Devil Face, Angel Heart
Reviewed by YTSL
Back in 1998, the photogenic duo of Daniel Wu
and Stephen Fung appeared together in fashion photographer turn film-maker
Yonfan’s visual treats filled “Bishonen...”. One year later, they were
a part of the cabal of “Young Turk” performers on view in Benny Chan’s “Gen
X Cops”. Three years on, these two young actors top the bill -- along
with Gigi Lai -- of this crime drama helmed by a director who -- by way of
some of his previous efforts being “Love to Kill” (a 1993 Category III effort
that had Anthony Wong portraying the wife-abuser spouse of Elizabeth Lee’s
much put upon character) and “Lady Supercop” (a 1993 Carina Lau action vehicle
that boasts a dental torture scene that puts the one in “The Marathon Man”
to shame) -- might be said to be as associated with ugly imagery as Yonfan
is with beautiful ones.
Considering that Billy Chung was the occupant of the 2002 effort’s driver’s
seat, it should not come as that much of a surprise that DEVIL FACE, ANGEL
HEART does possess its share of unattractive aspects and moments. This
includes a villainous character named Dragon (portrayed by Patrick Keung)
whose sadism manifests itself by way of his liking to do such as subject
the woman described as his “concubine” to nightly bouts of -- heard but unseen
by the movie’s viewers -- torturous sex, and further lack of heart can be
seen by his insensitively commanding someone whose face he does not like
to keep it turned away from him when in his presence. Additionally,
we have in this badly English subtitled Wong Jing production a lead female
character (a vulnerable looking, trouble causing individual played by Gigi
Lai) whose many questionable actions cause her to be described by another
female as “a goddam (sic.) freaky bitch” plus prompt the suggestion that
“Wendy is the creepiest creature on earth”.
Alternatively, Daniel Wu does not portray a disfigured character for all
-- or even most -- of DEVIL FACE, ANGEL HEART like one might have expected
in view of the nature of the advance publicity that this offering had received.
Instead, the professional killer(s) he plays goes, over the course of the
film, from having the kind of visage that’s capable of giving people nightmares
to the more familiar, handsome one of a man whose cinematic popularity seems
to be derived as much more from his willingness to take off his shirt --
and allow one of his “points” to be sucked for what seemed like eternity
on screen (in this at times seemingly lovingly filmed work by an actress
named Joey Wong but is NOT the one of “A Chinese Ghost Story” fame) -- as
through whatever amount of dramatic ability that I reckon that he does also
possess.
Early on in DEVIL FACE, ANGEL HEART, Daniel Wu’s character’s name is given
as (Ah) Long and it also is revealed that he and his elder brother ((Ah)
Kwan, who is essayed by Lam Suet), are in the hazardous employ of a gangster
boss known as Dragon. As Dragon’s moll, Wendy, discloses to Long, he
and the one member of his family who did not abandon him are the latest of
a long line of hit-men who Dragon has had on theoretically lucrative short
term contracts. After the abused woman and the “devil faced” -- but
supposedly also “angel hearted” -- assassin seemed to have won each other’s
trust as well as sympathy, she reveals to him that Dragon -- and his chief
assistant, Jimmy (who is played by Conroy Chan) -- appear to have successfully
seen to it that all of his hired hands never survive the mandated three months
in his employ that would allow them to claim their rewards plus walk away
from it all, and also that she would love to see Dragon get his just plus
fatal desserts, Long decides to solve their problems by ridding the world
of his nasty boss.
An opportunity for him to do so arises when the men go -- albeit minus Wendy
-- on a “business” trip to Taiwan. As it turns out though, their Taiwanese
sojourn turns out to be opportunity filled for more than one individual.
And when the (gun) smoke finally clears (from locations as disparate as a
crowded hostess club and a quiet pier), more than one person has been betrayed
and is dead. Among the casualties of this carnage appeared to be the
often hooded or cloaked individual named Long. In any case, after DEVIL
FACE, ANGEL HEART fast forwards to one year after the taking place of these
violent events (whose action director seemed to have gone to town with his
use of squibs galore!), the character essayed by Daniel Wu is newly seen
to radiate sex appeal as well as be good looking plus gets identified as
a fellow in the employ of Dragon’s successors named Michael rather than Long.
So...does Daniel Wu play two different and unrelated individuals in this
not always 100% logical -- plus consequently pretty far fetched in places
-- mood piece? Perhaps it might be best for me to leave it to the reader
to guess and/or find out by way of their going and watching DEVIL FACE, ANGEL
HEART. At the same time, I think it fair to reveal that, despite his
having received prominent billing in the credits of this production that’s
not without certain stylish flourishes, Stephen Fung does not have half as
prominent a part to play in the film as the actor whose hair was shorter
than his in “Bishonen...” but now is threatening to approach the length of
Ekin Cheng’s. Similarly, Sam Lee (who portrays Stephen Fung’s character’s
plainclothes policeman partner), Kelly Lin (whose role is that of the sympathetic
cop’s loving girlfriend) and the under-rated as well as -utilized David Lee
(as yet another sadistic hoodlum, this one with the moniker of Bull) don’t
look to have spent more than two days (or nights) working on this movie,
and consequently can be considered largely blameless for it being as disappointingly
mediocre as it is.
My rating for the film: 5.5.