Woo. Woo’s case is his unabashed style and depth of filmography—there aren’t too many style-plus auteurs left this far down the list with a fourth best film as good as Hard Boiled or fifth as strong as A Bullet in the Head. If great auteurs can often be parodied (think Wes Anderson’s SNL skit) then how about John Woo? One of my major problems with Woo (and the reason I probably have a hard time finding room for the films in their respective top 100 of the decade) is how close they walk the line to camp. Leone could be both violent and funny without walking that line—and I’m not sure Woo always does. It has been far too long since I’ve seen many of them so I’m excited to revisit.
Best film: Face/Off
total archiveable films: 7
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 0
top 100 films of the decade: 1 (Face/Off)
most overrated: A Better Tomorrow is the film that really lifted Woo—but it lands at #928 in the TSPDT consensus top 1000 and though I’m not far off—I’m not sure I have a spot for it in my top 1000.
most underrated: It has to be Face/Off right? It is ranked on TSPDT as his 4th best (both A Better Tomorrow and The Killer are in the top 1000 and Hard Boiled is ahead of Face/Off on the list of 1001-2000).
gem I want to spotlight : Hard Boiled. Often regarded as one of the best action “oners” or one-shot action sequences.
stylistic innovations/traits:
- Woo makes urban westerns, balletic violence—bullets flying. This certainly sounds like Peckinpah (who worshiped Kurosawa). Leone is no doubt an influence, I’d consider Tony Scott’s a peer of Woo with his montage/coverage choices
- As far as narrative—we’re often dealing with good and evil, the thin line between cops/criminals and bonding between partners (and or) enemies. Haws’ work in masculinity in cinema is one to cite here
- Slow-motion work, dissolves, jumps, freezes and dissolves—all part of the arsenal for Woo- it is fair to say that Woo is a master editor
top 10
- Face/Off
- The Killer
- A Better Tomorrow
- Hard Boiled
- A Bullet in the Head
- Red Cliff I
- Red Cliff II
By year and grades
| 1986- A Better Tomorrow | HR |
| 1989- The Killer | HR |
| 1990- A Bullet In the Head | |
| 1992- Hard Boiled | R |
| 1997- Face/Off | HR |
| 2008- Red Cliff I | R |
| 2009- Red Cliff II | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Study Summary: Johnnie To
After my Wong Kar Wai Study I wanted to follow up with another Hong Kong auteur. It is exciting times we are living in as a number of Hong Kong cinematic classics from the 80s and 90s are finally getting US releases; these are films that have been either out of circulation for decades or were never available in the US in the first place. Either way they are finally being made available via steaming services and/or 4K Blu Ray discs
This Study was a shot in the dark in the sense that I knew so little about Johnnie To and his films going in other than his reputation as one of the most famous and respected of the Hong Kong auteur. In particular he is known for his contributions to the action/crime genre which is one of Hong Kong Cinema’s specialties
As stated, Johnnie To specializes in action and crime films with many of the crime films revolving around the Chinese “Triads” which are essentially the equivalent of the Mafia in the United States or the Yakuza in Japan. I was not surprised when I read that Johnnie To considered Jean Pierre Melville to be of his most significant influences. To’s films mainly feature ensemble casts and do not really have a single main character or single character whose perspective the film is viewed through. This is reflected in his visual style as To frequently uses overhead shots, wide angle shots, and aerial shots. Many of his films are shot in 2.35 to 1 aspect ratio
He often uses neon lighting at night, especially his films set in Cities. In terms of stunning images using neon, Throw Down (2004) is at a whole different level as it features some of his single most stunning frames although most of those are shots inside of a club
Johnnie To is a master of choreography. He is able to portray large scale shootouts, he does this particularly well in Exiled, Drug War, PTU, and The Mission
Similar to John Woo, Johnnie To uses an effective mix of action and drama. This is crucial because you (the viewer) need to care about the fates of the characters. He succeeds at this using quality actors and actresses; similar to other auteurs he uses many of the same actors and actresses across his filmography
This was the first Director Study I have done so far without a Masterpiece (MP). I imagine this will become more regular at some point in the future although I still have many more of the big names to cover. And the lack of a Masterpiece by no means indicates Johnny To is not a worthy auteur to study, in fact, I really enjoyed his work and was highly impressed. This is also one of the only Studies I went into without ever having watched any of the films previously. Throw Down (2004) and Exiled (2006) were the two strongest films and I could see either or both moving up with future viewings
Throw Down (2004) is a visual marvel and is a bit of a one-off as it is more of a character study although there are essentially 3 main characters. The rest of the films in the study were far more plot driven
I wanted to watch Election (2005) given its popularity amongst fans of Johnnie To. Unfortunately, the transfer quality of the version on Criterion Channel was so subpar that I decided to skip it. This was quite surprising given the normally high standards of films of the Criterion Channel. I decided a while back to not settle for low transfer quality. Perhaps that sounds a bit snobbish of me, but really it is just not fair to the movie as I would not be grading it on a level playing field. There are so many great auteurs I want to get to that it just does not seem worth settling for sub-par transfers, especially given that so many films today are available in 4K. If a higher quality transfer becomes available in the future, I will certainly check it out
Even though he would not return to the superhero genre, I really enjoyed Johnnie To’s first two films of the Study, both released in 1993 with The Heroic Trio and Executioners. The Criterion Channel has high quality versions of these films
I ranked Exile (2006) as the best film of the study with Throw Down (2004) as a close second. Exile is a crime film with elements of a Leone Western which examines the complexities of loyalty vs duty in the criminal underworlds. Johnnie To builds tension effectively and sets up some incredible shootouts a la Peckinpaugh
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 Exiled (2006) – MS
# 2 Throw Down (2004) – MS
# 3 The Heroic Trio (1993) – MS/HR
# 4 Drug War (2012) – MS/HR
# 5 Executioners (1993) – HR
# 6 The Mission (1999) – R
# 7 PTU (2003) – R
# 8 Mad Detective (2007) – R
# 9 Life Without Principle (2011) – R (Fringe)
@James – Awesome work, I’ll add the top 4 films to my watchlist
@Harry – thank you, I look forward to hearing your thoughts
The Mission (1999)
Cast:
Notes:
Thoughts:
A simple but efficient 84 minutes. The set up is relatively straightforward as you have a group of 5 Bodyguards hired to work together in protecting a Triad Boss who barely escapes an assassination attempt early in the film
To loves overhead shots of characters walking in empty streets at night, I have seen this numerous times through the study
The pacing picks up slightly in the 2nd half but some of the quieter scenes are the best. There’s a scene about halfway through the film where the 5 men are casually drinking beers by a pool, some character camaraderie
There is a scene with the 5 bodyguards walking unison that reminded me of the opening of Reservoir Dogs (1992)
I love the mall as a set piece. Some other films with great Mall set pieces include Police Story (1985), Body Double (1984), and Jackie Brown (1997)
Johnnie To is apparently a big fan of Akira Kurosawa. This film’s premise revolves around a team of 5 bodyguards put together with a common goal. The use of wipe edits is a Kurosawa staple
At 43:40 there is a fade out leading to an immaculate use of character blocking, which reveals the location of all the bodyguards and the assassins in the frame and their visual relationship to one another as they are spread throughout the frame
Verdict: R
Life Without Principle (2011)
Cast:
Notes:
Thoughts:
This film looks at the impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis on several characters living in Hong. The film examines 3 main characters with some overlap in the stories. The 2nd half is definitely stronger, especially the final 30 minutes or so
Admittingly, there is little in the way of remarkable singular images. However, the non-linear structure is effective. There is some nice cross cutting and parallel editing in the final 30 minutes as the separate narratives start to converge
I like the use of news reports and financial index that are frequently in the background, serving as a sort of motif on the limitations of the films characters who seem to have little control over their lives
Verdict: R (Fringe)
Drug War (2012)
Cast:
Louis Koo as Choi Tin-ming/Timmy Choi
Sun Honglei as Captain Zhang Lei
Huang Yi as Yang Xiaobei
Wallace Chung as Guo Weijun
Gao Yunxiang as Xu Guoxiang
Notes:
Opens with wide angle shot of rural roadside including a building emitting a yellowish gas
1:54 shot of surveillance cameras is followed with shot of TV screen
4:28 Jinhai Highway Toll Station
6:05 chase sequence with characters running away from bus as police approach
6:44 high angle shot of police chase in field
7:28 characters that ran are revealed to be drug mules
12:51 same location as opening shot of film
14:05 panning over meth warehouse
16:18 detective and drug runner are face to face in hospital leading to a chase
17:25 gray/blue tinted frame
17:41 composition filled to the brim with police
22:38 triangle composition with prison bars separating drug runner from police
25:15 Timmy Choi framed via prison bars as he offers information to make a deal
30:13 introduction Timmy Choi introduces Captain Zhang Lei as “Uncle Bill”, to become a supplier to Haha so they eat dinner together
31:44 camera planted on dinner table
32:29 “Bill” boldly rejects offer of cocaine and instead takes out his own stash
35:50 Choi is taken to surveillance room in hotel
40:23 Captain Zhang Lei poses as “HaHa” to the real Uncle Bill
41:18 Uncle Bill encourages the undercover Captain to snort drugs which he does
44:29 the Captain is submerged in ice bath by his fellow officers as he is under influence of powerful drugs
45:33 Timmy Choi and Uncle Bill face to face followed by dissolve edit
47:55 wide angle shot of train station
48:33 Timmy Choi given hidden camera to wear
51:03 shallow focus
53:19 plants another micro video camera
1:01:40 camera panning over crystal meth manufacturing process inside warehouse
1:03:57 dark blue frame with close up in foreground with silhouette figures in mid and background
1:04:58 police raid warehouse in an intense scene with blue lighting and white smoke filling the frame
1:10:16 Choi informs Bill of additional information he had been holding back following raid which resulted in multiple police killed and several criminals escaping from a hidden escape tunnel
1:13:11 wide angle shot of the port
1:16:32 dancers wearing red leather on stage
1:18:34 tensions flare as the criminals become increasingly suspicious
1:20:11 all the criminals in underground parking area
1:24:18 crosscutting between police and criminals
1:27:38 dark blue tint a la Jean Pierre Melville
1:31:00 wild shootouts between the police and criminals
1:36:21 out of focus shot of gun in foreground cut to Choi running toward police with his hands up
1:42:11 death by lethal injection is unexpected ending
Thoughts:
Johnnie To wastes little time getting into the story with some great tension build up within the first few minutes. This film maintains an intensity and focus on the main narrative with no sub-plots or distractions. The narrative itself is actually relatively straightforward as it focuses on a law enforcement agency’s investigation into a drug manufacturing ring with the drug of choice being crystal meth
Watching this film is an immersive experience as there are chase scenes involving law enforcement and the drug organizations with changing perspectives, handheld camera during chase scenes, and tension building from both perspectives. The film is largely about the two sides of the law engaging in a complex chess match, constantly trying to get ahead of one another. There is a great scene where an undercover officer is forced to do drugs and the impact of it which ends with a shot of his head dunked into an ice bucket followed by a dissolve edit. I actually would have liked to see more dissolve edits used
This film is not for the faint of heart as it captures some of the more unpleasant elements of the drug business that most movies about drug operations leave out. In particular, the indignities and horrific conditions the low level criminals are forced to deal with
One review I came across compared it to Jean Pierre Melville’s final film Un Flic (1972). Johnnie To has stated in interviews that Jean Pierre Melville has had a significant influence on his work. Both work in the crime genre and examine relationships and mythology of underworld characters and the symbiotic relationship between cops and criminals
This film uses little in the way of bright or neon colors. Instead, the film utilizes desaturated colors with dark and gray to reflect the gloomy atmosphere of the world the film is set in. There are numerous scenes with characters in dimly lit spaces, particularly areas with drugs present, capturing their secretive nature
Verdict: MS/HR
Mad Detective (2007)
Cast:
Sean Lau as Inspector Chan Kwai-Bun, a former police detective
Andy On as Inspector Ho Ka-On
Notes:
Opens with camera panning over kitchen knives then floating through apartment
2:17 man stabbing dead Pig hanging in the kitchen
4:19 shallow focus close up on Police Inspector Chan Kwai-Bun in the foreground, he cuts off a piece of ear in front of the entire precinct during his Boss retirement party
7:21 shaky camera during chase
8:56 exposition via newspaper about cop missing for 18 months
10:20 soft focus as the Inspector walks the streets
12:41 dark blue tinted interior of apartment
13:41 blue glare on screen over the forehead of Inspector
14:14 the former Inspector Bun has a breakdown, captured by shaky camera
17:47 nice blocking of characters heads in this Bergman-esque double profile shot
20:03 alternates between shot of Bun walking alone on sidewalk and group
21:00 stunning shot inside dimly restaurant with golden chandeliers
23:06 profile shot with blue tinted frame with characters covered in shadow
27:13 pan over dashboard window with reflection of the Inspector
29:19 extreme close up on shaking gun taking with intense heart beats
29:46 disturbing montage of killer in clown masks and the Inspector using match cuts
31:10 gloomy blue frame with characters in middle of frame during rainfall
37:01 overheat shot with slow camera movement
44:30 camera slowly moves in on Ho after interaction with Bun’s ex-wife who is also a police officer and explains that Bun is mentally ill and that he should stay away
46:10 double profile shot with silhouette characters in dark blue tinted frame
57:33 overhead shot of chase scene through the city streets at night
1:02:20 close up of headbutt in foreground shot with shaky camera increasing the impact
1:05:50 strange confrontation with Bun, Bun’s real wife, and Bun’s imagined wife
1:10:30 symmetrical composition with 5 characters in the frame
1:14:55 overhead shot of car traveling through the city streets
1:16:52 characters in dark warehouse which is a house of mirrors
1:19:30 slow fade out to overhead shot inside house of mirrors with a shootout following shortly after this which includes white fog spreading through the dark blue tinted frame
Thoughts:
This film is certainly not a typical police procedural about catching a killer. Similar to other Johnnie To films, there is a strange mix of genres although this one does not work as well
Another film that uses dark blue effectively, capturing isolation or loneliness of characters. Many of the frames use desaturated color palette to capture gloomy atmosphere
There is a great montage where a masked criminal and protagonist are shown via match cuts, but the best shots occur at the end of the film in a house of mirrors
I applaud the effort in trying something new, but the film does not completely work. The film does start to cross into “camp territory” at times including the troubled protagonist speaking to his imagined wife
Verdict: R
Exiled (2006)
Cast:
Anthony Wong as Blaze
Francis Ng as Tai
Nick Cheung as Wo
Josie Ho as Jin, Wo’s wife
Notes:
Opens with men coming to house of former mobster Wo who now lives quiet life with his wife and newborn child
3:40 narrow frame in frame creating claustrophobic mood
4:18 overhead shot held
5:35 strong composition with characters spaced close to edge of frame
8:28 slow motion with score building
9:08 characters moving through dark apartment building staircase
11:28 shot of tea kettle starting to boil before shootout starts and ends in a matter of seconds
13:10 slow pan with wind creating frame in frame via opening curtains to frame in frame
14:56 great compositions with characters on perimeter of frame in dimly lit apartment
17:20 change of atmosphere as all the characters cook dinner together in dark apartment only lit by fire from the cooking
19:05 cut to photograph from years ago showing the men involved all grew up together
25:56 crane shot overlooking the city
33:14 photo of Boss to be killed in foreground turned away from camera with 5 characters in perimeter of the frame
35:48 foreboding score
35:55 shot of exterior of a high end restaurant resembling an orange Chinese lantern
36:47 wide angle shot of interior of building the gangsters are inside
38:38 stunning low angle shot with use of silhouette
40:05 montage of shots of characters isolated in frame
43:07 wild shootout
48:20 the old police officer comically drives by again following a tense sequence
50:16 driving Wo to a doctor that will work without asking questions or contacting police
51:31 half of Blaze’s face is covered by a shadow as he stands in doorway
54:18 close up on bloody bullets taken out of Wo
56:20 the other men from the restaurant shootout show up to the clinic including Fay who was shot in the arm and Keung who was shot in the leg
56:34 a ridiculously great composition as the both factions from the violence earlier are in the same location at the same time
58:16 montage of men in dark room, with desaturated colors in frame
59:31 wild shootout erupts after silent tension builds
1:01:00 red lighting contrasts with desaturated colors used during scene
1:01:43 masterful use of camera movement, framing, and lighting as the shootout is depicted with characters moving down apartment steps while engaging in gunfire and exterior of apartment is covered by shadows with lights illuminating from windows and doorways
1:02:58 mix of high and low angle shots throughout silent sequence with frequent cuts to the various characters involved along with mix of slow motion
1:04:56 same 5 characters in similar shot inside car from earlier with Wo in the back middle seat, the shot is held
1:07:02 overhead shot as Wo dies on his couch after he is taken back to his wife
1:08:56 Wo’s wife goes into a rage as she contemplates a murder suicide of her child before changing her mind
1:12:51 the red car contrasts with the brown/gray dirt road and surrounding rocks
1:15:04 yellow palette reminds me of Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 film Enemy
1:15:52 4 characters realize they are at a location they refer to as “Buddah Mountain” as they notice gold glimmer
1:16:14 slow pan of 4 characters evenly spaced out between the frame with golden light reflecting on the lake
1:19:26 high angle shot of the 4 characters followed by gunshot sounds in the background
1:20:05 shot framed through grass with camera moving in on Police Officers
1:20:31 telescope frame followed by over the shoulder shots of sniper
1:21:01 score cut out accentuating the natural sounds of the area including crickets
1:22:20 great character blocking with the 4 characters positions resembling a parallelogram
1:24:11 great character blocking with Blaze and officer in foreground and the others spaced out
1:27:47 great composition with character in foreground playing harmonica and 4 others spread through the mid and background of the frame
1:29:06 shallow focus two-shot
1:31:37 another great use of character blocking in this composition
1:34:34 great overhead shot of characters inside house
1:36:02 Wo’s wife and child has been kidnapped by gangsters
1:37:33 shallow focus as Wo’s wife forced to shoot Blaze
1:41:24 The film ends with a glorious shootout straight out of The Wild Bunch (1969) as you have slow motion blood spraying all over with frequently changing camera angles, and the dialogue drowned out and sound of guns fired that is set to a score
1:43:00 God’s Eye View of aftermath of the brutal shootout
Thoughts:
This film is crime thriller but with elements of a Western, in particular Sergio Leone and the final 10 minutes are straight out of Sam Peckinpaugh’s The Wild Bunch (1969). It is also a meditation on friendship and loyalty in a violent world.; you could probably even include Jean Pierre Melville in the list of possible influences as Melville’s crime films often focused on the complex relationships of underworld characters and changing loyalties, in particular his 1966 overlooked classic Le Deuxième Souffle
The tension in the opening 10 minutes is Sergio Leone-esque and like Leone there is limited dialogue in the opening. There are many other Leone elements such as a woman and child kidnapped and held as collateral, a man playing a harmonica along with a foreboding score, and the slow but effective pacing
The shootout starting around the 59 min mark is incredible use of complex choreography, framing, and lighting as the shootout is depicted with characters as silhouette figures moving down apartment steps while engaging in gunfire and exterior of apartment is covered by shadows with lights illuminating from windows and doorways
The final shootout is reminiscent of the end of Sam Peckinpaugh’s The Wild Bunch (1969) with tension building and leading to an all-out shootout. It contains slow motion graphic violence, an intense score throughout the scene, smoke filling up the room, and ends with a perfect God’s Eye View shot that would make Scorsese proud
The impact of the violence is lingering to a degree that is rare in this particular genre. There is an intense sequence following Wo’s death where his wife flies into a rage firing a gun at his friends, burning the apartment, and even considering a murder suicide of herself and her child before changing her mind. When Wo is taken to a doctor, who treats gunshot wounds for criminals, there are close ups of the graphic injuries. The mix of action and drama is particularly well done. Similar to John Woo’s best work, the drama and story creates an investment in the characters which gives you (the audience) a reason to care about their fates during the violent scenes including shootouts
The use of 2.35 aspect ratio is an effective choice as it allows for complex compositions during the intense shootouts. The compositions are particularly impressive with characters spread throughout the entire frame
The shootouts also contain fragmented framing with rapid cuts showing characters isolated in frame to build the tension and add to the chaos. Much of the film is shot in dimly lit spaces with only sporadic lighting which creates a noticeable contrast. The interplay of light and shadow reflects the world the film is set in as you have characters who genuinely care for each other but can’t escape the violence of their world
Anthony Wong is particularly effective as the film’s closest thing to a main character as he plays Blaze as a man conflicted between loyalty to an old friend and his duty to carry out the orders of his current boss who wants Wo dead despite Wo being out of the life and now trying to live a quiet life with his wife and newborn child
I have been critical of some of Johnnie To strange music/score choices in the previous films I have covered so far in the Study but for this one his music is on point
Verdict: MS
Throw Down (2004)
Cast:
Louis Koo as Sze-to Bo
Aaron Kwok as Tony
Cherrie Ying as Mona
Notes:
Opens with dark blue skyline shot of cityscape at night
3:23 surveillance angle shot of city
3:55 dark room with golden light peeking into it
4:27 neon lit cityscape at night
5:28 over the shoulder shot
7:21 Tony challenges former Judo champion Sze-to Boin to a duel
7:55 neon pink light over stage
9:20 alternates between camera a few feet from subjects and long shots
11:39 bird eye view shot of City Street
12:08 camera floating through club and over the beer bottle in the hands of a passed out Sze to Bo
12:43 Mona auditions for a position as a singer at the club
13:24 close up shot on face to Sze-to Bo from inside the ice bucket he sticks his head in to wake himself up
14:08 miraculous shot using silhouette and background/foreground work and hazy dark blue lighting inside karaoke bar
14:25 another stunning shot with splitting of frame and use of silhouette
15:40 the film’s 3 lead characters in back of bus; Tony, Sze-to Bo, and Mona
18:25 somewhat amusing seeing adults hanging out in an arcade, apparently Johnnie To liked going to arcades as a kid in the 70s
22:52 neon green lights with dark blue tint
24:26 overhead shot of city turning into crane shot
25:18 spontaneous fight in streets, with the fighting style being Judo
27:27 Polanski like peep hole shot followed by red and blue neon lighting as they enter
28:10 character blocking with 5 characters filling the frame
30:03 another stunning shot inside club of neon lit bar
31:21 Mona sings on stage in pink neon drenched shot
32:47 introduces as “Sanshiro Sugata” which is Kurosawa reference
37:33 the trio are shot together at table with Crime Boss
39:16 slow dolly in on the only man sitting calmy at a table holding a drink while alternating with shots of the all-out brawl occurring in slow motion all around him
40:43 all out brawl continues outside club with neon lit signs throughout the frame
42:27 the man previously shown calmy sitting during the brawl introduces himself as “Lee Kong” and invites Tony to his dojo
44:19 Tony posts Judo Championship poster on wall in the bar
45:47 surveillance angle shot of air hockey game inside an arcade
51:11 character blocking during gambling scene
52:40 low angle shot of Mona running downstairs after stealing money
57:55 wide angle shot of row of students watching the Master in his dojo
59:33 spectacular shot inside bar with an injured Tony sitting in the middle of the frame flanked by silhouette image of chairs on tables and neon lit signs in background and out of focus character
1:00:45 Bo standing outside the 2004 Judo Championship
1:05:15 camera fade out from bar showing Tony training in dim lit bar
1:10:07 shot outside the car with neon lit signs
1:11:53 Bo finally fights Tony and shows no mercy
1:14:55 Bo walks through lit up empty streets shadow boxing
1:17:34 similar to shot early in film with characters eating in dark
1:18:03 composition with 3 characters evenly space across frame diagonally
1:18:56 overhead shot of fight
1:19:30 match cut from fight on rooftop to dojo
1:21:38 POV as Mona becomes fixated on red balloon trapped by tree branches
1:28:54 fight in field with tall grass
1:32:42 the film ends with a shot of sunrise over the city with orange tinted frame
Thoughts:
A magnificent visual experience and a strange genre cocktail with elements of martial arts, action, comedy, and a character study as well as a story about an unusual friendship
This film was dedicated to the great Akira Kurosawa. There is a reference to Kurosawa’s first film when a character introduces himself as “Sanshiro Sugata” which was the title of Kurosawa’s first film. Both films involve Judo in the narrative although after that there is not much in common with Kurosawa’s style. However, there are thematic similarities as both films feature characters who are driven and are not discouraged when they are turned away or dismissed. This especially applies to Tony and Mona as they stay positive and are not dissuaded in the slightest no matter how often they are rejected
The film is unusual in a number of ways. There are a trio of young adult main characters which includes one girl and two guys yet there is no love triangle, there is no clear antagonist, there is a lack of any type of traditional plot, and as mentioned above the film is an unusual genre blend with no clear predecessors. The film being so bizarre is part of its appeal. I love the random fights that break out without any clear explanation for their purpose.
The use of neon lighting is truly spectacular as much of the film is set in neon soaked nightclubs. Two of the most incredible ones occur at 14:08 and 14:25
The film uses color lighting in a way that creates incredibly aesthetic frames. The expressionistic use of color also serves to alter the mood and atmosphere. The hazy light early on reflects Sze-to Bo’s state of mind as he has become an alcoholic who rarely leaves the bar. However, he seems to come alive during the karaoke sessions
Along with the stylish use of color there is also the use of slow motion during several of the fight scenes which serves to heighten the impact
From what I read Johnnie To spend a lot of time as a kid in arcades. Outside of the bar, most of the film is set in the streets, dojo, restaurants, and arcades
Verdict: MS