Back to the Past is available on VOD October 13th from Well Go USA Entertainment
The new Louis Koo film, Back to the Past, is aptly named not just because it’s about a man from the future who went back in time and is now living in ancient China, but because it turns out that it’s the follow up to A Step into the Past, a TV series that ended around 25 years ago. This was clearly a passion project for Koo who also serves as producer and seems to have spent years trying to will its return into existence.
The story focuses on Hong Siu Lung (Koo) a former elite police officer who has been stuck living in the Qin dynasty for 20 years after traveling back in time to document historical events, only to be unable to return to the future. He now has a family (two wives and an adult son), but he misses his time and home and is forced into hiding because his one time friend and disciple Chiu Poon (Raymond Lam) who he trained and help install as emperor has gone mad with power, ruthlessly conquering the kingdom and hunting his former mentor. Things get more complicated when Ken (Michael Miu) the man who invented the Time Machine travels to the past with a band of mercenaries and a plot to impersonate the emperor and rule over China. (Where’s a Time Cop when you need one?!)
I wasn’t aware of “A Step Into The Past” prior to seeing Back to the Past, but the movie gives you a recap at the beginning using footage from the show to catch audiences up and even sprinkles in more scenes from the series as flashbacks in the climax, so don’t let any unfamiliarity with the TV series discourage you from checking out the film. While the significance of some characters appearances might have been lost on me, the movie does a good job of setting the table for the adventure to come and was easy to jump into and follow.
It’s fun to see armed mercenaries from the future using machine guns, and various future tech including cool motorcycles that can transform into hoverboards (one of a couple Back to the Future II-flavored touches) battle ancient warriors armed only with the weapons of their time. It leads to some inventive action sequences including an exciting hoverboard fight that is a highlight. All the action shines thanks to being handled by the legendary performer and director Sammo Hung, who makes great use of the fantastical future tech and guns mixed with the martial arts and swordplay.
You don’t see a lot of science fiction movies like this coming out of Hong Kong and I found the big swing at a more Hollywood style premise and spectacle admirable. The special effects looked pretty good considering the limited resources. I got caught up in the melodrama and adventure, despite my lack of familiarity with the original series and enjoyed Sammo’s past-versus-the future fight choreography. Back to the Past was such a good time, it left me wanting more and considering my own trip to the past to check out the original series.
*This is the first movie I have seen that has two endings where, as the credits roll, they show an alternate ending that would normally be a special feature on a physical media release, allowing the audience to pick which one they prefer. It’s an interesting choice.
