Vengeance (2009) Fuk sau (original title)

Director:

Johnnie To

Writer:

Ka-Fai Wai (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 May 2009 (France)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A French chef swears revenge after a violent attack on his daughter's family in Hong Kong, during which her husband and her two children are murdered. To help him find the killers, he hires three local hit-men working for the mafia. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Hong Kong | Macau | Exit Wound | Mexican Standoff

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Johnny Hallyday	...	Costello
Sylvie Testud	...	Irene Thompson
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Kwai
Ka Tung Lam	...	Chu
Suet Lam	...	Fat Lok
Simon Yam	...	George Fung
Siu-Fai Cheung	...	Wolf
Felix Wong	...	Python
Ting Yip Ng	...	Crow
Maggie Siu	...	Madam Wong
Vincent Sze	...	Mr. Thompson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Conroy Chan Chi-Chung	...	Fat Lok (voice: English version)
Kim-Fai Che
Gwendolyn Chen	...	Mrs. Fung
Chi Ping Cheung
Farini Cheung	...	Tony's wife
Wing-Cheung Cheung
Chi Shung Chu
Cho-kuen Chu
Alan Chui Chung San	...	Fung's bodyguard
Shui-Fan Fung	...	Tony
Kawing	...	Python's wife (as Karen Chan)
Yiu Man Kee
Elena Kong	...	Wolf's wife
Jo Kuk	...	Crow's wife
Florence Kwok	...	Madam Wong (voice: English version)
Jack Lai
Wai Lam	...	Bodyguard having affair with Fung's wife
Wing-cheong Law	...	Old Five
Sing Hong Leung
Haitao Li
Hau Keung Lo
Ching Ting Lu
Chi Wai Wong	...	Killer
Wah Wo Wong	...	Taxi Driver
Michelle Ye	...	Big Mama
Tin Hung Yee	...	Fung's bodyguard
Terence Yin	...	Chu (voice: English version)

Directed by
Johnnie To

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ka-Fai Wai		screenplay

Produced by
William Cheng	....	line producer
John Chong	....	producer
Elaine Chu	....	line producer
Yuin Shan Ding	....	associate producer
Peter Lam	....	producer
Laurent Pétin	....	producer
Michèle Pétin	....	producer
Johnnie To	....	producer
Ka-Fai Wai	....	producer

Original Music by
Tayu Lo

Cinematography by
Siu-keung Cheng		(director of photography)
Hung Mo To

Film Editing by
David M. Richardson

Art Direction by
Silver Cheung

Costume Design by
Stanley Cheung

Production Management
Jackson Ha	....	production manager
Christie Lee	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ka-kit Cheung	....	assistant director (as Jeff Cheung)

Art Department
Wai Chuen Cheung	....	leadman

Sound Department
Steve Chan	....	sound
Martin Richard Chappell	....	supervising sound editor
Torsten Zumhof	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
Ken Law	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Chung Chi Li	....	action choreographer
Jack Wong Wai Leung	....	assistant action choreographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kar Yan Yip	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Edwin Van Huizen	....	digital intermediate colorist

Other crew
Christie Lee	....	production assistant
Angel Tang	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• ARP Sélection
• Media Asia Films (in association with)
• Milky Way Image Company

Distributors

• Dream Movie Australia (2009) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• California Filmes (2012) (Brazil) (DVD)
• CatchPlay (2009) (Taiwan) (all media)
• IFC Midnight (2010) (USA) (all media)
• Koch Media (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Media Asia Distribution (2009) (Hong Kong) (all media) (include Asia regions)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Phantom Film (2010) (Japan) (all media)
• TF1 Vidéo (2009) (France) (DVD)

Other Companies

• China Star Production Services Limited  digital intermediate
• China Star Production Services Limited  post-production facilities
• Cinerent  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• Kodak (Hong Kong) Ltd.  film stock supplied by
• Luminous Star  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Milky Way Image Company  camera and lighting equipment supplied by
• Milky Way Image Company  post-production sound services
• Shaw Brothers  digital film recording
• Shaw Brothers  digital intermediate
• Shaw Brothers  film processing and prints
• Showreel Film Facilities  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

"Fuk sau" - Hong Kong (original title)
"Revenge" - Hong Kong (English title) (literal English title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Hong Kong | France

Language:

English | Cantonese | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:R21 | Singapore:M18 (edited version) | Australia:MA (2009) | New Zealand:R16 | Japan:R15+ | Germany:18 | Portugal:M/16 | UK:15 | USA:Not Rated | France:U

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

ARP Sélection

Trivia:

Third part of an informally established trilogy, with 'The Mission' (1999) and 'Exiled' (2006) being the previous installments. Among sharing a number of noted cast members (Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Lam Suet) and locations (Macau), the films are primarily connected by certain ideas, such as - at times ironical - reflections on themes like brotherhood and loyalty; fatalism; and group dynamics. All three films also feature elaborate action sequences with a strong, almost geometrical sense of space.

Quotes:

Costello:This jacket belongs to you!
[shot to the head]

Movie Connections:

References Le Samouraï (1967)

Fans of "Exile" and "The Mission" will know what to expect...

A decade ago, director Johnny To made an impression on many when he released "The Mission". Several years later, he explored similar ideas in "Exiled". Now, in 2009, Johnny To releases another movie and like the former two, it is a story of stoic killers dealing with issues of duty, loyalty, friendship and revenge all wrapped up in violence and tragedy.

To's style is unmistakable and yet reminds you of many high profile directors. There is of course the resemblance to Asian cinema in the vein of Woo. To like many of his contemporaries likes to mix modern, stylish action scenes with the bleakness of Noir films. The fact he is a fan of Jean-Pierre Melville shows big time, especially in Vengeance. I would also say he puts his mark on films as much as Sergio Leone did decades ago.

If you've liked The Mission and Exiled, chances are you will enjoy Vengeance although it is the weakest of the three in execution. Many scenes are reminiscent of the other two (particularly Exiled) and it features many of the actors. I thought the blood splatter effects from gunshots in Exiled were bold and promising. Unfortunately, here they aren't as stylish and clash a bit with the action.

Johnny To likes to concentrate on style. The stories are primal, the characters are archetypes. The Mission had an extremely simple core story, allowing the scenes to flow one after the other. In Exile, the plot was more convoluted while being less interesting. Vengeance is a return to a simpler plot. Unfortunately, it relies on extraordinary coincidences making suspension of disbelief impossible. You just have to enjoy the ride.

A good film but not the director's best.