Film Name: 东方三侠 / The Heroic Trio / Eastern Three Heroes / 東方三俠
Johnnie To’s 1993 film “The Heroic Trio” is not only a uniquely distinctive work of his own, but is also regarded in the Western world as a highly influential cult film.
Cult films refer to movies cherished and revered by enthusiasts within specific subcultures. They often blend genres like sci-fi, horror, musicals, animation, and comedy, featuring unconventional cinematography, bizarre themes, edgy storytelling, intense stylization, and highly controversial elements.
By this measure, “The Heroic Trio,” starring three major actresses—Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung, and Michelle Yeoh—is indeed a true cult film.
First, it presents a fantastical horror tale set in the modern era.
The film unfolds in an unspecified future, within a fictional metropolis reminiscent of Gotham City from Batman. The antagonist is a powerful, ancient-dressed eunuch whose goal is to restore China’s imperial monarchy.
He orders his subordinate, Chen San (played by Michelle Yeoh), to confine stolen infants in a hellish underground world filled with toxic gas. His plan is to select the future emperor from among them, while those not chosen grow up to become cannibalistic monsters enslaved by the eunuch.
The eunuch also imprisons a scientist to develop high-tech invisibility cloaks, nearing success—though they still fail under sunlight.
Privately, Chen San develops forbidden feelings for the scientist.
Maggie Cheung’s character, Chen Qi, was captured by the eunuch as a child but later escaped. She appears as a money-driven female police chief but harbors deep justice.
Another pivotal character, the “Female Flying Hero,” portrayed by Anita Mui, appears as the wife of police officer Lau Chung-yan—a seemingly model homemaker. Yet each night, she emerges as a vigilante, becoming a mysterious force upholding social order.
The three heroines cross paths through this infant-stealing case. Initially cast as adversaries by fate, they gradually sense each other’s spirit, joining forces to confront the evil forces represented by Gong Gong. Together, they unite as the “Three Heroes of the East.”
Secondly, violent and bloody scenes appear unexpectedly.
“The Heroic Trio” continues Johnnie To’s aesthetic of violence, with bloody scenes frequently occurring.
For instance, every time Sammo Hung’s character Chen Jiu fights Chen San, his fingers get severed. On one occasion, he simply shoves the severed finger into his own mouth.
Chen Jiu murders people in public using the legendary ancient weapon, the Blood Drop, creating eerie and gory visuals.
One scene even depicts an infant dying violently: the female flying hero saves the baby, only to discover blood gushing from the back of its head, soaking her palm. The camera then cuts to a close-up of a blood-soaked nail, amplifying the horror effect.
Yet, the overall tone leans toward lighthearted comedy.
The film’s overall tone remains relatively lighthearted. For instance, whenever Anita Mui appears as a housewife, the scenes are consistently cheerful and harmonious, even carrying a sense of warmth.
Early on, an agent shows Anson and her husband a property. When a thief attempts to steal a car, her husband leaps from the second floor to subdue him. The agent exclaims, “Wow, that was sharp!” Anson beams with pride, “Of course! My husband’s a cop.”
When Maggie Cheung enters, whistling and wielding a machine gun, she joins the fray with a Beijing opera-style side flip—utterly cool and hilarious.
Dressed in a black leather jacket, leather shorts, knee pads, and goggles, Maggie Cheung’s dashing motorcycle ride predates Angelina Jolie’s Lara Croft look in “Tomb Raider” by a full eight years!
The scene where Maggie rides a motorcycle alongside Anita Mui and Michelle Yeoh on horseback gives the film a unique charm.
Even the fight sequences are filled with parodies of classic Hong Kong martial arts film tropes.
The action blends modern gunfights with ancient weaponry—even Anita Mui’s darts can deflect Maggie’s bullets mid-air.
It was groundbreaking to put female action heroes front and center.
In a cinematic landscape dominated by male action stars, Johnnie To crafted three female heroines. While celebrating heroism, he emphasized their gender to highlight the concept of female warriors in wuxia films—a rare and alternative peak.
The trio engaged in several confrontations, gradually deepening their understanding through mutual testing—both in combat prowess and personality. A mutual admiration began to blossom.
During a cliff-edge crisis, Anita Mui and Michelle Yeoh discover they are long-lost sisters separated over a decade ago.
Each fight sequence delivers distinct brilliance. It is precisely the stellar performances of these three actresses that cemented “The Heroic Trio” as a Western classic—featuring not only bold, fluid martial arts but also emotionally nuanced acting.
Looking at today’s young actresses in China, I honestly can’t think of any trio capable of portraying this kind of chivalrous camaraderie between women.
It’s worth mentioning that the film’s use of Dada’s “The Rite of Spring” as background music is truly divine! It’s both dynamic and lighthearted, yet retains the boldness of female warriors. More importantly, you can absolutely hear that this music is an anthem exclusively for female heroes, vastly different from any male hero’s theme.
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