Directed by Johnnie To • 2004 • Hong Kong
Starring Louis Koo, Aaron Kwok, Cherrie Ying
One of the most personal films by the prolific Hong Kong auteur Johnnie To is a thrilling love letter to both the cinema of Akira Kurosawa and the art and philosophy of judo. Amid the neon-drenched nightclubs and gambling dens of Hong Kong’s nocturnal underworld, the fates of three wandering souls—a former judo champion now barely scraping by as an alcoholic bar owner (Louis Koo), a young fighter (Aaron Kwok) intent on challenging him, and a singer (Cherrie Ying) chasing dreams of stardom—collide in an operatic explosion of human pain, ambition, perseverance, and redemption. Paying offbeat homage to Kurosawa’s debut feature, SANSHIRO SUGATA, To scrambles wild comedy, flights of lyrical surrealism, and rousing martial-arts action into what is ultimately a disarmingly touching ode to the healing power of friendship.
Up Next in Hong Kong Action Classics
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Life Without Principle
Directed by Johnnie To • 2011 • Hong Kong
Starring Sean Lau Ching-wan, Richie Jen, Myolie WuSet against the turbulent backdrop of the 2008 banking crisis, this gripping, intricately constructed portrait of capitalism’s corruption of the soul follows three people—a police officer (Richie Jen), a...
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Exiled
Directed by Johnnie To • 2006 • Hong Kong
Starring Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Nick CheungAn ultrastylish underworld saga crackling with virtuosically choreographed bullet-spray, relentless tension, and vivid characters, this bravura thriller ranks among action auteur Johnnie To’s definitive achi...
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Blind Detective
Directed by Johnnie To • 2013 • Hong Kong, China
Starring Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Guo TaoDirector Johnnie To blends his signature mastery of the crime drama with freewheeling comedy and whirlwind romance for this madcap screwball procedural, bolstered by the chemistry and charisma of superstars ...
