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9413 |
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review | awards | availability | |
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Francis Ng goes to work in 9413 |
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Year: |
1998 |
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Director: |
Francis
Ng Chun-Yu |
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Producer: |
Herman
Yau Lai-To |
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Cast: |
Francis
Ng Chun-Yu, Christine
Ng Wing-Mei, Amanda
Lee Wai-Man, Mo Chun-Fai,
Lee Kin-Yan |
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The
Skinny: |
Surprising
directorial debut from Francis Ng proves to be an engrossing,
well-acted thriller. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
Who would have thought that Francis Ng Chun-Yu would direct
a movie? In his directorial debut, Ng essays Smash Head, an
emotionally bankrupt cop who began his downward spiral when
he accidentally killed a hostage during a shootout. Saved
from Internal Affairs by his Captain (Mo Chun-Fai), Smash
Head exists on an eternal edge. He has few compunctions, and
willingly does his Captain’s dirty work for dirty money. Smash
Head is corrupt out of self loathing; he doesn’t actually
enjoy sullying the badge.
Smash Head's redemption arrives in
the form of Carmen (Christine Ng), a recently-repatriated
HK resident who ends up a witness at one of Smash Head’s busts.
She’s a psychiatrist, who takes it upon herself to heal Smash
Head’s wounds. Nearly beyond help, Smash Head only rediscovers
his moral center when his dead partner’s gun turns up with
the serial numbers 9413 scratched off.
This is an engrossing story that
works thanks to Francis Ng’s stylish direction. He manages
a surprising instinct for his material, resorting to freeze
frames and step-printing at appropriate moments, and static
long takes at others. Ng’s performance works, too. It’s over-the-top
(his speciality), but its appropriate for his burnt-out character.
Faring just as well is Amanda Lee
as Smash Head’s occasional girlfriend. Christine Ng has always
been a welcome presence, but she falters slightly here. It
may be a fault of the material, which sometimes resorts to
platitudes and clichés to achieve its end. 9413 isn’t
perfect, but for a freshman effort it’s surprisingly good.
(Kozo 1998) |
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Awards: |
18th
Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
• Nomination - Best Supporting Actress (Amanda
Lee Wai-Man) |
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Availability: |
DVD
(Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Widesight Entertainment
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
English and Chinese Subtitles |
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image courtesy
of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2017 Ross Chen
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