Recently I attended the Geek and Gamer Expo in Raleigh. Among the guests were retired pro wrestlers and WWE Hall of Famers D-Von Dudley of the Dudley Boyz and Ted DiBiase best known as the Million Dollar Man. During their panel discussion, both of them claimed they rarely watched pro wrestling today. They expressed admiration for the flips and flying feats that today’s new breed of wrestlers can pull off. But both were bored by the matches because they rarely told a story. I don’t know if a match needs to tell a story, but the moves need to reflect the personality of the wrestler’s character. I felt that personality beating when Won Jin hits the screen in Operation Scorpio. He might be the bad guy, but he knows how to express his character beyond the asymmetrical haircut that makes him look like ’80s rocker Parthenon Huxley with a long braid down his back. Even the good guy has a fighting style that reflects his comic book hobby. Operation Scorpio tells a story even when the fists and feet fly.
The movie opens with a supernatural fight at a temple with fires burning as two men tear into each other. This isn’t a real fight though. Turns out high school student Yu Shu (Chin Kar Lok, Lust Caution) is drawing a comic book at his desk at a school in 1920’s Hong Kong. His teacher pops him hard to bring him back to reality. But that’s not the only beating of the day. Yu Shu is rather nerdy and the jocks smack him and a classmate down. He’s got no martial arts skills. He’s going to need him as he finds himself thrust into a plot that could have been in one of his comics. Turns out a local businessman has been getting local farmers to sign over their daughters with the promise that they’ll be maids in foreign lands. This sounds great. Except it turns out the women are being sold off as slaves to work as prostitutes in these same foreign lands. While a few farmers try to protest, the businessman orders his kid Sonny The Scorpion (Won Jin, Squid Games). The kid has frightening kicks that send that farmers back to the streets. What gets Yu Shu in trouble is that he helps Jade (May Lo, The Inspector Wears Skirts 2) escape her life of being a hooker to creepy old guys. He ends up working at a restaurant run by Master Yat (Lau Kar-leung, Drunken Master II). Yu Shu must go beyond imagining great fights and learn martial arts for real. While he attends a nearby school, he also learns from Master Yat about how working in the kitchen can be related to moves. Is this really going to be good enough to battle Sonny – especially when he strikes the Scorpion pose with a leg behind his head.
Operation Scorpio is an interesting mix of new talent with masters of Hong Kong cinema. Lau Kar-leung was already a legend in 1992 for directing Gordon Lui in 36th Chamber of the Shaolin. Besides acting, Lau is credited as part of the action team. The producer is the icon Sammo Hung. This alone let me know that Chin Kar Lok and Won Jin were going to provide a fantastic fight scene. The is a lot of personality as they trade blows with their style. Chin Kar Lok was a break dancer and he incorporates those moves into the battle. At one point we see The Eel vs. The Scorpion. Being this is a Sammo Hung production, I think the big fight takes place on the giant hotel set that appeared in Millionaire’s Express. They destroy what’s left of it. Director David Lai didn’t have a background in making action films, but he does an amazing job keeping the fights from being dull. Even the kung fu training montage in the kitchen is fun and exciting. Operation Scorpio is a martial arts success.
The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The transfers is a 2K restoration from the original negatives. The stylized fights look sharp. The Audio is LPCM 2.0 Mono in Cantonese. There is also an English dub in LPCM 2.0 mono. The movie is subtitled in English.
Audio commentary by Expert Paul Bramhall is in fact his first audio commentary track. Kung Fu Bob hooked up after he worked with Won Jin. He’s really informative about the cast and crew. We even learn about Lau Kar-leung’s ashes being kidnapped recently. Bramhall does a great job championing the film.
Scorpion In Seoul – In Conversation With Won Jin (65:52) has him talk about his father had a martial arts studio behind his repair shop in South Korea. He learned Taekwondo at age 7. He wanted to be an actor after seeing Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon. He started as a stuntman in 1979 for The Shaw Brothers in 18 Amazons. He was able to play a woman in fight scenes because he’s short. He eventually was offered acting roles.
Scene specific audio commentary by Won Jin has him talk over his five major scenes as Sonny the Scorpion. He’s speaking Korean so the commentary is subtitled in English for the scenes.
Exclusive to 88 Films – A Sneak Peek at Jump Senior (2:03) is a sample of a project being directed, produced, written, choreographed, and starring Won Jin. The focus is a fight scene on a hot day.
Won Jin Audition Reel (2:44) is what got him the role in Operation Scorpio. He’s in the dojo busting up boards, opponents and balloons.
A Conversation with “Scorpion King” Star Chin Kar Lok (18:12) has him explain how Sammo Hung would have the train in real fights. He had to prove your he could fight the big guys. He talks about how learning from Sammo prepared him for his own directing career.
A Conversation with “Scorpion King” Star Won Jin (20:07) is an archival interview. He talks more about his moves for the film.
Lau Kar Leung Interview (17:46) includes one of his early performance in a black and white film. He talks about having to die 10 times in 1 day for a movie. He also talks about the fear of a director declaring a take “NG” since it would mean no work for a long while or maybe forever.
English Opening and Closing Credits (2:14) is from the American release.
Cantonese Trailer (3:30) has the Media Asia Group logo which is cool. You almost think Won Jin is a good guy for a bit in the snippets.
English Trailer (1:52) takes in the hot kitchen and teases us with the scorpion kick. Paragon Pictures released the film in America.
Image Gallery (3:35) includes press photos, what seem like photos from a press book, posters and behind the scenes pics.
Mini Poster that’s suitable for framing.
Illustrated Booklet contains an essay by Johnny Burnett who does the Fanatical Dragon podcast on Youtube. There’s also writing by Paul Bramhall who did the commentary track.
88 Films present Operation Scorpio (Limited Edition). Directed by David Lai. Screenplay by Barry Wong & David Chan. Starring Chin Kar-lok, Lau Kar-leung, May Lo, Kim Won-jin, Fung Woo, Victor Hon, Frankie Chin & Steven Yuen. Running Time: 101 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: August 11, 2026.
here’s Parthenon Huxley
