Release Date: 30 Nov 1985
Run Time: 94 minutes
Origin: Hong Kong
Mimi's Rating: 3 high kicks out of 5
A trio of thieves end up in possession of a microfilm wanted by a Triad boss. Luckily, two tough-as-nails lady cops are on the case.
Yes, Madam! follows Inspector Ng (Michelle Yeoh), who joins forces with Scottish Investigator Carrie Morris (Cynthia Rothrock). Together, they are hunting for a microfilm that contains details on a wanted criminal group. When they track the microfilm back to a trio of bumbling thieves named Aspirin, Strepsil, and Panadol, it's up to Inspector Ng and Investigator Morris to find who exactly has the microfilm and bring the criminal group to justice.
The movie that kick-started a wave of female-led action films, Yes, Madam! unquestionably has its moments. It even began an entire "girls with guns" sub-genre. The action scenes are amazingly choreographed, but there are only about 15 minutes of action in this action movie, and I was hungry for more. But, the fights are worth the wait, especially the big finale.
The main problem is that the movie spends too much of the plot focusing on the trio of bumbling thieves. While they do add heart and fun to the film, these scenes sometimes drag. Admittedly, their plotline did give me the biggest laugh of the film. When they go to the hospital to visit their Sifu, there's a scene when you think Sifu and his roommates are going to assault a woman, but in reality, they only want the cooked chicken she is carrying. I'm impressed that this movie managed to avoid the 'gross' scenes you would expect from a female-led action film from the mid-80s.
This was Michelle Yeoh's first starring role, and she knocked it out of the park. You can tell she took the physical side of the role seriously. She did most of her stunts, working 8 hours daily to prepare herself. And you'll want to see some of these stunts for yourself, wow!
Why you should watch:
Do you like movies where women kick-ass?
You like awesome martial arts fights and stunts.
Why you shouldn't watch:
You want more fight scenes in your action movie.