Throw Down (2004)

Director: Johnnie To

Notable Cast: Louis Koo, Aaron Kwok, Cherrie Ying, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Jordan Chan, Eddie Cheung, Calvin Choi

It’s always a good day at the Blood Brothers offices when there is a new Johnnie To Blu Ray release. It’s even better when it’s one of his often-forgotten films like Throw Down. The icing on the cake happens to be when it’s a Masters of Cinema release from Eureka. While Johnnie To remains one of my favorite directors, this genre shifty film from Hong Kong’s Godfather of the modern auteur is one that has not made it into my collection until this latest release. I was missing out. For all of you out there that have seen it before, I’m ashamed that you haven’t peer pressured me into seeking this film out before. Nonetheless, the sin has been forgiven, and Throw Down remains a true hidden gem in his filmography. Featuring an entire battalion of memorable performances, a bevy of fantastic set pieces, and a bold and fascinating salad of genres, this film is an artful and wholly entertaining cinematic experience that showcases all of the intriguing elements of a Johnnie To film in one package. 

When a young and hotheaded Judo fighter, played with an invigorated energy by Aaron Kwok, arrives at a small night lounge, he unwittingly finds himself embroiled in the strange life of a down and out Judo champion, Sze-to Bo, played by Louis Koo. The latter is in debt and a drunk, but the combination of this young fighter and a down and out singer, in a blissfully charming performance from Cherrie Ying, could give him the courage to find his way again. 

The Big Heat (1988)

Directors: Andrew Kam, Johnnie To

Notable Cast: Waise Lee, Matthew Wong, Phillip Kwok, Lionel Lo, Paul Chu, Betty Mak, Peter Lai, Stuart Ong, Robin Shou

There’s always a sense of shock and accomplishment when one discovers an overlooked diamond of a film out there in the black holes of the cinematic void. This is the feeling that overcame me when I sat down to watch the Hong Kong action flick The Big Heat with my brother the other day. As a fan of the cops n’ criminals genre of Hong Kong action flicks from the 80s and early 90s, I was also a tad shocked that this one has flown under the radar. Not only is this film good, but it’s packed with a phenomenal cast and co-directed by one of Hong Kong’s greatest directors, Johnnie To. The film itself is ripe with wonderful artistic direction, massively entertaining and vicious action sequences, and a darkness to its police team narrative that gives it an impressive depth. The Big Heat, despite its generic title, deserves to be listed among some of the best of the style and belongs up there in the ranks of classics from John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Tsui Hark.

Casino Raiders (1989) and Casino Raiders II (1991)

CASINO RAIDERS (1989)

Director: Wong Jing, Jimmy Heung Wah-Sing

Notable Cast: Alan Tam, Andy Lau, Ida Chan, Rosamund Kwan, Lung Fong, Charles Heung Wah-Keung, Hagiwara Kenzo, Kirk Wong Chi-Keung, Shum Wai

The interesting approach that Wong Jing and company take to Casino Raiders is that it combines two popular genres of HK cinema into one film: the gambling thriller and the heroic bloodshed action flick. The first two acts are almost solely dedicated to the former though as Alan Tam and Andy Lau play two gambling pros who help casinos catch cheaters and do a little cheating themselves to earn some extra cash. Their Chang Cheh style brotherly bond forms the heart of the film and as it goes it tends it add in a lot of material that seems irrelevant at first. A strange romantic triangle is formed with a rich beautiful young woman, they get into melodramatic fights, and eventually both of them end up on the short end of the stick as the film progressively gets darker as it goes. The flow at this point is a tad uneven as it adds in a lot of material about their relationship with one another, backstories, and the romantic plot and truthfully I wasn’t fully sold on the film even after the first two acts. It felt like Wong Jing doing his thing with some strong casting, but without a lot of weight behind it.

Trivisa (2016)

Directors: Frank Hui, Jevons Au, Vicky Wong

Notable Cast: Gordon Lam, Richie Jen, Jordan Chan, Tommy Wong, Elliot Ngok, Stephen Au, Lam Suet, Wan Yeung-ming, Philip Keung, Frankie Ng, Lau Ka-yung, Hung Yan-yan, To Yin-gor, Zhang Kai, Le Zi-long, Thimjapo Chattida, Aoi Ma, Kam Loi-kwan, Huang Kai-sen

Trivisa stirred some pots when it first came out, thanks to its throwback style to older Hong Kong dramatic thrillers, but when it won the Hong Kong Film Award for best picture last year it solidified itself as a near instant classic that is being hailed as a forerunner for a second golden age of Hong Kong cinema. While the domineering force of Mainland Chinese cinema and its powerful focus on spectacle and entertainment makes me hesitant to say that Hong Kong is going to mark itself as a force to be reckoned with yet, it’s easy to see why people would think that when watching Trivisa. This film is good enough to almost convince me that the HK industry is on the brink of something grand too. Particularly because of the young directors involved with the film. While it’s not the action film that most people tend to think about when they think classic Hong Kong film, it’s a throw back film to the era of dramatic gangster thrillers that solidified the careers of John Woo, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To in the late 80s and early 90s. Quite frankly, it’s a film that deserves to be mentioned with the likes of those iconic names and for those looking for redemption in the modern landscape of Hong Kong cinema then yes, Trivisa just might be the beacon for a movement to do just that.

Three (2016)

Director: Johnnie To

Notable Cast: Louis Koo, Wallace Chung, Vicki Zhao, Lam Suet

Johnnie To has always remained a chameleon as a director. He’s always changing and shifting through various genres, fitting his style to each one like a versatile coat of arms, pushing and challenging boundaries as he goes. As the genre fan that I am, it’s his gangster and cop films that really stick out as his best including the likes of Election, Exiled, and Drug War to name a few. His latest film to reach the US, courtesy of our friends at Well Go USA, is the cops and robbers flick Three. Just like some of his other films, this isn’t your cut and dry action thriller. Once again To is all about pushing boundaries and he does it again with this one. Most of it works, some of it doesn’t, but it’s hard not to love what To does here stylistically as he crafts a minimalist, teeth gritting thriller that is demanding of an artful respect. It’s not a perfect film and it certainly falls short of his last US release Drug War, but if you’re a To fan or love a solid and pulse pounding film it’s hard to go wrong with most of what Three has to offer.

Running On Karma (2003)

Director: Johnnie To
Notable Cast: Andy Lau, Cecilia Cheung, Eddie Cheung, Karen Tong, Chun Wong, Jimmy Wong, Hon Kwok-choi, Yuen Bun
Also known as: An Intelligent Muscle Man

In my recent Johnnie To obsession phase, I came across Running On Karma his award winning drama/comedy/action/philosophical/artsy/super-hero-esque romance film (I'll get to that in a second) that has seemingly won over most of those whom have seen its contents. I love Johnnie To and the fact that it also has the brilliant Andy Lau as our main man Biggie (yeah, the version I watched used subtitles that referenced him as Biggie) I was already sold. What I got though was one of the most unusual experiences I've had with film and unlike any other Johnnie To film I have yet to see to date.

Running on Karma comes in when our 'hero' Biggie accidentally gets tied up in a police investigation concerning a murder suspect and the bust on the male strip club where he works. His massively muscle bound physique and his sharp intelligence/quick light footing (later on we learn he used to be a monk in the mountains, because cool) come in useful when he decides to help out a female detective with the case. Here's the kicker: Biggie can see Karma. Oh yeah. And he sees that there is bad karma around his new found friend (and blooming love interest) and decides to do what he can to change destiny and save her. Their pasts and futures end up colliding in a Buddhist moral story as things get far too complicated for our two main people.

So if that synopsis confused you, it's okay. The movie does a far better job of storytelling and making it all flow a bit better then I do in one paragraph. The mixture of all these elements would seem to be one of the reasons that this film should fail on so many levels, but somehow, in someway, through brilliant acting, a ballsy script, and the visual stunner that is To in the directing seat, make it work. In fact, it's more charming then not throughout its run time. Granted, you should be prepared for its initial awkwardness. Andy Lau's fake muscle suit looks a bit too fake in many moments, and the odd superhero scenes (the ones where he goes for some very odd baddies - like the contortionist or the slippery thief) tend to bring forth a bit of the 'what the hell?' aspect of the film. In the end though, these moments are far out weighed by the subtle romantic love story vibe and the philosophical layers that eventually develop in the film and make it so deep and remarkable. It's as if they wanted Running On Karma to be both sides of the extreme - both ridiculous and grounded in its entirety.

As I said though, somehow it all works in the end. At times I found myself a little taken back by its initial premise - I'm still not sure how he was able to decipher his visions of karma - but there was so much talent on screen and behind the camera that it was almost destiny that it would all fit together. Do I think it deserved all the awards it won - probably not, but it was still a great film that will sit with you for a while. 

Written By Matt Reifschneider