On the Run (1988) Blu-ray Review

The litany of memorable and even iconic Hong Kong action/dramas of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s means some become lost or worse, ignored. Hence, On the Run, a truly gorgeous crime noir holding one of star Yuen Biao’s best performances in a nihilistic, brutal story.

His wife gunned down by the will of corrupt cops (the story hanging on the anxiety of Hong Kong’s soon-to-happen Chinese handover), Biao is paired with his wife’s killer in an unlikely team-up. The two form a bond that’s dramatically gripping, visually bathed in neon and shadows, and breathless in its pacing.

On the Run is among the most beautiful of all Hong Kong genre films

It’s not only Biao making On the Run successful, but Patricia Ha too, playing an expressionless hit-woman with impeccable aim who finds her humanity in Biao’s ever increasing grief. She’s marvelous, confident, and appropriately cold. When her emotion finally shows, it’s a character-driven break that, with confidence, uses the prior performance to bring her humanity into the story.

On the Run build’s Biao’s character through grief, emotionally torturing a man who barely had a moment to process the loss of his wife before he’s chased by gunfire. There’s dark, and there’s On the Run, which is ruthless in giving Biao’s character reasons to track the source of the heroin trade. The villains, the corruption, and the deaths of those involved feel stock for the genre. Scenes of the criminals hoarding their money, smoking cigars and smiling are too cliché, but the satisfaction in seeing street justice delivered to their door works because of the grueling emotional pull on Biao.

Even if parts of On the Run feel formulaic, the visual side is not. On the Run is among the most beautiful of all Hong Kong genre films, the lighting exquisite and its use of color not only eye-catching, but just as emotive as the script. Neon pinks, striking blues, and moody night fall have an inarguable impact on Biao’s trauma. Seedy as it often appears in On the Run, Hong Kong carries a dazzling presence in these conditions, as if the city itself guides these character’s journeys through its neon-washed streets and alleyways. It’s marvelous. All of it.

Blu-ray can’t do much better than this. There’s enough resolution and definition to convince someone this is actually a UHD. Sharpness is simply outstanding, and the resulting fidelity unreal considering this is only HD. On the Run carries a consistent grain structure too, perfectly resolved. 88 Films says this is just a 2K scan – not 4K – and that doesn’t even look plausible it’s so pure.

Marvelous lighting utilizes color extensively for effect, which this Blu-ray reproduces generously. Pinks and purple jump from the frame via neon lights, saturated generously. Flesh tones have precision and an exactness that’s special.

Add in thick black levels that push On the Run’s depth to perfection and there’s nothing to complain about. Healthy contrast only makes this better. The imagery is bold, a perfect transfer of this beautiful source material.

PCM 2.0 mono proves unremarkable but sufficient. Dated fidelity in the dialog and sound effects is up to par but little else. Some low-end thumping will accompany the music to at least add some range.

Two commentaries. The first features podcasters Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon and Asian cinema experts Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto on the second. Interviews include Alfred Cheung and David West. An alternate ending and a trailer are left.

Full disclosure: This Blu-ray was provided to us for review. This has not affected the editorial process. For information on how we handle review material, please visit our about us page to learn more.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 39 full resolution, uncompressed HD screen shots grabbed directly from the Blu-ray: