Cheung fo (1999)

Triad boss Lung, who has just escaped being killed in an assassination attempt hires the killers Curtis, James, Mike, Roy and Shin for his protection. Their grown solidarity is under ... See full summary »

Director:

Johnnie To

Writer:

Nai-Hoi Yau

Stars:

Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Francis Ng, Jackie Lui Chung-yin

9 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Curtis (as Anthony Wong)
Francis Ng	...	Roy (as Francis Wong)
Jackie Lui Chung-yin	...	Shin (as Jackie Lui)
Roy Cheung	...	Mike
Suet Lam	...	James (as Lam Suet)
Simon Yam	...	Frank
Tian-lin Wang	...	Fat Cheung (as Wong Tin Lam)
Eddy Ko	...	Lung (as Ko Hung)
Elaine Eca Da Silva	...	Lung's wife
Keiji Sato	...	Warehouse assassin (as Sato Keiji)
Wai Ai	...	(as Ai Wai)
Man Shing Yau	...	Lung's bodyguard (as Yau Man Shing)
Cub Chin	...	Saliva
Yick Tin Hung
Jerome Fung

Storyline

Triad boss Lung, who has just escaped being killed in an assassination attempt hires the killers Curtis, James, Mike, Roy and Shin for his protection. Their grown solidarity is under compulsion when Lung orders Curtis to kill Shin in punishment for his affair with Mrs. Lung.

---

Plot Keywords:

triads | assassination attempt | punishment | killer | wrath | 

---

Taglines:

Five men. They appreciate each other's guts and wisdom, and they are always perfect partners in missions. But now, they'll have to hold their pistols at each other...

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

19 November 1999 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

A misszó - Halott üzlet

Company Credits

Production Co:

Milky Way Image Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the gun battle at the abandoned warehouse, the window is cracked by gunfire. After few gun shots, the bullet holes disappear.

---

Quotes

Fat Cheung: The restaurant hasn't been doing well lately. I want to sell out my shares.
Lung: You don't have many shares left in the restaurant.
Fat Cheung: Well, forget it then.
Lung: How much do you want?
Fat Cheung: 30 million.
Lung: I'll transfer the money to your account tomorrow morning.
Fat Cheung: Thanks.
Lung: Don't do too much gambling.
Fat Cheung: [leaving] Okie dokie.

---

Connections

Remade as The Mission (2010)

User Reviews

Unique, and thoroughly enjoyable

I really enjoyed this movie, from the first 5 minutes. It's an edgey, not very dialogue driven action movie, but the cast really did a great job. This isn't to say the movie was just one shootout after another.

It isn't a mainstream "A Better Tomorrow" type Hong Kong gangster movie, and doesn't pretend to be. It's dark, the characters don't verbalise what they want to do or are thinking, but the nuances are all there. But it's befitting of the setting - they're Asian, male hired hands. It's not realistic expect them to be all philosophical and willing to wear their hearts out on their sleeve.

I also liked the movie because it cast some of the finest Hong Kong actors who were really working as a team, and no one was really glamourised to be the hero. Anthony Wong epitomises cool as his character Curtis (in Chinese his character's name was really "Ghost") with more grunts than dialogue.

Francis Ng does his edgey best, as does Roy Cheung. All three went on to make Infernal Affairs, one of my all-time favourites.