The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 17, 2024

88 Films is completing its releases of a series of films probably relatively few on this side of the pond were even aware existed, with both The Inspector Wears Skirts 3 - Raid on Royal Casino Marine and this film joining the previously released The Inspector Wears Skirts and The Inspector Wears Skirts 2.

Frank Djeng's commentary track more or less states that this fourth installment in The Inspector Wears Skirts series tanked at the box office, which may be reason enough to explain why no fifth installment came down the pike. This is arguably the most overtly gonzo of the four Inspector films, including an animated segment and some allusions to at least somewhat questionable behaviors on the part of some of the characters (including the females). In a way, and perhaps for understandable reasons, this entry might just as well have been called The Inspector Wears Skirts: The Next Generation, as it fitfully attempts to thrust the series into a longevity it never attained. This effort also seems to reverse the tendency in the second and third films (especially the latter) to forego any big action sequences "up front" in favor of a lot of physical comedy, and in fact this film kicks off with a pretty aggressive shootout in a hostage situation apparently having gone seriously awry. The new recruits are mentored by Amy (Sandra Ng), May (Kara Wai) and Madame Yang (Cynthia Khan).

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. While this release mimics the verbiage found on the back cover of The Inspector Wears Skirts 3 - Raid on Royal Casino Marine by offering "2K remaster from the original negatives" as its sole technical data point, I found this presentation to be at least marginally more consistent and satisfying looking than the third. There are fewer variances in densities and color temperature this time, and the outdoor material in particular pops very well. Things can occasionally look a bit on the wan side, though the ebbs and flows here are not as dramatically noticeable as in the third film. There may arguably be a bit more age related wear and tear on display here than in the third film, but it's very minor, almost imperceptible, nicks and flecks for the most part. Grain is once again on the heavy side, but resolves without any major issues.

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 features LPCM 2.0 Mono tracks in either Cantonese or English. As these things go, there aren't huge differences between the two, though the Cantonese track arguably offers a more vibrant midrange and low end. While even the Cantonese track seems to show obvious dubbing at times (leading to the dreaded "loose sync" in both languages), dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng


• Hong Kong Trailer (HD; 4:39)


• Stills Gallery (HD; 2:41)

The keepcase encloses a folded double sided poster and packaging features a slipcover.

The Inspector Wears Skirts 4 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

You can kind of feel the slight desperation to keep this series alive and kicking in this fourth installment. Some of the character "history" choices are extremely peculiar, but this film probably offers more consistent action than its two immediate predecessors. Technical merits are generally solid, and Frank Djeng contributes another interesting commentary, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.