After seeing this film's cover art and knowing that it stars Category III sleaze king Anthony Wong, you might think that 3 Days of a Blind Girl would be your typical over-the-top Hong Kong exploitation flick. But even though there are some bits of T&A thrown into the mix, this is actually a pretty smart and effective suspense/thriller picture.

Veronica Yip stars as Mrs. Ng, who is left temporarily blind after an operation. Her husband (Anthony Chan), in a huge rudo heel move, takes off to Macau for a few days to take part in a doctor's convention, leaving the missus to fend for herself. Soon afterwards, a former patient, Sam (Anthony Wong) shows up at the Ng's door. Supposedly, he just wants to thank the good doctor for saving his wife's life, but it quickly becomes apparent that he has more sinister motives.

Upon Anthony Wong's entry into the proceedings, 3 Days of a Blind Girl seems to follow the exploitation formula to a tee, with a scene featuring the lovely Ms. Yip taking a shower (with her "two points" fully visible for the enjoyment of the audience) and then a later one where Anthony cooks up the Ng's dog and feeds it to Mrs. Ng.

But somewhere along the way, director Chan Wing-Chiu changes gears and decides to let the actors' performances, rather than sex and/or violence dictate the course of the movie, and it really works. Both Yip and especially Wong put in solid work, which compels the viewer into getting into the story itself, rather than waiting for cheap thrills via the next shocking moment.

Don't get me wrong -- there's a good amount of salacious content here and in no way is this a movie for the average viewer weaned on weepies and romantic comedies. On the other hand, if you're of the raincoater ilk looking for oodles of boobs and blood, then you might be a bit disappointed with 3 Days of a Blind Girl.

This is really one of those rare films that strikes a nice balance between the sick and the sublime, and is perfect viewing material if you want a little thought to go along with your scares. Even though it is a relatively minor entry in the filmography for everyone involved, 3 Days of a Blind Girl is one of the hidden gems of early 1990's Hong Kong cinema.

RATING: 7.5