After the death of a fellow cop, Ko Chow (Chow Yun Fat) is sent in undercover by his superior Inspector Lau (Sun Yueh) to infiltrate a syndicate responsible for a brutal jewelry robbery, led by their leader Lee Fu (Danny Lee). However, after gaining the confidence of the men he is supposed to be taking down, Ko Chow forms an unlikely friendship with Lee Fu.

Meanwhile, due to Ko Chow’s newfound association to the syndicate, he finds himself pursued by the police, who are unaware of his true identity. Disillusioned by the position he is in, Ko Chow’s personal ethics are put to the test, leaving him torn between his loyalty to his new friend, and his duty to bring the criminals to justice.

Awards:

1988 HK Film Awards - Best Director: Ringo Lam
1988 HK Film Awards - Best Actor: Chow Yun Fat
23rd Asia Pacific Film Festival - Best Editing

Made following the success of City on Fire, Ringo Lam’s gritty prison drama Prison On Fire was Hong Kong’s second highest grossing film in the year of its release, depicting a story of brotherhood, set against the backdrop of brutality and inhumanity inside prison.

Internationally acclaimed actor Chow Yun Fat plays an experienced convict Ching, who was placed in prison following the murder of his wife.

Familiar with the inner workings and politics of the prison system, he saves the naive Yiu (Tony Leung Ka Fai), a new inmate placed in jail for manslaughter, from the abuse and taunts from fellow prisoners and wardens, taking him under his wing.  Making life more difficult for them is the high-ranking prison guard Hung (Roy Cheung), whose use of manipulative tactics to keep inmates in line often lead to infighting and numerous inmate betrayals.

Director Ringo Lam continues his successful 'On Fire' series, shifting his brand of thrilling criminal action from the prison, to a school.

A young schoolgirl Yuen Fong, becomes inextricably caught in a tragic stranglehold of triad activity after she testifies in court over a triad beating. When news of this reaches young triad boss Brother Smart (Roy Cheung), Yuen Fong must pay him protection money for what she has done. As events begin to escalate, Yuen Fong begins to realize that she is trapped in a world in which even codes of honour and brotherhood among thieves have become obsolete.