Purple Storm (1999) Zi yu feng bao (original title)

Director:

Teddy Chan

Writers:

Jo Jo Hui (writer)
Oi Wah Lam (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

25 November 1999 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action

Tagline:

Unmei wa hitori no otoko no kioku ni yudanerareta [Japan]

Plot:

Khmer Rouge terrorist Kieron Chow and his unit arrive in Hong Kong for their latest mission. Todd, Chow's son and fiercely loyal right-hand man...

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Undercover | Khmer Rouge | Head Wound | Water

Awards:

10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Daniel Wu	...	Todd Nguyen
Kwok-Leung Gan	...	Soong
Emil Chau	...	Ma Li
Josie Ho	...	Guan Ai
Joan Chen	...	Shirley Kwan
Theresa Lee	...	Cheryl
Patrick Tam	...	O.B. (as Yiu Man Tam)
Jianxin Huang	...	Liu
Michael Tong	...	Mike - ATF officer
Moses Chan	...	Rock
Alan Moo	...	F.D. (as Moo Kai)
Cordelia Choy	...	Judy - ATF agent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Abbott	...	Todd's adoptive father
Mike Cassey	...	Airline Pilot
Firebird Liu	...	Khmer Rouge soldier (as Xu-Hao Liu)
Jude Poyer	...	ATF Agent
Tony Trimble	...	Mercenary - Driving crane
Brian Banowetz	...	FBI (uncredited)

Directed by
Teddy Chan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jo Jo Hui		writer
Oi Wah Lam		writer
Clarence Yip		writer

Produced by
Willie Chan	....	executive producer
John Chong	....	producer
Thomas Chung	....	executive producer
Fiona Lee	....	associate producer
Tomous Leung	....	associate producer
Solon So	....	producer

Original Music by
Peter Kam

Cinematography by
Arthur Wong

Film Editing by
Chi-Leung Kwong

Production Design by
Kenneth Mak		(as Kwok Keung Mak)

Art Direction by
Kenneth Mak		(as Ken Mak)
Chris Wong

Costume Design by
Dora Ng

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Samson Leung	....	assistant director

Art Department
Second Chan	....	assistant art director
Chris Wong	....	art director: second unit

Sound Department
Chung Wai Leung	....	sound
Kinson Tsang	....	sound

Special Effects by
Wai Kit Lau	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Neil Atkins	....	digital effects artist
Eric Grenaudier	....	compositor
Sam Nicholson	....	visual effects supervisor
Dianna Oliva-Day	....	Visual Effects Producer: Stargate Digital
Jaison Stritch	....	3D visual effects supervisor
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Huitron Lynch	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chor Keung Chan	....	focus puller
Yuen Kai Chan	....	camera operator: third unit
Lam Chow	....	gaffer
Lin Yau Chow	....	focus puller
Samuel Fu	....	dollyman
Raymond Lam	....	Steadicam operator
Hang-Sang Poon	....	camera operator: second unit
Wai-Keung Tung	....	gaffer: second unit
Deki Lee Chu Wing	....	dollyman
Jimmy Wong	....	Steadicam operator
Jimmy Wong	....	camera operator

Other crew
Larry Ang	....	executive production in charge
Mike Cassey	....	project coordinator: Philippines
Wei Tung	....	action director

Production Companies

• Media Asia Films

Distributors

• Media Asia Distribution (1999) (worldwide) (all media)
• Mega Star Video Distribution (2000) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Hong Kong Legends (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• M.I.B.
• Shaw Brothers

Special Effects

• Fantasy Film Computer Graphics (visual effects)
• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company
• Stargate Films

Other Companies

• Cine Art Laboratory  film processing
• Cineforce Corporation  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• Cinerent  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• Kodak (Hong Kong) Ltd.  film stock supplied by
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Media Business Service Limited  post-production facilities
• New Generation Police Props  police props
• Props Company  firearms

Also Known As:

"Zi yu feng bao" - Hong Kong (original title)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Cantonese | Central Khmer

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | Australia:MA | South Korea:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Germany:16 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

Media Asia Films

Pretty decent, if somewhat incoherent action thriller

Not being a fan of hyper action films, I was pleasantly surprised at the movie Purple Storm. It was not the usual shoot them that has a paper thin story line and tons of action used as fillers.

The main part that interested me was the much of the way the style of the movie was made. Not so much the action sequences, but the overall feel of the film, with the dark, anxious feeling it conveyed.

The storyline was somewhat interesting also, with the dilemma that the main character Todd, played by Daniel Wu, who just had amnesia, had to make on his past life as his memory slowly comes back, and his relationship with wife and the paths and sacrifices everyone makes in their quest for their goals.

I thought there might have been too many scenes left on the cutting floor, as many parts of the film felt choppy and incoherent. Scenes like the attempted rescue of Todd by his father, who was invading whom? Who's these guys carrying coffins? Why are commandos sent into the building? Who is that guy with the crew cut and flak jack doing all the shooting during the same invasion? isn't that our man Todd, who looked and dressed same and was being lead away only a couple of scenes earlier? Only on subsequent viewings would things clear up. Other parts are vague, left hanging and should have been better explored more in depth. Such scenes includes death of Todd's child, why Soong, played by Kwok-Leung Gan was so after the head of the ATF. Some of the scenarios seemed incredible or with plot holes so obvious that you ask yourself `how did that happen.' This might be typical of action movie genres in general though.

The action sequences are OK, with some special effects that looks like it was done with film overlays as opposed to CGI, giving it a low budget feel (by American standard.)

The acting by Daniel Wu seems to be a little dramatized, especially when he is confused and torn between his two realities. Otherwise, he gave a good performance as the reluctant terrorist. Kwok-Leung Gan might not have played it right. He did not do the demigod character usually found in global villains, but he still had a bit of that attitude. Figuring him being a revolutionary, you would think he is only working for the bigger goal of reviving the Khmer Rouge again.

To sum up, moodish movie that had an interesting storyline, something not usually found in films of this genre.