On the Run Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

On the Run Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 12, 2026

As bleak as large swaths of On the Run inarguably are, that very dour and depressive quality was evidently part of the zeitgeist of Hong Kong at the time of the film's production, as the territory was in the nascent stages of being returned to the control of China with the impending relinquishment of the "lease" granted to the United Kingdom in the late 19th century. That was just part of what a supplement on this disc describes as a near cataclysm of sociopolitical and socioeconomic events that left a good deal of the populace feeling hopeless and abandoned, with "no way out". That "no way out" feeling permeates On the Run and gives a perhaps ironically fatalistic subtext to the film's very title, since in a very real way, as much as erstwhile cop Heung Ming (Yuen Biao) runs, he can't hide, let alone escape. On the Run is almost relentlessly claustrophobic and tragic as it charts the course of Heung Ming, already desperate to get out of Hong Kong even before his estranged wife is murdered and he's falsely blamed for the crime.

As preposterous as it may well sound, Heung Ming is more or less forced to team up with his wife's killer, professional assassin Chui Pai (Pat Ha), after both of them discover corruption within their various ranks. Surprisingly, this is handled in at least a relatively believable fashion in the film, as the pair becomes a completely unlikely collaboration arguably trying simply to survive more than anything else. That desperate quality absolutely suffuses the film's narrative to the point that it seems almost intuitively obvious that any attempt to introduce a modicum of justice to what's going on may be completely unachievable. The perceived moral decay in Hong Kong as documented by the film is almost its own character at times, and repeatedly refracts into an increasingly troubling downward spiral for several actual human characters. There are a number of provocative and actually shocking developments that ensue, including an accruing body count that is Hamlet adjacent in sheer magnitude. The film has a palpably despondent perspective that almost suggests that what seems like an inevitably violent death may actually be preferable to continuing to live.

On the Run Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

On the Run is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. 88 Films tends not to provide a wealth of technical information on their releases, and that's once again the case here, with only a standard "new 2K transfer from original film elements" adorning the back cover in "small print". It might be added that their descriptive "stunning" before that aforementioned brief description may be at least partially up for debate, as my hunch is the "original film elements" utilized were not a negative. That said, the results here are quite evocative, with the film's quasi-noir sensibility on full display in often quite moody cinematography. The palette is generally quite healthy, though I found the timing to be skewed slightly toward yellows and browns and times, and it might be argued that densities overall are on the thin side. Detail levels are typically very good, though there are a number of quite dimly lit sequences in the film where fine detail levels can at least intermittently ebb.

On the Run Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

On the Run features an LPCM 2.0 Mono track in the original Cantonese. The track is recurrently vibrant in any number of "busy" scenes, including several urban locations, but also with regard to the increasingly manic action that breaks out once the unexpected pair live up to the title and try to take off. Violet Lam contributes an enjoyably propulsive score that also sounds fine. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

On the Run Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of The Podcast on Fire Network


• Audio Commentary with Asian Cinema Experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto


• Running Away (HD; 20:35) is an interview with writer Alfred Cheung.


• Predicting the Future (HD; 18:49) is an interview with David West, who discusses the environment in Hong Kong at the time of the film's production.


• Alternate Ending (HD; 1:29)


• Hong Kong Trailer (HD; 4:54)

Packaging features a reversible sleeve and a double weight slipcover.

On the Run Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It might be jokingly suggested that if you are on any form of anti depressant that it's probably best to stay far, far away from this story, one which emphasizes hopelessness and defeat at virtually every turn. Technical merits are generally solid and 88 Films has aggregated some very interesting supplements. With caveats noted, Recommended.