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Saviour of the Soul
|     review    |     awards     |     availability     |


Anita Mui and Andy Lau

Year: 1991
Director: Corey Yuen Kwai, David Lai Dai-Wai
Producer: David Lai Dai-Wai, Chan Pui-Wa
Writer: Jeff Lau Chun-Wai
Action: Yuen Tak
Cast: Anita Mui Yim-Fong, Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Aaron Kwok Fu-Sing, Kenny Bee (Chung Chun-To), Gloria Yip Wan-Yi, Carina Lau Ka-Ling, Corey Yuen Kwai
The Skinny: Creative and enjoyable action fantasy that's too messy and uneven to be a workable film, but earns its wings as fun Hong Kong Cinema. The film has style to spare, and action that's exciting and inventive.
Review
by Kozo:
     This truly baffling fantasy-action-romance from Corey Yuen has great anime-inspired cinematography and great action but a hollow and occasionally silly story. Kwan (Anita Mui), Chuen (Kenny Bee), and Ching (Andy Lau) are a love-triangle trio of assassins who kill people and act wacky around each other. Kwan kills the master of evil bad guy Silver Fox (Aaron Kwok), so Silver Fox retaliates by attacking Kwan. He fails, but manages to off Chuen in horrific fashion.
     Kwan decides to go into hiding to avoid her attacker, and also to protect Ching, who's been entrusted with Cheun's younger sister Gloria Yip. However, Kwan's disappearance doesn't sit well with Ching, and he tries desperately to find her. Ching even challenges the mysterious Pet Lady, thinking that she is actually Kwan in disguise. Meanwhile, Kwan's twin sister (also Anita Mui) provides even more comedy relief. And Silver Fox eventually returns, and he isn't too happy.
     Saviour of the Soul took home HK Film Awards for Cinematography and Art Direction, and it was deserving for both. Like Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy, it effectively creates a fantasy world that's obviously manufactured but beautiful in design and scope. As a film, this strange mixture of action, comedy and fantasy barely registers as its too uneven and overdone to take seriously. However, it manages to hit some real highs thanks to its blistering action and terrific soundtrack. Saviour of the Soul is a movie best appreciated after more than one viewing. The jarring pace and strange comedy is more tolerable upon second viewing, and the positives of the film are more apparent. (Kozo 1996)
Awards:

11th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
• Winner - Best Cinematography (Peter Pau Tak-Hei)
• Winner - Best Art Direction (Yee Chung-Man)
• Nomination - Best Supporting Actor (Aaron Kwok Fu-Sing)
• Nomination - Best Editing (Poon Hung, Hai Kit-Wai)
• Nomination - Best Action Design (Yuen Tak)

Availability: DVD (Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Universe Laser
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles

image courtesy of Universe Laser & Video Co., Ltd.

   
 
 
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