Legendary Couple Film Review

This film starring Simon Yam and Chingmy Yau is so ridiculously stupid and yet stylish that I thought it had to be a Wong Jing production, but I don't see his greasy fingerprints on any of the credits. As the producer, he had put these two together in the classic Naked Killer and this feels like an effort to emulate that in a small way. These are two of my favorite Hong Kong actors; the always handsomely cool Simon Yam and the radiantly sexy Chingmy Yau. It should be a can't miss for me, but damn this is bad. In so many ways. But to give director Peter Ngor credit, it looks great and seems to realize how ridiculous it is and dives right in with glee. Clearly, Ngor had no idea what he was doing and lost the thread, allowing the actors to go overboard with theatrics, but he was one of Hong Kong's finest cinematographers with credits for over 70 films; among them Shanghai Blues, Mr. Vampire, Full Contact, On the Run, Armour of God and even a few classic Shaw films - Clan of the White Lotus, My Young Auntie and Legendary Weapons of China. But directing was not his skill set. This was to be his last film as director.

I see that some reviews compare this to Natural Born Killers and since it came out the year before this, that is likely but this is much lighter, sillier and inconsequential. A souffle of killers. It begins with Simon robbing some triads while Chingmy waits below in the car with their baby. A cop comes over to tell her to move the car. Instead, she points a gun at his privates and tells him to go away. He does but returns with dozens of cops and a big shootout commences with a shotgun and explosions. With the baby in the back seat with headphones on. But first, we need the lengthy flashback.

Simon was an accountant for a wealthy man and on the way to the bank with five million HKD, he needs to stop off to go the bathroom. His two colleagues are killed and the money stolen and the cop (Vincent Wan) is sure Simon is guilty and beats him till he has to release his bowels. A classic moment in Hong Kong film. He ends up kidnapping the daughter of his boss, the adorable Chingmy. And as these kidnappings tend to go in movies, they fall in love and begin robbing triads. And giving the money away.

That almost sounds good, but the film bounces all over the place and never brings it into a cohesive whole or make you care about these two lovable nitwits. One moment they are shooting someone, the next making cute. But the film revels in its idiocy and in the chemistry between the two leads. The cinematographer in Ngor took control and he seems more interested in making Simon and Chingmy look fashionably good with guns in their hands rather than a film that makes any sense. The best thing about it is a large painting of the two of them that I would love to have on my wall. I wonder where it is?