More triad melodrama starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Hong Fei, rebellious son of the Hung Hing triad...
More triad melodrama starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Hong
Fei, rebellious son of the Hung Hing triad boss. Despite his
(or Tony Leung's) lack of stature, Hong is a master of the
blade and a legendary figure amongst the triads. He saves
wimpy triad Jordan Chan Siu-Chun and becomes Chan’s idol.
When first meeting Hong, Chan’s sister (the increasingly appealing
Carman Lee) is immediately smitten. Hong is a triad hero from
the classic mold, yet he wants no part of Hung Hing. However,
thanks to the scheming of the rival Tong Sheng gang (who want
Hung Hing to traffic in drugs), Hong is called into leadership
after the Tong Shengs try to off his pop.
War of the Underworld is basically
a darker Young and Dangerous that doesn’t really glorify
triad life, though it does jazz it up with hard rock tunes
and overly cool characters. The whole thing is a little too
glossy and commercial to be considered an indictment of its
subject matter.
Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is reasonably
solid as Hong Fei, but he pulled off this sort of coolness
more effortlessly in Chungking Express and Dr. Mack.
At times he seems distant, and the film doesn’t do much to
compensate. Chan is less likable than usual, and Lee doesn’t
really do all that much. Making things stranger are bad guy
Ngai Sing, who apparently studied Ricardo Montablan’s performance
in Star Trek II, and more Dutch angles than you can
shake a stick at. This is not a special film, but it’s a decent
watch. To be honest, I’m really getting tired of triad movies.
