Before watching Director Peter Ho-sun Chan’s latest movie, Wu Xia, starring Donnie Yen, I expected to watch a typical martial arts movie. Contrary to my expectations, the movie is a fascinating fusion of a detective story, forensic science, action, humor, politics and family drama.

Wu Xia is a gripping story about the dark side of human nature. There are several intriguing things that are worth nothing. First, Detective Xu Baijiu believes that the law is more important than humanity. His blind obedience to the law contrasts sharply with the corrupt officials accepting bribes, which is a political satire. Please note what happens to the villain at the end, which ridicules the unscrupulous legal system invented by humans. Second, the difference between humans and animals is highlighted. Please note that cows, horses, flies and worms are shown in the movie and respect for animals is emphasized. Moreover, in a fighting scene, Kara Hui’s character can be seen through a cow’s eye, which symbolically shows her ruthless character. Third, in some scenes, the candles glimmer in the darkness, which symbolically shows the struggle between good and evil in a human being.

Peter Chan and Oi-wah Lam have grasped the key to writing a good story. Indeed, three-dimensional characters are more important than fancy fight scenes, so they take their time developing the characters in the movie. Thanks to the capable cast, the well-crafted script, the restrained costumes and the breathtaking setting, most characters are lifelike. In the movie, Takeshi Kaneshiro gives the most memorable performance, considering his dual role as his good self and his dark self. Detective Xu Baijiu, whose biggest battle lies within, is torn between his conscience and his blind faith in the law. Also, his attempt to speak the Sichuan dialect is comical. As for Donnie Yen, he is charismatic and his action is well-choreographed. Still, he slightly underacts in the crying scene and the one in which he kills the butcher and his children. Playing ruthless villains, Yu Wang and Kara Hui deliver flawless performances. Their characters, albeit monochrome, look eerily menacing.

As for my suggestions for improvement, some insignificant details can be trimmed and Liu Jin-xi’s change can be further developed. Despite these minor flaws, the movie grabs me from beginning to end, not only because of the adrenalin-pumping action, but also the well-developed characters that the audience cares about. Featuring a creative mix of different genres as well as a fine balance between drama and action, Wu Xia is so far the best Hong Kong movie I have watched in 2011.

Kenji Chan

《分手說愛你》算是近年難得一見的港產，它出來的效果不是完美的，甚至可以說是毀多於譽，然而它敢於踏出嘗試的第一步，鄭丹瑞縱橫娛樂圈廿載有多仍敢於坦白表示試拍實驗電影，不像 《翡翠明珠》一類垃圾電影，這一次的誠意，是真的值得支持。

先談毀。毀一，是它完全不脫港產式的煽情。近兩小時的電影，近半以上的時間都是喊腑喊忽的。情感最怕露盡，香港電影三十年，不但沒有走出這個致命的錯誤，反而越來越露骨，變成一地之風格，這種婆媽劇，只適合師奶阿毛，走不出國際的。此片似乎怕不夠煽情，要演員不停哭，搏命哭，狼來多了，情感反而薄弱，眼淚只會徒添反感。例如結尾房祖名失控掟爛人家店舖的電腦，薛海琪最終決定不去巴塞，導演以為是情感昇華的橋段，其實是失控的過火劇情。

毀二，是把一些現代男女的故事拉雜成篇。首先，現代男女的感情十分冷漠，根本沒有入戲的價值，拍出了實感，也滲不出戲味。電影是藝術，藝術需要天馬行空，一味寫實，就好像相片之於圖畫，相片可以百分百照出現實，卻沒有圖畫的美感。另外，以幾個故事構成電影，讓人物間無論情感與人物性格都顯得散渙，無法讓觀眾投入，觀眾像在看兩個精神分裂的人在談情。房祖名的角色，一開始是個死不認錯的人，讓兩者有着很大的隔膜，但問題到後來卻好像沒了。而房祖名最初是個吊兒郎當之徒，後來卻忽然成了情聖，這種轉變只會令觀眾覺得，他們的愛情是不成熟的，而不是導演想帶出的悲慘。

而電影的譽，是導演敢於嘗試玩橋段，有點外國電影慣用的風格，使電影多了層次感。感情是依然薄弱的，然而橋段依然可取。雖然，它並沒有電影內的那段 感情變得豐富，即是愛情還愛情，扭橋還扭橋，沒有融合而演成精彩。這是可惜的，也是可取的，自古成功在嘗試，在一個充滿限制和商業主導的影壇裡，能跨出這艱辛的一步，已是十分難得的一大步。

戲內兩位主角都同樣用心，觀眾不難感受到二人的努力，而演出也是具說服力的。可惜的是煽情的劇本，白費了二人的心血

Jam