Jie zi zhan shi

There are no major issues with image and sound on this Region 2 DVD from Hong Kong Legends.

Presented in 16:9 anamorphic enhanced widescreen, picture quality is good, with vibrant colours and solid blacks. Though the visuals are at times on the dark side, this appears inherent to The Scorpion King, with no complaints about the source print used, or the quality of the transfer.

Audio is workmanlike, with a choice of English - watch out for a moment towards the end when the schoolmaster's dubbing voice changes in mid-sentence - and Cantonese tracks.

Extras wise, Hong Kong Legends once again demonstrate a willingness to go the extra mile.

Bey Logan provides a full-length commentary. Packed with factual information, it will offer most to committed Hong Kong cinema enthusiasts with a penchant for career trivia, but may be less appealing to casual viewers and those more interested in the mechanics and aesthetics of film.

That said, he definitely knows his stuff, whether it be pointing out indie director Fruit Chan in an on-screen appearance, or explaining cultural signifiers whose meaning might otherwise be lost on the Western viewer. Certainly, I found myself looking at the fight scene in the restaraunt, where The Scorpion King humiliates the owner and breaks his sign board after being dissatisfied with the noodles he is served, in a different light after Logan's commentary.

Other extras are the UK and original Hong Kong trailers, interviews with Chin Kar-lok and Won Jin, running 17 and 19 minutes respectively, which help to put the careers of both men and of The Scorpion King's production in sharper relief, a two minute showreel demonstrating Won Jin's formidable kicking skills and a useful biography of Lar Kar-Leung, written by Logan.

While The Scorpion King DVD is by no means an essential purchase, genre fans will not be disappointed.