Gallants

打擂台

Hong Kong/China, 2010, colour, 1.85:1, 100 mins.

Directors: Guo Zijian 郭子健 [Derek Kwok], Zheng Sijie 郑思杰 [Clement Cheng].

Rating: 6/10.

Likeable but over-loose tribute to Hong Kong martial arts films of the 1960s and 1970s.

STORY

Hong Kong, the present day. Geeky loser Liang Jingxiang (Huang Younan) is sent by his real-estate company to sort out a dispute in a village in the New Territories. There he finds two ageing martial artists, Lin Liangchun, aka Tiger (Liang Xiaolong), and Chen Dechen, aka Dragon (Chen Guantai), being pressurised by young bully Cong Shengmeng (Ouyang Jing) and his men to sell the lease to their teahouse, which used to be the training school of their old master Luo Xin (Guan Weipeng), who’s been in a coma for 30 years. When Luo Xin suddenly wakes up, he’s determined to resurrect his martial arts school and take on Cong Shengmeng and his master, Pang Qing (Chen Huimin). The problem is, Luo Xin has lost his memory.

REVIEW

From its 1960s/1970s-style opening credits (with spaghetti western-like music and graphics, and the Chinese printed right to left), Gallants 打擂台 makes no secret it’s a lightly comic, retro tribute to traditional Hong Kong martial-arts movies featuring rival schools. When it comes, the hand-to-hand fighting, cleanly staged by veteran Yuan De 元德 without recourse to wire-work or visual effects, is a delight, with the final showdown between 1970s action star Liang Xiaolong 梁小龙 (Kung Fu Hustle 功夫, 2004) and Mainland actor Li Haitao 李海涛 (Seven Swords 七剑, 2005) gripping, poignant and funny by turns.

Directors Guo Zijian 郭子健 [Derek Kwok] and Zheng Sijie 郑思杰 [Clement Cheng] have stuffed the film with other actors of Liang’s vintage, including onetime Shaw Brothers stars Chen Guantai 陈观泰 and a now-unrecognisable Shao Yinyin 邵音音 [Susan Shaw, aka Yum Yum Shaw). However, it’s veteran composer-actor Guan Weipeng 关维鹏 [Teddy Robin] who animates the movie from the 30-minute point on and gives it a real comic/emotional centre as the diminutive but feisty master Luo, still haranguing his former students and chasing girls after three decades in a coma.

Like Guo’s atmospheric debut, The Pye-Dog 野•良犬 (2007), and his dark cop drama, The Moss 青苔 (2008, co-written with Zheng), Gallants is a good idea weakened by a loose script and a lack of strong dramatic structure. It’s more a film of small pleasures – including the dusky teahouse interiors of regular d.p. Ke Xingpei 柯星沛 [O Sing-pui] and the nostalgic production design of Zhang Shihong 张世宏 [Silver Cheung] – than the film it promises to be at the start.

CREDITS

Presented by Focus Films (HK), Sil-Metropole Organisation (HK), Zhejiang Bona Film & TV Production (CN). Produced by Focus Films (HK).

Script: Guo Zijian [Derek Kwok], Zheng Sijie [Clement Cheng], Tan Guangyuan. Photography: Ke Xingpei [O Sing-pui]. Editing: Xu Weijie [Matthew Hui]. Music: Guan Weipeng [Teddy Robin], Wei Qiliang [Tommy Wai]. Production design: Zhang Shihong [Silver Cheung]. Costume design: Zhang Shihong [Silver Cheung]. Sound: Qian Yongli, Lin Shaoru. Action: Yuan De. Visual effects: Huang Zhiheng [Henri Wong]. Title sequence: Huang Zhiheng [Henri Wong].

Cast: Liang Xiaolong (Lin Liangchun/Tiger), Chen Guantai (Chen Dechen/Dragon), Guan Weipeng [Teddy Robin] (Luo Xin, master), Huang Younan (Liang Jingxiang), Jia Xiaochen (Gui), Ouyang Jing (Cong Shengmeng), Li Haitao (Pang Jiajun), Luo Yongchang [Law Wing-cheong] (Tongqian Ji/Bronze Rooster), Shao Yinyin [Susan Shaw] (Fen, doctor), Chen Huimin (Pang Qing, master), Luo Mang (Yu Qilin/Jade Unicorn), Gu Guanzhong (Fei Yang), Chen Mianliang (Jin Yanzi/Golden Swallow), Liang Xiong (Tie Tou/Iron Head), Xu Simin (Black Peony), Tan Bingwen (narrator).

Premiere: Hong Kong Film Festival (Hong Kong Panorama), 26 Mar 2010.

Release: Hong Kong, 3 Jun 2010; China, 4 Jun 2010.

(Review originally published on Film Business Asia, 15 May 2010.)