This post is all Hong Kong cinema, with horror flicks Visible Secret II and Rule No. 1, and action/thriller Double Tap.
Visible Secret II
Directed by Abe Kwong, starring Eason Chan, Jo Koo, and Cherrie Ying.
Jack (Chan) and Ching (Koo) get married and move into an apartment together, where, almost immediately, weird things begin to happen. Jack starts to believe that their apartment is haunted, while Ching tries to humor him. Unable to get the support of his wife, Jack turns to his all-too-devoted friend September (Ying). With September's help, Jack begins to uncover disturbing evidence that puts his new wife at the top of the list of suspects responsible for the supernatural occurrances.
While there are plenty of scares to be found, and Abe Kwong does provide an appropriately creepy atmosphere for the film, Eason Chan and Cherrie Ying's performances are what really stick out in Visible Secret II. With good chemistry, Chan and Ying pull off engaging performances as their characters search for the source of things that go bump in the night. If you're looking for something truly terrifying, you might want to check out something else. If you're looking for a fun film, that has a decent story with twists and good performances, check out Visible Secret II.
Films of note:
Eason Chan - Twelve Nights, Feel 100% II, Love Battlefield, Crazy N' the City, The Pye-Dog, Hooked on You, Trivial Matters
Jo Koo - The Longest Summer, Metade Fumaca, Mad Detective, The Detective Cherrie Ying - Fulltime Killer, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Throw Down, Election
Rule No. 1
Directed by Kelvin Tong, starring Shawn Yue, and Ekin Cheng.
While on patrol one night, Sgt. Lee (Yue) runs afoul of a serial killer. The killer gets the drop on Lee, leaving the sergeant incapacitated. Just before Lee takes what could be his last breath, the killer is distracted by the visage of a murder victim rising from his trunk, providing Lee the opportunity to end the killer's rampage.
Following Lee's release from the hospital, he is assigned to a new department, under one Inspector Wong (Cheng). On his first assignment in his new job, Lee is charged with discovering the source of a ghostly shrieking. During the investigation, Wong tells Lee that Rule No. 1 is theres no such thing as ghosts.
As the two continue investigating what Lee deems cases with supernatural elements, Wong's assertion that ghosts aren't real pushes Lee to hate his superior. After Lee witnesses a possession take place, Wong explains that Rule No. 1 is a lie in the public interest. Wong then sets out to finish a deadly game with the serial killer that Sgt. Lee killed.
Rule No. 1 takes a good idea and runs with it. Shawn Yue performs well as a by the book cop thrown into completely new territory, and Ekin Cheng's turn as a burned out veteran detective is one of the best performances of his career. Unfortunately, when Rule No. 1 runs, it runs in the wrong direction. Up until the end, Rule No. 1 proves to be a decent horror/thriller, with appropriate direction and performances.
However, once the film reaches an appropriate ending, things don't end. Instead, a surprise twist follows and ruins all that came before it. The filmmakers take what could have been an excellent film, make an okay film, and turn it into crap with an unnecessary conclusion. Despite the ridiculous nature of the ending, Rule No. 1 is still an entertaining film, and is still worth a look.
Films of note:
Shawn Yue - Infernal Affairs, Isabella, Trivial Matters, The Moss
Ekin Cheng - Young & Dangerous, The Storm Riders, Running Out of Time 2
Double Tap
Directed by Bruce Law, starring Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong, and Ruby Wong.
Rick and Miu are the top police shooters around. When a professional competition turns deadly, Rick snaps and becomes a policeman's worse nightmare. A nightmare that only Miu can stop.
Bruce Law crafts an exciting film that possesses decent characterization and good performances for it's stars. Double Tap isn't exactly art, but if you're looking for a high energy flick that has all the elements necessary for a tense, and fun hour and a half, you could do a lot worse than Double Tap.
Films of note:
Bruce Law - Inner Senses, Koma, Kidnap
Leslie Cheung - A Better Tomorrow, Rouge, A Chinese Ghost Story, Days of Being Wild, Farewell My Concubine, Happy Together, Inner Senses
Alex Fong - Lifeline, One Nite in Mongkok
Ruby Wong - Loving You, Too Many Ways to be No. 1, Lifeline, Where A Good Man Goes, Expect the Unexpected
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