9413
Reviewed by YTSL
In recent years, more than one actor (and actress)
-- in Hong Kong as well as Hollywood (E.g., Vincent Wan with “The Warning
Time”, Crystal Kwok with “The Mistress”, Eric Kot with “First Love:
The Litter on the Breeze”, Anthony Wong with “New Tenant” and “Top Banana
Club”, and Nicholas Tse and Stephen Fung with one episode of “Heroes in Love”)
-- has tried his (or her) hands at directing movies. In 1998, Francis
Ng made his directorial debut at the helm of an artsy crime drama that apparently
only had a HK$3 million (i.e., approximately US$400,000) budget and two week
shooting schedule. That this Category III rated -- for its steamy love
as well as head-banging action scenes? -- work looks as polished as it does
doubtlessly owes as much to the help that the film’s star as well as director
managed to get from some others of the production’s very able cast and crew
members.
One of these would be 9413’s executive producer as well as ace cinematographer
(Herman Yau also happens to be a director in his own right -- with such as
“From the Queen to the Chief Executive”, many of the “Troublesome Night”
efforts, “The Untold Story” and “Taxi Hunter” among his credits).
Another would be its scriptwriter cum associate producer, Sandy Shaw (whose
other scriptwriting efforts include “The Heroic Trio”, “Executioners” and
“My Father is a Hero”). The contributions of co-stars Christine Ng
(who -- presumably more than incidentally -- has appeared in eight different
films with Francis Ng), Amanda Lee (who has worked with the respected character
actor on five movies, and had a particularly memorable role as his beloved
in “Full Alert”) and Fredric Mao (who took the part of the significant other
of this offering’s main man one year earlier in “A Queer Story”) probably
ought not be underestimated as well.
At the very least, Francis Ng’s familiarity with 9143’s two lead actresses
seems to have ensured that there was quite a bit of sizzle in the love scenes
that he and they appeared (even when not a single sex act involving any (two)
of them seemed to have got successfully completed!). More re those
sections of this often unhurried feeling -- an aspect of it that is in keeping
with a sympathetic character’s cautionary injunction that “If we hurry up,
we never see things clearly” -- production: On one hand, it can come
across as self-indulgent of the director to have scenes in this film which
allowed him to kiss and fondle two attractive -- albeit in different ways
-- women. On the other, I reckon that it (also) takes some guts for
an individual to give himself as unflattering and demanding -- even if substantial
plus richly complex -- a role as that which Mr. Ng landed for himself in
this production.
To put it somewhat mildly: Francis Ng’s Smash-Head is a rather anti-heroic
as well as unorthodox character. A policeman who accidentally killed
a female hostage, has had to do some of his superior’s dirty work (in return
for the corrupt cop -- Fredric Mao’s Officer Kar -- covering up that serious
mistake he made), is an open smoker of pot plus is not above imbibing illegal
pleasure-inducing substances and engaging in other exhibitionistic displays
(including an exuberant public strip tease), he also happens to be a rabid
environmentalist (who will abruptly halt a love-making act upon finding that
his woman -- Amanda Lee’s Mandy -- is wearing environmentally-unfriendly
plastic slippers as well as absolutely hates the sight of polyfoam floating
in Hong Kong harbour’s polluted waters!).
Smash-Head’s attitude to life starts to change -- or at least, he works to
change it -- however when he -- whose real name is Ko Chin Man -- makes the
acquaintance of a personable as well as generally calm and assured hypno-therapist
(Dr. Carmen Leung -- who is engagingly portrayed by Christine Ng -- is a
real contrast with the hot-blooded Mandy as well as the film’s hot-headed
protagonist). Still, what really causes him to re-evaluate and seek
to terminate such as his tainted association with Officer Kar is his finding
physical proof -- in the form of his murdered ex-partner’s pistol (one which
is recognizable by way of its having the numbers 9143 etched on it) -- having
been in the hands of the rogue cop. Unfortunately for Smash-Head, Officer
Kar is not willing to let the wanna-be reformed character easily dissolve
their relationship, and therefore sets about trying to retain his underling’s
loyalty by putting those who Smash-Head has more valued ties with in major
danger...
With a plot structure that is not exactly all that conventional for what
is ostensibly primarily a crime drama, 9143 will not be everyone’s cup of
bubbling hot -- yet also strangely soothing and consequently actually enjoyable
-- tea. Those who are avowed fans of melodic Cantopop may also be somewhat
put off by this interesting movie’s soundtrack: Which does include
a sweet rendition of “I Got the Feeling” by singer-songwriter Kenny Bee but
is dominated by what Stefan Hammond has described as “edgy industrial synth
music mixe(d) with (construction site) piledrivers” (in “Hollywood East”,
2000:63). In large part because I appreciate its creative originality
-- and also the fine acting performances from the work’s four principal actors
and actresses -- though, I found myself warming up to this effort as surely
as the emotionally-troubled Smash-Head took a liking to the ministering angel
that was Christine Ng’s Carmen.
My rating for this film: 7.5