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When thinking about HK shoot-em-up action movies, the names John Woo, Johnny To and Tsui Hark immediately come to one's mind. But there are many lesser-known and often overlooked Hong Kong films that are truly well-done and deserve to be discovered. While A War Named Desire is not totally up there with John Woo's A better tomorrow, The Killer and Hard-boiled or Johnny To's The Mission and Exiled, it still stands on its own as an extremely entertaining and refreshing take on a popular film genre: the triad movies.
It is superbly acted by the always excellent Francis Ng and Gigi Leung in one of her most memorable performances as an achingly beautiful yet very lethal femme fatale. While there are plenty of shootouts in the film, the director still leaves space for character development which make them more believable than usual. The gunfights are, of course, crazy and stylish as can be expected.
If you want an action movie with a solid story, well-crafted characters and ultra-stylized gunfights, definitely check out A War Named Desire.
Below is the review from H.K. DVD Heaven:
Travelling to Cambodia in search of his older brother Charles, Jones (Daniel Chan) and his girlfriend Jess (Pace Wu) find life a lot harsher than in Hong Kong.
Nearly 15 years have passed since the brothers met, Charles (Francis Ng) having left with the family savings. After their mother dies, Jones believes it time that the money is paid back...with interest.
However, Jones doesn't get quite what he bargained for, and after being framed for the murder of a local gang boss, must not only heal the rift between him and his brother, but also find the real culprit.
Directorial flourishes punctuate this superbly acted and beautifully scored film from little known director Alan Mak.
Although both Daniel Chan and Pace Wu are equally solid in their roles, it's Francis Ng's portrayal of Charles which sets the film alight.
Working extremely well alongside Dave Wong, Francis exudes a ruthlessness which makes his triad character both utterly believable and totally cold. Thankfully, Ng also adds an emotional centre to his character which raises him far above many a Hong Kong anti-hero.
Whilst Gigi Leung's involvement in the film is slight, her impact is massive. In one of the film's most memorable scenes, she and Charles ballroom dance whilst being surrounded by a large group of rival gang members. At the slightest command, both draw their weapons and decimate their attackers.
Although this scene could have felt like any other action set-piece from a HK film, its direction follows the music, leaving the pair to literally waltz past their opponents.
Neither overdoing or underplaying the relationship of the two characters, director Mak creates a nice balance to their scenes, where little is said but much is understood.
Above all else, this 2000 production reminded me of an aspect of Hong Kong cinema which is often overlooked - the soundtrack. An eclectic mix of musical styles is blended with the superb visuals with an assurance I've not seen in a long time.
A wonderful acoustic guitar piece accompanies the film's opening, setting the tone and standard for what is to come.
This high standard is upheld throughout, as dance, canto-pop and instrumental music is married perfectly to the movie's visuals.
If the film has one flaw, it's that the epilogue seems a little disappointing at first. However, on repeat viewings it actually makes more sense, and wraps up the film nicely.
If you're looking for a sign that Hong Kong movie-making is on the up, and that Francis Ng is one of the most gifted actors of his generation, A War Named Desire is the perfect place to start.
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Language: Mandarin
Subtitles: English (Srt)
Cds: 1
File : 1.36 GB, duration: 1:29:06, type: AVI, 1 audio stream
Video : 1.12 GB, 1803 Kbps, 23.976 fps, 704*400 (16:9), XVID
Audio : 244 MB, 384 Kbps, 48000 Hz, 5 channels, AC3, CBR
Many thanks to the person who uploaded the DVD on ADC.
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