Some things should just stay on your TV. This new Hong Kong film is adapted from the popular Hong Kong series, E.U., about a police mole named Laughing Gor (Michael Tse) who infiltrates the rival gang of his old triad boss. Director Herman Yau might be a seasoned pro, but even his steady hand can’t save this film, which frankly had no place being made to begin with. The problems?
(Hong Kong) Despite being the 67th Hong Kong triad film I have seen thus far, “Rebellion” is a surprisingly interesting production. Directed by insanely prolific director Herman Yau (this is his sixth film in the past 12 months), the movie combines a cute suspense storyline with surprisingly good acting from some non-actors (namely Paul Wong and Jun Kung). It’s just a shame Yau coudln’t control the pacing better, and main star Shawn Yue didn’t turn in a more solid performance.
Category IIB. Herman Yau likes to be provocative. His “The Untold Story” (1993), adapted from the true story of a Macanese murderer who used human flesh to make cha xiu bao, still gives people the chills. More recently he’s turned to the issue of prostitution to get up people’s sleeves.
“On The Edge” projects stunning psychological depth into a tried-and-true plot. That is, the depiction of an undercover officer whose allegiance is torn between the police and the crime syndicate he has been a mole in. Nick Cheung (of the “Election” movies), who plays the tragic Harry Sin, gives a powerful, understated performance in his portrayal of a man struggling to reconcile with his identity as a police officer, even as he is drawn back towards the very blood brothers he betrayed.
