Tri-Star
Reviewed by YTSL
Tsui Hark has been involved in the making of so
many, often sterling quality, movies that it's somewhat understandable that
some of them get mentioned less than others. Still, it is rather notable
that this 1996 Chinese New Year film that was directed by the individual who
also has bequeathed to us such as "Shanghai Blues", "Peking Opera Blues",
the "Once Upon a Time in China"s and the "Swordsman" trilogy is one of those
which seems to have been deliberately (or not) swept under the metaphorical
rug. This particularly since it was the last Hong Kong production the
talented auteur worked on before he went off to try his luck in Hollywood
(unfortunately, for him, without much success).
On the surface, this is one Film Workshop and Cinema City effort that looked
to offer so much, especially in terms of novelty. As David Bordwell
suggested in his "Planet Hong Kong" book: "Popular filmmaking constantly
remakes its star from project to project...Give your star a new hairstyle
or wardrobe or role, shoot some publicity photos, and your audience may get
curious....Part of the pleasure of a new film lies in the new look it assigns
a favorite actor" (2000:158). Imagine the significant amount of interest
TRI-STAR surely stirred up by having: Leslie Cheung appear as a do-good
as well as handsome Catholic priest whose psychology-obsessed cousin (a libidinous-acting
Catherine Hung is nearly unrecognizable here from "Wing Chun"'s Charmy) is
trying to sexually tempt; Anita Yuen act as a debt-ridden club-girl who first
encounters Leslie's character in a confessional; and Lau Ching Wan play a
not particularly bright detective who is generally unkempt and possesses
the kind of beard that seems to make him resemble Yu Rong Guang's "Iron Monkey"
hero in his government official disguise!
IMHO, a very cute and angelic acting- and -looking Leslie Cheung outshines
everyone else in a cast that also includes: Sunny Chan (as Lau Ching
Wan's ratty character's equally bumbling -- but much better outfitted --
partner); Shing Fui On (as a peroxide-haired priest); Raymond Wong (as a
police superintendent whose role is largely to provide extra laughs in this
film); Moses Chan (as the irresponsible boyfriend of Anita Yuen's too-apt-to-be
inconsistent character); and Xiong Xin Xin (who also was TRI-STAR's action
director). Unfortunately, all of the actors and actresses are let down
by the movie's unfocused script and equally disjointed editing (Tsui Hark
seemed unable to decisively decide whether this work was supposed to primarily
be a romance, comedy or drama which also included police and triad action.
Also, there really are portions of the film that got me wondering whether
whole connecting sections had been accidentally excluded from being a part
of the final product).
Too many segments and plot lines, which started off promisingly just, ended
up petering out or abruptly ceased to be considered important to pursue in
a not too logical or satisfactory fashion. Quite a few of TRI-STAR's
visual gags (including one which puts Leslie Cheung in an Elvis outfit and
another which has Anita Yuen and her prostitute friends having vampire-like
reaction to rays of morning sunlight) and other jokes seemed to have been
placed where there were just to get instant -- but ultimately pointless --
laughs. Certain of its characters' quirks (e.g., Lau Ching Wan's character's
tendency to take off his shoes to scratch his itchy feet) never get explained.
Those who would be content to get a bit of humor and entertainment out of
a movie may think that I am overly harsh in my criticism of an offering that
did elicit some amused reactions from me. It also is true that TRI-STAR
can boast of having major star power and a rather well filmed car chase scene.
However, the fact remains that this (re)viewer expected more and better from
the man who remains my favorite director; not least when he could call upon
such stellar talents as Leslie Cheung and Anita Yuen (who were the stars
of his much better "The Chinese Feast") along with Lau Ching Wan (someone
who really ought to have merited a meatier role than the one he had in this
production .
My rating for the film: 6.