The film begins following the British victory of the first Opium War and the seizure of Hong Kong. Although the island is largely uninhabited and the terrain unfriendly, it has a large port that both the British government and various trading companies believe will be useful for the import of merchandise to be traded on mainland China, a highly lucrative market.
Bryan Brown
as Dirk Struan
Joan Chen
as May-May
John Stanton
as Tyler Brock
Tim Guinee
as Culum Struan
Bill Leadbitter
as Gorth Brock
Kyra Sedgwick
as Tess Brock
Russell Wong
as Gordon Chen
Katy Behean
as Mary Sinclair
Janine Turner
as Shevaun Tillman
Norman Rodway
as Aristotle Quance
John Bennett
as Orlov
Derrick Branche
as Vargas
