD release of City on Fire greatly improves upon the poorly translated subtitles of all previous DVD releases.) --Jeff Shannon

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71% liked it

5,031 ratings

R, 96 min.

Directed by: Ringo Lam

Release Date: January 1, 1987

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DVD Release Date: October 26, 1999

Stats: 159 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (159)


  • July 8, 2009
    hmm. i can tell this is a good heist film but it's hard for me to rate fairly as i watched a dubbed version. my bad. it makes everything look cheesy. it seems tarantino worked backward by expanding on the ending and actually created a better film in res dogs
  • August 7, 2008
    Ringo Lam delivers a dark and gritty crime thriller which shows Chow Yun-Fat in a different light from the traditional John Woo duel gun waving savior. Instead Ringo Lam shows the more human side of Chow Yun-Fat, his fragile relationship with his on-screen girlfriend Carrie Ng an...( read more)d brother like relationship with Danny Lee.

    Really try and do yourself a favor and put Reservoir Dogs out of your mind as to not compare the two, because City On Fire deserves to be seen on its own terms, and those terms are an amusing, thrilling gangster picture that modern Hollywood can all-too-rarely match.
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  • February 9, 2008
    Jesus fucking christ, Tarantino didn't improve shit. This movie is great for it's own merits, and sadly has just ended up being refered as the "movie that inspired Tarantino". Which just adds further injury to the irony.

    More than a mere action filler, this is a film about the ...( read more)characters. Back in the days when both Ringo Lam and Chow Yun Fat were the top dogs in the genre. recommended view for any serious HK movie aficionado.
  • November 4, 2006
    Template for QT's Reservoir Dogs, this is HK crime drama at it's finest
  • March 11, 2008
    In the action department there are few movies I've seen that are more gripping and well directed. Ringo Lam uses Hong Kong New Wave aesthetics for great effect but doesn't over use them making the film too experimental. The style isn't as unique as someone like John Woo, but does...( read more)n't stand out above what's happening on screen. The only thing really to complain about is some of the more romantic/relationship scenes, it's not that romantic scenes were out of place, they just weren't played so well, and at times brought the pace to a grinding halt, yet they do factor huge in the end so they are nessesary and, really, a little flaw.
    And of course, in alot of cases a movie is only as good as it's climax, and this film has an incredible final 30 minutes, borrowed heavily, of course, by Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs (as I guess is old news), yet still appears amazing, and to be corny: Edge-of-your-seat.
    Needless to say, I want to see more Ringo Lam, if this is the kind of thing he puts out.
  • October 16, 2009
    The original Reservoir Dogs, and a much more interesting story, if a little fashion- and special effects-dated. Plus, Hong Kong is far more intriguing than Los Angeles any day.
  • October 10, 2008
    I remember this movie on SpikeTV one night... pretty good actually... for a dubbed movie
  • August 27, 2008
    I liked Reservoir Dogs
  • July 27, 2008
    The movie that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Resevoir Dogs. The chemistry between Danny Lee and Chow Yun-Fat is great.
  • June 7, 2008
    Fantastic, the film that inspired Reservoir Dogs.

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City on Fire Trivia


  • What film was the inspiration for Reservior Dogs  Answer »
  • What Hong Kong movie was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs"?  Answer »
  • Which Hong Kong movie was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs?  Answer »
  • "Reservoir dogs" is the remake by Quentin Tarantino of a chinese movie. What is the titile of this movie?  Answer »

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