War of the Underworld (1996)



	War of the Underworld		Return to Review Archive - W
	Year:	1996	Jordan Chan and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai
	Director:	Herman Yau Lai-To
	Producer:	Wong Jing, Manfred Wong, Andrew Lau Wai-Keung
	Action:	Yuen Bun
	Cast:	Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Jordan Chan Siu-Chun, Carman Lee Yeuk-Tung, Allen Ting Chi-Chun, Michael Lam Wai-Leung, Ngai Sing, Simon Lui Yu-Yeung, Victor Hon Kwan, Lo Meng, Guk Fung, Spencer Lam Seung-Yi, Ng Chi-Hung, Peter Lai Bei-Tak, Yuen Bun, Lee Siu-Kei
	The Skinny:	Tony Leung cashes a check in this Young and Dangerous clone that's entertaining but mostly average.
	Review by Kozo:	More triad melodrama starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Hong Fei, rebellious son of the Hung Hing triad boss. Despite his (or Tony Leung's) lack of stature, Hong is a master of the blade and a legendary figure amongst the triads. He saves wimpy triad Jordan Chan Siu-Chun and becomes Chan’s idol. When first meeting Hong, Chan’s sister (the increasingly appealing Carman Lee) is immediately smitten. Hong is a triad hero from the classic mold, yet he wants no part of Hung Hing. However, thanks to the scheming of the rival Tong Sheng gang (who want Hung Hing to traffic in drugs), Hong is called into leadership after the Tong Shengs try to off his pop. War of the Underworld is basically a darker Young and Dangerous that doesn’t really glorify triad life, though it does jazz it up with hard rock tunes and overly cool characters. The whole thing is a little too glossy and commercial to be considered an indictment of its subject matter. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is reasonably solid as Hong Fei, but he pulled off this sort of coolness more effortlessly in Chungking Express and Dr. Mack. At times he seems distant, and the film doesn’t do much to compensate. Chan is less likable than usual, and Lee doesn’t really do all that much. Making things stranger are bad guy Ngai Sing, who apparently studied Ricardo Montablan’s performance in Star Trek II, and more Dutch angles than you can shake a stick at. This is not a special film, but it’s a decent watch. To be honest, I’m really getting tired of triad movies. (Kozo 1996)
	Availability:	DVD (Hong Kong) Region 0 NTSC Mei Ah Laser Widescreen Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks English and Chinese Subtitles

		image courtesy of Mei Ah Laser Disc Co., Ltd.
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