Released in 1994, From Beijing with Love was the first feature film directed by Stephen Chow. What began as a wildly irreverent parody would go on to become one of the most beloved classics of Hong Kong’s signature “nonsense comedy” style. On the surface, the film gleefully tears apart the mythology of 007. At its heart, however, it tells the story of a down-and-out secret agent who has spent ten years selling pork and somehow finds his way back to heroism.

Its most outrageous moments have become legendary: Tat Man Sai's absurd inventions, unforgettable one-liners quoted by generations of fans, and the film’s unique ability to treat complete nonsense with absolute sincerity. More than 30 years later, it remains laugh-out-loud funny.

But the real charm of From Beijing with Love goes far beyond comedy. Rather than celebrating the polished, untouchable super-spy, the film transforms him into an ordinary underdog—broke, overlooked, and deeply flawed, yet still capable of dignity, romance, and courage when it matters most. That combination of absurdity and humanity is what makes Stephen Chow’s films so enduringly powerful.