Martial arts superstar Jackie Chan looked to broaden his range as an actor in Hong Kong-produced movies in the 1990s, making hits such as Rumble in the Bronx and forgettable films such as Mr Nice Guy.
Michael Wong’s early films in Hong Kong saw the Chinese-American actor treated like a foreigner, and typecast as a cop after starring as one in the Michelle Yeoh vehicle Royal Warriors.
Hong Kong film directors such as John Woo, Benny Chan and Wong Kar-wai have at various times explained how they make an action move, from developing storylines to working with martial arts choreographers.
Hong Kong cinema had to reinvent itself in the late ’90s to combat flagging ticket sales. Gen-X Cops led the way, with new young stars Nicholas Tse and Stephen Fung, computerised special effects and a faster pace.