All I can say is that if you are watching this film and getting a little
impatient because you were expecting a lot more action and violence - is
for you to hold on. The final ten minutes turns into a bloodfest of epic
proportions. It takes what was a typical triad film of brotherhood, betrayal,
loyalty and a few solid fights into the realms of Heroic Bloodshed. And this
was a year before A Better Tomorrow, considered by many to be the opening
act of that Hong Kong genre. A Better Tomorrow had Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung
and Leslie Cheung - star power to the nth degree - this film doesn't match
that but it has Leung Kar-yan, Norman Tsui and Richard Cheung in similar
roles. This is produced by Shaw Brothers very near the end of their run and
directed by Johnny Wang. It doesn't really feel like a Shaw film, none of
the slickness - but very much feels like where Cantonese film is going with
realistic grounded fights, lower budgets, location shooting on the streets
of Kowloon and a grungy gritty nihilistic atmosphere.
Mad Wei (Leung Kar-yan). Playboy Lung (Tsui) and Sergeant Lam (Richard Cheung)
have been friends for years and built up a true comradeship. They are connected
by a triad gang and their loyalty to the boss. Mad Wei was a hit man but
has retired to take care of his daughter, Lam was once a member of the gang
but left to join the police force and Playboy Lung is still a member in good
standing. They all attend the boss's birthday - the boss turns around and
holy shit it is the great Sek Kin. He is a benevolent boss, treating his
men well, respectful of others - but he is still a triad boss. He needs to
protect his territory from predators.
A newcomer shows up in Hong Kong to upset the balance of things. He was introduced
to us in the opening scene machine gunning down a number of people in a New
York Chinatown underground casino. The mafia sprung him and he is now their
point man in Hong Kong. Sek Kin stands in the way. One of his men is betraying
him. War is breaking out and in the end it is our three men who have to settle
matters and take revenge in the only way they know - at the edge of a blade.
The action is interestingly nearly all with blades as if it is a throwback
to another period when men fought up close and personal and blood covered
everything.
