Cheap Killers
If this film had been shot in a slaughterhouse, there could not have been
much more blood or severed limbs. As director and producer, Clarence Ford
and Wong Jing are going more for shock value here than a coherent story.
Alex Fong and Sunny Chan are two hitmen and friends who like to dress in
white when they are out on a business call together. Must be hell on their
laundry bills. In the first contract, the target is cut in two and the top
half of his torso is brought down in the elevator for no particular reason.
OK - makes perfect sense I guess. Later a horse has its head removed.
Soon the two of them come across the young wife of a triad big shot (Henry
Fong Ping). This is Kathy Chow and as soon as we spot her taking an outside
shower in her clothes and everything goes slo-mo and the chorus swells up
- we know she is trouble with a capital T. A femme fatale if ever there was
one. The Postman Always Rings Twice. Though in this case he doesn’t have
to. She later has another wet sari scene when she is washing the clothes
when she is in sitting down - poor Sunny - he didn't know what hit him but
it was soft and wet. After Sunny and Kathy fall into bed together - he asks
“you don’t even know my name do you?” The trouble is just starting for these
two hitmen. Rule Number One - don't sleep with the Boss's wife. Probably
good advice in any job bit especially if he is a triad psycho.
I like Kathy Chow and her Gene Tierney upper bite - she was great in Nude
Fear and good in Eastern Hollywood, but she has trouble with what should
have been a complex role. She struggles hard to create a totally one dimensional
evil seductress. She should have watched Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity
or The Strange Love of Martha Ivers to understand how to play femme fatale
as it should be. It is more than smoking cigars and smiling wickedly. Stephen
Fung is Alex's neighbor who used to be good to Alex's son. He decides
to become a cop. An honest one. With two killer "Uncles". He also takes up
with Lillian Ho who turns out to be the younger sister of Kathy. Small world.
The triad boss tells Kathy I want you both. "After I train her up". This
film is full of brutal violence and action, but I didn’t think the action
scenes were particularly well done. The only thing that saves this film is
an excellent straight forward performance from Alex Fong who comes across
as an honorable loyal guy (who just happens to kill for money!). He keeps
the film focused and his fate is what kept me interested. If severed fingers,
torsos, arms or upper bites are your thing though give this film a go.
