Gu huo zi: Zhi ren zai jiang hu (1996)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Wai-keung Lau

Writers:

Cowman (comic strip) &
Dickey Yau (comic strip) ...

Release Date:

25 January 1996 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action

Plot:

Nam opens a bar in Wanchai and continues his rise in Hong Kong's Hung Hing gang. His best friend, Chicken...

Plot Keywords:

Gang

Cast

Ekin Cheng	...	Chan Ho Nam (as Mr. Cheng Yee Kin)
Jordan Chan	...	Chicken Chiu (as Mr. Jordan Chan)
Gigi Lai	...	Smartie / Stammer (as Ms. Gigi Lai)
Francis Ng	...	Ugly Kwan (as Mr. Ng Chun Yung)
Chi Hung Ng	...	Uncle Bee (as Mr. Ng Chi Hung)
Simon Yam	...	Chiang Tin-Sung (as Mr. Yam Tat Wah)
Michael Tse	...	Dai Tin-Yee (as Mr. Michael Tse)
Jason Chu	...	Chou-Pan (as Mr. Jason Chu)
Jerry Lamb	...	Pou-Pan (as Mr. Jerry Lamb)
Suki Chan	...	Ho Yan (as Miss Suki Chan)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Cheng	...	Ba-Bai
Ping Ha	...	Mrs. Lee
Dion Lam	...	Saw Keung
Spencer Lam	...	Father Lam
Siu-Kei Lee	...	Kei
Gary Mak	...	OCTB man in glasses at funeral
Fui-On Shing	...	Brother Saur
Lung Wei Wang	...	Master Wai

Also Known As:

Goo waak jai: Ji yan joi kong woo (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Young and Dangerous (Hong Kong: English title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

Art Top Movie Productions Ltd.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Gu huo zi 3: Zhi zhi shou zhe tian (1996)

Well-paced HK youth gangster boxoffice hit

Young And Dangerous was a big boxoffice hit in Hong Kong and is the first movie in a series that this far contains six parts plus five spin off movies, not counting the many imitations and rip offs, so it could be worth checking out. If you like it there is the whole series to watch.

Y & D is an action movie (more than a gangster drama) about young triad gangsters and the importance of good friendship. It is purely entertainment, it is not an art film and has no important messages to the audience. The story is simple and we are not getting any deeper knowledge about the triads and how they function, even though the funeral and the punishment scene are interesting and well made. But simplicity does not have to be only bad, this is action and it is good that the story is not confusing. Also, the story contains the element of revenge and revenge tends to be involving.

The pacing is good and Y & D never gets boring, on the contrary, it gets more and more involving. Some scenes are unnecessary though, especially those with the priest and the female car thief that seems aimed to provide some not needed comic relief. But those scenes does not ruin the movie, it would just be better without them. Otherwise the tone is serious and Francis Ng, as the villain, gives a strong performance that actually lifts the film.

Y & D is superficial, but there is a lot of action, even though it is mostly the usual gang fighting. Y & D does not belong to the Heroic Bloodshed genre, there is not much gunplay and bloodsquibs. If it had been more brutal with more on screen violence it would have been a better movie. Even though it is a serious movie I would have preferred a grittier tone, but this is aimed for a younger audience. Some of the young rascals does not seem tough enough to be gangsters, but Cheng is OK as their groupleader (Ho Nam) and Chan is good as his right hand (Chicken). Simon Yam has only a small role as their highest boss. You will be entertained even if it is not the best you have seen. 7 / 10