Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In Review: Star-Studded Hong Kong Gangster Epic Is A Rip-Roaring, Old-School Kungfu Action Flick

Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In (NC16)

Starring Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Raymond Lam, Richie Ren, Aaron Kwok

Directed by Soi Cheang

An illegal immigrant, Lok (Raymond Lam), with a toxic hidden identity, stirs up violent, vengeful old beef between a pensive triad boss, Cyclone (Louis Koo), controlling Hong Kong's infamous Walled City and his vicious enemy ruling the streets outside, Mr Big (Sammo Hung).

Boy, this movie's long title is a mouthful.

The key word is “Warriors” because this big-deal-big-cast action flick has martial arts fighters duking it out right inside Kowloon's once-standing lawless, crime-infested urban monolith as though it's a magical mystic mountain.

The place is now totally demolished. But back in the 1980s, the gigantic clump of congested rundown residential blocks had dark alleys, corridors, rooftops, dead ends and ratholes which even rats shunned. Which this show nails down visually well. Despite staging a climactic battle between rival gangs in what looks like a brightly lit, unbelievably big open space.

Bottomline — this film, based on a book, City Of Darkness, by HK comic artist Andy Seto, is kung fu fable-land preposterous. Kinda like Jet Li's Once Upon A Time In China flicks. But clad in a bit more modern clothes. One punch sends an opponent flying. While a psychotic villain possesses a ludicrous “spirit” power that's so invincible even four tough dudes can't take him down.

But man, this pic is an exciting, rip-roaring, old-school wirework wower populated by veteran names creaking old bones in retirement twilight based on just their white hair alone.

Pioneer generation-ers Koo, Hung, Richie Ren and Aaron Kwok — cameo-ing as a relentless killer in flashback scenes — look like they're ready to cash in their pension funds right here.

They stare, simmer, swirl and clobber one another as foes with scores to settle. But we know these real-life chums probably unwind together everyday at the karaoke bar off-camera.

Quick time out. Once again, when the heck will we be allowed to finally see a HK flick with HK actors about an iconic HK setting in its authentic HK Cantonese? Free us. Don't wall us in by the false plastic Mandarin chatter.

Initially, you'd think this pic is prepped for a gritty Johnnie To-style crime thriller when its slower dramatic first third sets up the tale of able fighter and accidental intruder Lok. Stealing Mr Big's drugs after being scammed of a vital fake ID, he flees straight into the off-limits Walled City where Cyclone's men beat him up before the big boss himself takes a liking to him.

Lok works hard in the darkened bowels as a delivery man, becoming a popular member of his newly adopted Gang Of Brothers. Before the leaders — especially unforgiving Boss Chau (Ren) — find out that he's somehow, amazingly, the son of the eliminated assassin (Kwok) who previously murdered Chau's family.

“It's fate,” Cyclone says calmly — resigned to the end of his peaceful life as a towkay-barber in the Walled City which is a funny turn here — as he protects his newfound disciple from his blood brothers coming for payback blood. Meanwhile, from the outside, their common enemy, Mr Big, plots to invade and take over the WC as the Fat Man Of Extreme Nastiness.

Director Soi Cheang (Mad Fate, The Monkey King) isn't into intimate thug life like Johnnie To. He's more into conventional thug lite supplanting gritty tension with crazy action as a more-controlled Tsui Hark.

It's great to see these thrilling action scenes exploding in a mythically forbidden modern-day location which seems too incredible to have actually once existed.

But it's even greater fun to see those old blocks dominated by old veterans who, ancient joints aside, still know how to kick a fable into something really quite fab here. (3.5/5 stars)

Photos: Shaw Organisation