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Purple
Storm |
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review | awards | availability | |
Daniel Wu and Emil Chow |
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Year: |
1999 |
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Director: |
Teddy
Chan Tak-Sum |
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Producer: |
John
Chong Ching, Solon So Chi-Hung |
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Action: |
Jojo
Hui Yuet-Chun, Yip Wai-Chung, Aubrey Lam Oi-Wah |
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Action: |
Stephen
Tung Wai |
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Cast: |
Daniel
Wu (Ng Yin-Cho), Kam Kwok-Leung,
Emil Chow Wah-Kin,
Joan Chen,
Josie Ho Chiu-Yi,
Patrick Tam Yiu-Man,
Theresa Lee Yi-Hung, Michael
Tong Man-Lung, Moses
Chan Ho, Alan Moo |
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The
Skinny: |
One
of the few Hollywood-wannabe Hong Kong action thrillers that
manages to be both interesting AND exciting. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
In the latest HK attempt at big-budget action filmmaking,
director Teddy Chan (Downtown Torpedoes) brings us
something unheard of: a story. Purple Storm tells the
tale of Todd (Daniel Wu), a Khmer Rouge terrorist working
for legendary evil bastard Soong (Kam Kwok-Leung). Soong’s
plan is to wipe out much of Southeast Asia with a lethal poison
which, when seeded into the rain clouds, will liquefy people
in a bloody purplish-red mess (hence the title Purple Storm).
Soong’s plan goes awry when Todd
is injured, gets amnesia, and is promptly captured by HK’s
anti-terrorist unit. Headed by a dour and surprisingly effective
Emil Chow, the HK do-gooders go the morally questionable route
of brainwashing Todd. They give him a new identity and a new
past as an undercover working for the government. Joan Chen
makes a dubbed and welcome appearance as Todd’s psychologist,
who takes it upon herself to make Todd not just an effective
undercover, but a good person to boot. That’s the key to Todd’s
eventual path, and the saving grace of this effective action
thriller.
In comparison to its predecessors
Gen-X Cops and Downtown Torpedoes, Purple
Storm relies far less on pop-star good looks and in-your-face
attitude. Most of the actors play against type with surprising
effectiveness. Emil Chow and Josie Ho are particularly good,
and Daniel Wu manages to carry the film decently. The action
from ace Stephen Tung is up-to-standard, but somewhat sporadic.
There is far more plot and narrative than one would expect
from an HK action film, but it makes the film better if not
more palatable to mass audiences. Ultimately this is an event
picture that succeeds at being far more well-rounded than
one would expect for a Hong Kong film. (Kozo 2000) |
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Awards: |
19th Annual
Hong Kong Film Awards
• Winner - Best Cinematography (Arthur Wong
Ngok-Tai)
• Winner - Best Action Design (Stephen
Tung Wai)
• Winner - Best Editing (Kwong Chi-Leung)
• Winner - Best Costume Design (Ng Lei-Lo)
• Winner - Best Sound (Tsang King-Cheung)
• Nomination - Best Supporting Actress (Josie Ho Chiu-Yi)
• Nomination - Best Art Direction (Mak Kwok-Keung)
• Nomination - Best Original Film Score (Peter Kam
Pui-Tak)
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Availability: |
DVD
(Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Universe Laser
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
Dolby Digital 5.1
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles |
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image courtesy
of Universe Laser & Video Co., Ltd.
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2008 Ross Chen |
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