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Dante Lam directs Nicholas Tse in a tense, extremely well-played thriller…
Following the recent trend for ‘back-to-basics’ in Hong Kong filmmaking shown in movies like One Nite in Mongkok, Invisible Target and Full Contact, the latest film to surface in the UK from director Dante Lam plays down the usual style for showboating set pieces in order to focus on tension to dramatic effect.
Nicholas Tse (New Police Story, Invisible Target, The Promise) stars – surprisingly convincingly – as Sergeant Tong, a hot headed and uncompromising Hong Kong detective unforgiving of his team’s errors. In trying to apprehend his target, kingpin Cheung Yat-tung (Philip Keung), a tragic car crash sets off a tragic series of events – beginning with Tong accidentally killing the daughter of Ann Gao (Jingchu Zhang, Protégé, Seven Swords), the public prosecutor in charge of the case against Chang.
Still wearing the scars from the accident, both mental and physical, Tong is horrified to learn that Ann’s younger daughter has been kidnapped by the triads to blackmail her into ‘losing’ a vital piece of DNA evidence that locates Chang at the scene of the crime. The kidnapper, Hung (Nick Cheung, Exiled, Election, Election 2, The Stunt Woman), is an unremitting contract killer who is no stranger to tragedy.
Despite Ann’s wishes, Tong vows to rescue the girl in the hope of some redemption for his fatal mistake, and to perhaps rebuild his broken life – not realising his link to the kidnapper is stronger than he could imagine.
Unlike many of director Dante Lam’s lighter, glossier more recent works, from Twins Effect to Love On The Rocks and Undercover Hidden Dragon, his latest feature is a whole-hearted return to the genre that made his name. (Indeed, the English title hints at the director’s best-loved film Beast Cops. The original title Ching yan roughly translates as Witness – according to my Mac’s translation widget – a title already taken and seemingly not entirely appropriate, but that’s probably an extremely simplistic take on the words meaning?)
Despite tight, well-directed action sequences, the film itself (rather unusually for a Hong Kong movie) rather shies away from any standout spectacular set pieces – relying instead almost totally on the performances of the actors themselves. Perhaps the biggest surprise is just how well balanced the film becomes because of it. The often near-superhuman abilities of characters even in more grounded, triad based bullet ballets can – in the wrong hands – often distance audiences from the more emotional elements directors so need them to relate to.
As previously mentioned, Nicholas Tse is both a surprise and delight in the lead role, playing a very different role to the cocky, cute youngster we so often associate him with. Of course, it’s Nick Cheung who’s multi-facetted, unapologetic, but ultimately sympathetic portrayal of Hung overshadowed all else, nominated and winning several Asian best actor awards in the process, including the HKFCS Award. The ensemble cast is superb, with Kai Chi Liu as Tong subordinate detective Sun just one of several great, unfussy performances.
Speaking on interviews included on the UK DVD, it’s seems surprising to hear the cast compare this to something of a more American-styled thriller. If anything it’s more European, like the original Vanishing, and also puts me in mind of another Lam, Ringo Lam, and some of his more understated (and usually underrated) pictures like Wild Search and Full Alert – both of which share a lack of specific standout sequences and excel in their leads depictions.
Though the film plays up it’s emotional punch, the sentimentality never seems to overwhelm the piece – unlike many Asian and particularly Chinese movies. Indeed, there’s always something of an edge to the film – it makes you believe that things might not end very happily at all!
The camera work mirrors the nervous tension of the piece, playing out action sequences in downtown Hong Kong to the (rather genuine looking) bewilderment of passes by. It has a genuine energy about it that excuses the rather predictable contrivance of the finale twist. (Without blowing it, it probably won’t come as a huge surprise to find the link between the central characters is not unlike the core device of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores perros.) The fight choreography by Tung Wei (Painted Skin, Perhaps Love, Hitman) is tight, grounded and mainly believable, as is the action direction by Bruce Law (Flashpoint, High Risk, Project S).
This is an impressive, intelligent thriller from Dante Lam with a better balance between sentimentality, action and drama than you might expect. Damn fine!
DVD details
Distributor: Cine Asia (UK)
Cine Asia’s two-disc UK DVD is an impressive release, packed with bonus features including behind-the-scenes featurettes, a making of, extended/alternate scenes, interviews and much more.
