There is little in contemporary action cinema that creates such a rush as Soi Cheang’s films. When someone runs through winding alleys in front of their camera, the cinematic g-forces push you into your chair, as if the whole cinema were accelerating. Every blow to a jaw is choreographed, staged and set to music with such precision that your teeth shake. Check out Dog Bite Dog, Lethal Warrior or Limbo and you’ll go straight to action heaven – or at least have a few hours of fun.
Soi Cheang’s latest film is titled Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In and is screening at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Midnight Screenings. As a rule, things are bloodier and more bizarre than in the renowned competition for the Palme d’Or. My new favorite “Twilight” film offers claustrophobic action in a unique setting that fans of The Raid and Dredd should definitely keep in mind.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In travels to 80s Hong Kong
The Chinese-born refugee Lok (Raymond Lam) ends up in Hong Kong in the 80s and all he really wants is papers and a decent life. In the illegality, he makes his way through price wars and attracts the attention of organized crime. Hunted by Triads, Lok flees into the so-called Kowloon Walled City.
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Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
After the Second World War, the walled-in enclave became a gray area between Chinese and British authority. Refugees settled here for decades until one uncontrolled city skyrocketed.
The settlement was demolished in the 90s, but in Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In it rises from the dead. Imagine a big city but squeezed into a few acres. Labyrinthine alleys run through the network of houses, which follow no plan other than making maximum use of minimal space. The multi-story residential buildings rise crookedly, making even the sky a rare sight. Lok stumbles into this improvised city and immediately meets its ruler: the kind triad and hairdresser Cyclone (Louis Koo).
In the film, the “City of Darkness” (the nickname and title of the film’s comic book) becomes the object of desire for real estate speculators and other criminals. Lok finds himself right in one simmering gang conflict again, in which, among others, Cyclone’s competitor Mr. Big takes part. This is played by martial arts legend Sammo Hung and Hung, although of advanced age, is able to deliver quite well.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In offers fantastic action and a surprising amount of heart
The action starts on a down-to-earth note with Raymond Lam, who punches his way through opponents with his fists and feet and also takes a beating. Once in the Kowloon Walled City, a new element creeps into the fast-paced set pieces. Because here we are entering a time bubble in which gangster honor still counts for something instead of paying homage to mammon. It’s them Values of classic sword fighting films, which were transferred to the modern gangster in the 80s by directors like John Woo. But you shouldn’t expect heroic slow motion with a hail of bullets.
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Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung in Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
Only the really bad guys use guns. What creeps in here are: supernatural combat elements. Take Tiger & Dragon, but set it in a dark urban jungle. The heroes jump over corrugated iron and air conditioning units instead of over treetops. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In doesn’t develop into a dancing fantasy film, the down-to-earth harshness dominates. If you enjoy watching heads being hammered through concrete in action films, then this film is for you.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In develops into outstanding action, but not only because of the pointed bone-breaking choreographies and charismatic performances by Louis Koo and Sammo Hung. No, it’s more the fact that we are with Lok in this city of darkness discover a surprising amount of light. The film feels like a swan song to a good old time that only exists in the minds of the authors. The solidarity of the people, the love that goes into watching every fried fish ball – but that is real.