NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: 88 Films Blu-ray (September 2023): 88 Films have transferred Ronny Yu's The Postman Fights Back to Blu-ray. This package contains both the Hong Kong and Export Cuts ('Messenger of Death') of the film on separate transfers (not seamlessly-branched) although the image quality is almost the exact same (see sample below.) The 1080P image is good but not dynamic - a shade flat, pale and soft - which all may be accurate to the best source. It looks reasonably consistent with un-noisey textures and the film utilizes the 2.39:1 widescreen effectively.   

NOTE: We have added 70 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 88 Films use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original Cantonese language for the Hong Kong cut. The Postman Fights Back has a boatload of kung-fu - including a battle on ice as well as the use of dynamite! Even Chow Yun-Fat gets into the action. The choreographed fight sequences are effective and not over-produced - more jumping than blood. There are less of the exaggerated audio effects (cracking boards etc.) and it comes through consistently in the lossless transfer. The Export Cut has English DUBs in both DTS-HD Master 5.1 and dual-mono track options. The translation are marginally hokey but it didn't seem a bad way to watch the film when I sampled it. The score was by Siu-Lam Tang (Wheels on Meals), sounding charismatically dramatic adding to the drama. There is consistent Cantonese language dialogue in the lossless transfer. 88 Films offer optional English and English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The 88 Films Blu-ray offers two commentaries on the Hong Kong Cut by Frank Djeng; a first with the film's director Ronny Yu (The Bride With the White Hair) where Ronny does most of the talking about the production - and a second with Frank alone citing it as a 'chow mein western' and he gets into the meat and potatoes about the themes, cultural aspects etc. found in The Postman Fights Back. On the Export Cut of the film is an archival audio commentary with Stephan Hammond originally found on the HK Legends DVD. He provides some historical context to the plot. There are also 7-minute (each) interviews with Chow Yun-Fat and Leung Kar-Yan plus a second, longer interview with Leung and one with director Ronny Yu for about 8-minutes. There is a dozen minute three-person 'zoom' conversation hosted by 'Phat Samurai Guy' with Ronny Yu and Frank Djeng, an original Hong Kong trailer and Gallery. The package has reversible cover with new artwork by Sean Longmore, original HK poster art and a double-sided foldout poster.

Ronny Yu's The Postman Fights Back is not premium 'Wuxia' but it is very enjoyable. Four couriers are indirectly enlisted to deliver a secretive consignment; the titular postman (Leung Kar-Yan), a thief (Yuen Yat-Choh), an explosive expert (Mei Sheng Fan) and a grifter (a young Chow Yun-Fat) during China's initial stages of modernization. There are healthy doses of efficiently-shot action including cool conflicts with a ninja! The pace is reasonable and The Postman Fights Back doesn't get bogged down in any one area. It was entirely filmed in Korea with beautiful mountains, a frozen lake etc.. This is a decent film release for 88 Films to bring to Blu-ray with two versions, multiple commentaries, interviews and a poster. All good, imo - recommended to fans who indulge in this genre.

Gary Tooze