SPL: Sha po lang (2005)

A near retired inspector and his unit are willing to put down a crime boss at all costs while dealing with his replacement, who is getting in their way. Meanwhile, the crime boss sends his top henchmen to put an end to their dirty schemes.

Director:

Wilson Yip (as Yip Wai Shun)

Writers:

Wilson Yip (as Yip Wai Shun), Kam-Yuen Szeto (as Szeto Kam Yuen)

Stars:

Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donnie Yen	...	Ma Kwan
Simon Yam	...	Chan Kwok Chung
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung	...	Wong Po (as Sammo Hung)
Jing Wu	...	Jack
Kai Chi Liu	...	Lok Kwun Wah (as Liu Kai Chi)
Danny Summer	...	Kwok Tsz Sum
Ken Chang	...	Lee Wai Lok
Austin Wai	...	Cheung Chun Fei
Timmy Hung	...	Drug Trafficker
Tat Chi Chan	...	Policeman (as Chan Tat Chee)
Jingke Liang	...	Wong Po's wife (as Liang Jing Kei)
Vincent Sze	...	Chan Wai
Kenji Tanigaki	...	Wong Po's Bodyguard
Ching-Lam Lau	...	Hoi Yee (as Lau Ching Lam)
Maggie Poon	...	Sum's Daughter (as Maggie Poon Mei Ki)

Storyline

Chan, an articulate senior detective nearing the end of his career, is taking care of the daughter of a witness killed by ruthless crime lord Po. Martial arts expert Ma is set to take over as head of the crime unit, replacing Chan who wants an early retirement.

---

Plot Keywords:

martial arts | false evidence | retirement | inspector | police shootout | 

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Hong Kong] (English)

Country:

Hong Kong Macao

Language:

Cantonese Mandarin

Release Date:

18 November 2005 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Kill Zone

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$277,473 (Hong Kong), 18 November 2005, Limited Release

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$954,211

Company Credits

Production Co:

Abba Movies Co. Ltd., 1618 Action Limited, Greek Mythology Entertainment Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film marked the first collaboration between Donnie Yen and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung. In actuality, the two had planned to make their first collaboration in the late 1980s which never came through due to schedule conflicts. Sammo was producing the action film Lie huo jie tou (1989) and Donnie was supposed to play one of the lead roles that was eventually played by Donnie's future co-star Collin Chou.

---

Goofs

During the final fight, Wong Po's phone changes model. When he is talking to his wife, Donnie kicks and he falls. The phone drops to the floor. In the next shot it appears again, it's a different model.

---

Alternate Versions

In the mainland china version, five minutes was trimmed, it ends after Ma has beaten Po thus changing the entire tone of the whole film.

---

Connections

Referenced in Attack of the Yakuza (2008)

---

Soundtracks

The Trick
Written by Liam Howlett
Performed by The Prodigy

User Reviews

Donnie Yen wasn't lying..

.. when he called SPL the pinnacle of his martial arts choreography. It rocks. HARD. Not only are the fights are brutal, fast, and complex, but Donnie may have achieved the impossible: He made Brazillian ju-jitsu look exciting on film. Donnie's character repeatedly goes for takedowns, armbars, chokes, and all the moves that you might see in a UFC or Pride match (with Sammo countering attacks exactly how the big fighters do it in a real bout), while seamlessly combining them with the incredibly fast, complex punching and kicking exchanges you'd expect in a Hong Kong flick. Did I mention that the fights are bone-crunchingly brutal? There is a real nastiness to the punchups that should yield a great reaction from enthusiastic audiences. And then there is the spectacular Wu Jing vs Donnie Yen fight. It starts off very, very fast and complex, then at a certain point, the tempo changes and you suddenly realize that it's because they're just making it up ON THE SPOT and the damn thing becomes even more impressive. The long, unbroken takes should please fight purists, too.

The film itself also holds up. Director Wilson Yip really shows off his passion and skill in this film. It's an intense crime drama that doesn't have to pander to any teeny boppers, so he is free to finally let loose. The story is solid and Yip takes the opportunity to devise some great sequences. There's a scene that cuts between Donnie looking at photos of the policemen he's about to lead and footage of the same cops intensely doing their business that is pure cinema.. a scene that could have been plain on paper, but is made exciting purely through the director's vision - the way it's cut and scored and staged. In other words, there is a lot of obvious effort put into the drama. It isn't just some thrown together filler btwn fight scenes. This is a real film. Oh, and one comment about the audio: It's amazing. The music is superb and the sound effects are everything you could hope for in a kung fu film (ie, they accentuate every move and hit as you'd want them to). I hope the DVD has a great DD5.1 track and that you have the system to play it 'cause it'll make a big difference.

Complaints? I have only one: The fights should have been a little longer, but that's okay because they burn twice as bright as most.