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Reviews
Bat sin fan dim: Yan yuk cha siu bau (1993)
There probably ought to be a Cat IIIB for films like this...
Having watched many Category III films, I often wonder how Hong Kong film censors make their decisions. While I can understand why they wish to avoid explicit depictions of Triad rituals on moral/social grounds, there simply is no comparison to the level of brutality displayed in this film - which is why I have often wondered why there isn't a "Cat IIIB" category. If there was, this film would be a perfect candidate for such a classification.
I am not really a huge fan of this type of film, but I seem to have gone on a mini "slasher fest" recently. I've avoided this film for a long time, due to the content, and have worked my way up towards it by watching films like "The Story Of Ricky" and "Daughter Of Darkness" - both of which I found to be hilarious and displaying levels of brutality which I don't find too uncomfortable to watch. But nothing prepared me for this one. Oh, good lord... when you witness the first brutal killing even before the title has started to roll, you know you're in for something special.
Like other Cat III classics like "Daughter of Darkness" and "Dr. Lamb", the film is mostly in flashback - we already know about the killing spree before most of the killings are shown.
I'm not going to describe the killings, as I think that this film is best watched for its shock value. If you want detailed descriptions, you are welcome to seek them elsewhere. All I'm going to say is that Anthony Wong's performance is superb - I can't think of many other HK actors who are this well-suited to utterly hideous, sleazy, disgusting characters like this. Watching a comparatively normal guy turn into a crazed killer, and then observing his descent into madness while imprisoned, it's actually possible to start to have some sympathy for his character. Well, for a few seconds, at least :)
The film really only loses a point for the quality of cinematography, and for the fact that there are probably better-made films with similar content. But I am a HK film fan, not a horror/slasher fan, so I can't really compare this film to any non-HK films with similar content. The superb soundtrack, however, is suitably dark, cold and creates a perfectly frightening atmosphere.
All I'm going to say to end this review is that if you are a fan of one of the following: the horror/splatter genre, the Category III category/"genre", Hong Kong films generally, or Anthony Wong himself, then this film is absolutely essential viewing. This is one film which I will never forget as long as I live, even though I'm not sure if I will ever watch it again. This is the only film which has caused me to develop abdominal pain while watching it. An utterly hideous, sickening, disgusting and often uncomfortable-to-watch near-masterpiece, and that's why I love it.
Da cha fan (2014)
Old-meets-new Triad romcom
A look at the cast list alone is enough to take you back to the glory days of 1990s Triad classics. While I would admit that you have probably seen a lot of this before, it's done with a modern influence, and it's clear that the actors had fun making it. If, like me, you loved the old films, you'll be smiling all the way to the end.
Unsurprisingly, the cast list appears at least partially like a mini "Young And Dangerous" reunion, and there are more than a few nods in the direction of that series: the sauna scene just needs some orange gowns and an appearance from Lee Siu-Kei, and you've got one of the scenes from the aforementioned goo waat jai series. Ng Chi-Hung's character is called "B" in this film - now where have we heard that before? Oh, and did I mention that the gang in this film is also called "Hung Hing"... but, unlike those awful Tung Sing guys, this is an honourable Triad... they don't deal in drugs. Just pineapple buns. And flour. :)
The film reflects upon the allegedly weakening power of Triad gangs in HK (though a look at the statistics on the HK Police's website would suggest otherwise), and it's fair to say that this particular gang has definitely been weakened, financially at least - it appears to have reached the point that one of the younger members is told to call the police if he finds any trouble, because "phoning for backup costs money but phoning 999 is free"!
You certainly won't see anyone mincing along King's Road in a loud shirt, while telling everyone that they run North Point, and no-one is laughed at for claiming to be the new Causeway Bay branch leader - quite frankly, this gang don't seem to be able to (or even want to) run anything; for a start, they are all - as they will freely admit - getting old, so "running" in any way may be ill-advised, and they know it ;)
Like many of the best Hong Kong films, this one mixes genres in varying degrees, but with varying success. While the general "Triad" theme would suggest that violence would be prevalent in this film, this is not the case - I think I only counted three real episodes of violence. However, like in some of the best crime/Triad films, these scenes appear very suddenly, and have far more effect than some of those 1990s VCD-only potboilers, where a hundred guys flail knives and sticks around for several minutes, yet no-one ever appears to bleed! That's definitely not the case here.
The almost-but-not-quite romance between Ghost and Mei is slightly unbelievable: the age gap is simply too large (Charlene Choi is a very young-looking 31-32 year old, which doesn't help), even when we consider what Eric Tsang gets up to in some of his films! They just don't look right together. Someone in their early 40s, like Sonija Kwok, would have been a much better match. However, Charlene does a good job of her role, it's just the age gap which is the problem.
Carrie Ng, on the other hand, who plays Ghost's ex-wife, is a more than adequate match, has better on-screen chemistry with Anthony Wong, and looks absolutely stunning for her age.
The times-have-changed theme appears also to be a nod towards the way HK has developed since the Handover - Mainland influence, fluctuating economic fortunes, and the feeling that money matters more than traditions and/or honour. Yet, as we have seen (both on and off-screen), Hong Kong isn't finished yet, and neither is the HK film industry.
What's more, there is minimal Mainland involvement in this film, unlike many recent films, and (fortunately!) NO Mandarin dialogue - hooray! The ending is not particularly spectacular, but also finishes in a way one might not quite have expected. I did wonder if the ending, and the way the "failed romance" between Ghost and Mei developed, was actually preparing us for a sequel? While the film clearly stands up well on its own, there is certainly potential for a "GPD2".
Having been a HK film fan for over 30 years, I understand that the "glory days" of frequent classics are long gone. However, this is one industry which refuses to die, and seems to have taken a positive step forward in some recent years. If the future means more films like "Kung Fu Jungle", the "Overheard" series, "Cold War", "The Midnight After" and this one, then the future may be looking a lot better than it did in, say, 2003. In the current climate, that's great news.
Long min (1992)
A hard-to-find masterpiece
One of a number of Hong Kong films which are incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to find anywhere - even on that well-known auction site. I'd been searching for it for years, but finally managed to find it in Mong Kok for $HKD 25.00 (about £2.00 GBP)!
Not an easy film to watch, but if you are open-minded, and want more than just the usual genre experience, the lengthy running time is well worth the effort. Combining social realism with excellent acting, the film deals with the cage home issue, which hasn't gone away in HK. Over 20 years since the film's release, the problem of cage homes and subdivided flats is in fact getting worse, so this film remains highly relevant even today.
My only criticism is that I suspect that life in the cage homes is MUCH worse than is shown in the film - having occasionally lived in some dreadful housing myself (yet clearly nowhere near as cramped or as uncomfortable as a HK cage home), I think that this is a fair observation. But that doesn't take away from the superb acting, and this is clearly one of the less-obvious classics of HK cinema.
But if you can't handle this level of realism, then you probably need to go back to your copy of "My Mahjong Girlfriend 2" or something ;)
Qi tiao ming (2000)
Untouchable Mania - possibly Danny Lee's worst ever
Danny Lee Sau-Yin has made some superb cop/crime films, and even many of his not-so-great films are watchable, at least for his fans like me.
This, however, is not one of them.
Do not even think of paying money for this garbage. Online sellers may think this film is worth paying over-the-top prices for, just because it is "rare" or "OOP" - but there are reasons why some things are rare and out-of-print - like the fact that nobody wants them, and they've all been binned!
The film looks like it was made with a budget of about $HKD 5000, and most of that would probably have been spent on Lee Sir's fee. No wonder he looks emotionless and bored, rather than shocked and upset, as his partner is killed.
If your idea of a good evening in is watching badly-produced shot-to-video trash, which features sleazy attempted rape scenes on the stairwells of HK public housing, wooden acting, terrible scripts, and an ending which isn't even worth fast-forwarding for, then feel free to waste your cash on the VCD/DVD. But if, like me, you have more sense than money, then stay WELL away.
Even hotties like Sophie Ngan can't save this complete waste of VCD discs.
Yuet hak fung go (1995)
One of Michael Wong's finest...
... even if there is a hint of sarcasm in the use of the word "finest" ;)
This film is absolutely hilarious - the previous reviewer has summed-up the main points, but it's the classic Michael Wong-isms which really make this film so funny - how he can say lines like "gaam yaht you really are a ging chaat" (today you really are a police officer) with a straight face, is beyond me.
His trademark mixing of (bad) Cantonese and (surprisingly not always perfect) English often have me rolling about laughing, but it just works so well here. And you have to give him plus points for taking the constant "sei gwai lo" (damned white man) and "Jerk Sir" insults like a man.
He triumphs in the end, of course, and even manages to endear himself to the Lantau Island cops (even if the islanders don't fully accept his city-boy SDU ways). And the ending is not quite what I would have expected. But this is a bit of a forgotten near-classic, which mixes comedy and crime in a way which is rarely seen these days.
My main criticism would be of the City Connection DVD, which is VCD quality at best (though the subtitles are very clear). But, let's face it, a rubbish film is a rubbish film, even if it has a Blu Ray-quality transfer, so I can live with that.
One of the best Michael Wong films, even if it can't possibly match the masterpiece that is "Beast Cops".
Sat luen gap yeung (2014)
A good local comedy, but probably not for the average gwailo
Even someone like me, who simply can't watch enough Triad chop-fests, needs some light entertainment from time to time - which is where films like this come in ;) It's one of the reasons I have so many Stephen Chow films, and also why I am somewhat partial to the occasional Andy Lau/Sammi Cheng romantic comedy. Oh, and the fact that I've had a huge crush on Sammi Cheng for years may have something to do with it, but that's another matter altogether...
Which brings me to this film.
The film takes us through a series of comedic events, mainly related to a young group of people's attempts to get themselves on the HK property ladder before it's too late. It also deals with various other Hong Kong-related issues - Mainlanders, cheating husbands with Mainland concubines, and greedy materialistic women to name but three - you name it, it's here, and more. There's probably a milk powder reference in there somewhere too, but it's been a few days since I saw the film, so I'm not certain ;)
But despite the main characters frustration at the crazy price of housing, don't expect any "Dream Home"-style bloodshed. No, this is family entertainment, but dealing with adult problems. I'm not from HK, but having been priced out of London, despite working harder and harder, I can certainly sympathise with Hong Kong people.
Yet it's not overly serious, and doesn't even come close to offering any solutions to the issues involved - violent or otherwise. No, this is just good old-fashioned mainstream money-making fun - if you're looking for a pretentious art-house snoozer, you need to look elsewhere.
However, as some have mentioned, this could have been better. There's certainly some missed opportunities for laughs - watching Sammi's character cleaning the floor, I couldn't help thinking that she could have referenced her manic "Needing You..." toilet cleaning scene instead.
The ending is fairly predictable, but we're not talking Fruit Chan Gor or Wong Kar-Wai here - this is pure entertainment, and the primary intention clearly isn't to make us think, but to have a humorous look at one of the issues which affects today's HK. And to make the producers lots of money of course - which is about as Hong Kong as you can get.
This film will make little sense to anyone who isn't familiar with the current socio-political climate in HK, so its appeal outside Asia is likely to be limited to the Chinese diaspora, fans of the actors, or those who have some kind of connection to the region. And actresses like Myolie Wu (sadly under-used here) are unlikely to mean much to those who aren't familiar with TVB dramas. But if you're in the mood for a good laugh, and are a fan of at least one of the main actors, I would recommend it. I'm sure I spotted a brief Sandra Ng cameo as well :)
Definitely one of my favourite films of the year, even though it's a little disposable. Certainly a good laugh at times, and well worth the price of the DVD. Just don't expect it to be in the same league as films like "Needing You..." or "Justice, My Foot!".
Fei chang jing cha (1998)
Incompetent cops become heroes shocker!
Let's start with some facts: this film features one of the best actors in Hong Kong cinema and TV (Francis Ng Chun-Yu) and probably one of the worst (no, not Michael Wong!!) - Herman Chan - who, rather unsurprisingly, didn't act in many films after this one. It also looks very cheaply-produced - most of the budget probably went on Francis Ng's wages.
Telling the story of an incompetent bunch of cops who are brought together to improve the Hong Kong Police's crime-solving figures, most of the film suggests that they have no chance of succeeding.
Each of the cops in the ironically-named "magnificent" team have some sort of issue which affects their work - vomiting at the sight of blood, leaving their guns at home to avoid confrontation... well, you get the picture.
But it's not all bad. Francis Ng overacts as usual, but in that crazy way which only he can pull off - at times, he even seems to be trying to emulate the whiny voice of his Ugly Kwan character from the Young and Dangerous series. However, many of the other performances are as wooden as one would expect in a cheaply-produced film such as this.
There is also much more character development than in many films of this kind, which fills the time in between shootouts. There is plenty of comedy, too. And any film which has multiple choppings, two minutes after the title credits end, can't be all bad! There's a fair bit of action elsewhere, too - possibly the best scene could be the one in the restaurant, where a gangster goes completely over-the-top, not only in killing his treacherous associate at point-blank range, but in the shoot-out which follows.
I'm not going to give away the ending, but it's action-packed yet predictable, and the team finally manage to shake off their "All Talk No Show" reputation.
This film may have been described as a "magnificent waste of time" elsewhere, but I disagree - while it may be only one of my many guilty pleasures, it was also money well spent. One which is worth seeking out, but only if available at a low price.
Hak yuk duen cheung goh: Chai sang jue yuk (1997)
Better-than-average prison drama
I picked this one up recently on a cheap Mei Ah VCD. Prison dramas are not my favourite genre of Hong Kong film, so I wasn't sure about this one. However, having read some positive reviews elsewhere, and noting that several of my favourite actors were cast in this one, I decided to go for it. Similar to Ringo Lam's Prison On Fire", this one is in some ways more brutal, but less brutal in others.
Featuring the always excellent Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, as well as those familiar "Triad actors" Ng Chi Hung and Lee Siu-Kei, the film also features an excellent performance from Ng Man Tat, who many will know better from his mo lei tau films, and a slightly out-of-place yet surprisingly good Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong!
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I love watching films where multiple Triad choppings take place, but I try and avoid watching torture or rape scenes - as a result, I have managed to avoid several Category III films, even though many of my VCDs/DVDs are Category III. This is one of those films which I probably ought to avoid (some of the punishments are definitely not what I enjoy watching); fortunately, most of these scenes are brief, and are arguably necessary - unlike in, say, "1941 Hong Kong On Fire", where the torture and rape scenes really are somewhat gratuitous.
As is often the case in HK films, genres are mixed-up, and some of the scenes and dialogue may appear inappropriate to those not used to HK films. Considering the level of brutality, it may appear wrong to include a comedic subtext relating to the size of Elvis Tsui's character's "manhood" (let's just say that his character's name of Saam Chek Geuk is well-earned in this film!), but this is par for the course in HK films, and is one of the reasons I love them so much.
The ending is as brutal as one would expect in such a film, but is somewhat more original than the usual gunfire/chopping endings which are commonplace in HK films. And it's hard not to have sympathy for the prisoners, as it's the prison officers who are the truly bad guys here.
Overall, if you liked "Prison On Fire", you will probably like this one; but if torture, brutal violence and prison dramas in general aren't your thing, then it's best avoided.