Unbeatable - 激戰:勇者不敗

Unbeatable (激戰:勇者不敗) is an 2013 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Eddie Peng and Nick Cheung. The supporting cast include Mei Ting, Crystal Lee, Li Fei-Er , Andy On, and Jack Kao. Vivian Leung and Wang Bao-Qiang make cameo appearances.



Cheung plays Fai, a former 2 time Asian boxing champion from 1988. Fai throws some matches for money and does jail time. Now 48 and a taxi driver in Hong Kong, he's owes 20K of money to some loan sharks. Fai escapes to Macao to dodge the loan sharks. Once there, he resides in a room with a mom and daughter pair. The mom lost a son recently and was left by her former husband. Fai works at a local gym teaching aerobatics and does janitorial duties. Li is a young buck that travels the country (Zhong Guo) on his bike refusing to use his fathers money. Li's father is a big shot real estate mogul. In Beijing, Li find out through a newspaper article that his father is now bankrupt. Li finds him in Macao and tries to straighten him out. Li takes on a construction job and takes on MMA in order to enter the Golden Rumble tournament. Li and Fai find a special connection. Fai coaches Li to enter the MMA tourney. Fai takes to his host family he rents from. However, things go south when the loan sharks find Fai and the mom goes a little crazy again. Li strives to show his father that if he can do MMA, his father can start over. You don't always have to win all your fights, but the journey there and the reasons for the fight are emphasized.



So far, this could be my favorite movie of 2013, US or Asian. I loved it. Maybe because I am also an MMA fan, this movie speaks to me a little more. The story of the two leads is easy but also complex. You have both male leads trying to find their way in life having to start over in Macao. Both have a love story at play away from the gym. Both have a family element in play. Throw in the stuff in the gym and the goal to achieve something in life. The human element of a kid always gets to me. Maybe because I am a father with young daughters, those types of story lines get me all emotional. The love interest both have similar looks and in the beginning of the film, I had a little bit of a hard telling them apart. But you figure it out real quick.



So, if I were to pick the best of 2013, this would be on that list and very high if not #1. I have to look back at all the films I watched in 2013 to figure this out. This is up there. Don't miss it and get watch it.

Unbeatable - 激戰:勇者不敗 - Upcoming

Unbeatable (激戰:勇者不敗) was relased in Hong Kong and Zhong Guo last weekend. It did very well at the box office, topping the HK box office like it should and number 4 at the Zhong Guo one. The movie shows how buff two dudes can get. Eddie Peng and Nick Cheung show two generations how its done. Seems the buffed out males of the HK and Zhong Guo big screen are getting buff again.

I also love MMA. I follow it pretty much daily via Yahoo and BJPenn.com. With all the other stuff I follow, that's about as much as I can take. But a HK movie on it? The sleeping dragon of MMA may take shape in the next couple of decades. With so many wushu practitioners in Zhong Guo, maybe one will take the international stage in a big way.

I for one, can't wait to watch this when it comes to the US of A shores.

The Stool Pigeon - 線人

The Stool Pigeon (線人) is a 2010 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Nick Cheung, Nicholas Tse, and Kwai Lun-mei. Supporting cast include Liu Kai-Chi, Lu Yi, Miao Pu, and Philip Keung.

Nick Cheung plays Lee, a police officer that uses informants to crack cases. The beginning story is Lee at an exchange and the informant is identified because the deal goes bad. The informant is subsequently tracked down and brutally beat up. To the point that the informant is not mentally challenged. Fast forward 1 year and another case comes up. Lee finds Car Ghost, played by Nicholas Tse, to be his informant. Car Ghost has connections to Barbarian, a jewel thief. Car Ghost gets in with his gang as the get away driver. Along the way, we find out more about both Lee and Car Ghost's background. How will this relationship end?

The movie was pretty intense and very very violent. I was actually taking back by the grittiness of the fighting. I wasn't expecting the fighting to be the way it way. The story was also very engaging. This time, its still the same cat and mouse game of cop going after the bad guy. But this time, it isn't a an undercover cop, but an informant. The movie explores that dynamic with an exploration between both the informant and the handler.

I highly recommend this film if you're into Dante Lam films. It was a little bit of a let down in comparison to "The Beast Stalker", but that movie was in a league of its own.

Exiled - 放逐

Exiled (放逐) is a 2006 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Anthony Wong, Nick Cheung, Francis Ng, Roy Cheung, and Lam Suet. The supporting cast include Simon Yam, Josie Ho, and Richie Ren. The film was written and produced by Johnny To. Exiled has a limited relation the 1999 Johnny To film, The Mission.

The movie is primarily based in Macau. 5 childhood friends who grow up into gangsters congregate at the house of one that's left the triads. 2 are there to save the guy and 2 are there to take him out. But emotions run thick as the 5 are very close. In the end, the former gangster dies and the 4 remaining guys set out for revenge in the most unique of ways.

The final gun fight is one for the ages and the ones scattered throughout the film are very nice too. It reminds me of the gun play movies of John Woo when he was a HK movie machine.

A very slow movie when the action is on pause, but very intense. If you're a Johnny To fan, this is a must see.

Red River - 紅河 (綻碩)

Red River (綻碩) is a 2009 film out of China. The movie stars Nick Cheung and Zhang Jingchu. Danny Lee and Rachel Lee (Loletta Lee) have supporting roles.

The movie is centered around Zhang Jingchu's character of Tao. Tao had a normal upbringing, but witnesses her father's death via a land mine in Vietnam. Tao is special as she is a little mentally challenged. Tao sneaks into the China side of the Red River where she works as a cleaner for her aunt, Shui, played by Rachel Lee. Tao befriends Sha Ba on a visit. Sha Ba is also from Vietnam and takes a liking to Tao. Tao bumps into Xia, a Karaoke street vendor. Xia hires Tao to sing as people walk by. They strike up a good relationship as Tao thinks Xia really looks like her father.

The movie is quite slow but also quite amazing. This is a slice of life of the Chinese on the Red River that I've only heard about. To see it on film was quite something.

I wasn't able to find a trailer via YouTube.

Beast Stalker - 證人

Beast Stalker (證人) is a 2008 film out Hong Kong. It stars Nicholas Tse and Nick Cheung. The film was nominated for 5 awards at the 28th Hong Kong film Awards and walked away with 2.

The story revolves around the life of Nicholas Tse playing Tong Fei. Fei is the head of a narcotics group. The film starts with the group eating at a breakfast joint and than heads for a drug bust. During the bust, a few things go wrong and Fei vents on a few people. After the bust, Fei with Sun, played by Liu Kai Chi, find a getaway car. They spring into action and eventually capturing the guys in the getaway car. Fei stops them by firing a few rounds into the trunk and another hitting the driver. Little does Fei know, there's a little girl in the trunk and he inadvertently kills her. Deemed an accident, Fei transfer to another group and goes into a long guilt trip and befriending the little girls younger sister.

But things turn for the worst, the mother of the two sisters is the main lawyer seeing the case against the head of the criminals in the get away car. The criminals kidnap the younger sister and demand that the mother switch the blood samples. Fei is there as the kidnapper, played by Nick Cheung, appears. The chase is on.

The movie was a wild ride. Very intense and at the same time, very trilling. I was drawn in right away and didn't want to stop. Zhang Jingchu was amazingly beautiful as the protective mother and torn lawyer.

HK cinema at its peak in 2008. Don't miss this one.

On the Edge - 黑白道

On the Edge (黑白道) is a 2006 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Nick Cheung, Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Rain Li, and Derek Tsang.

Nick Cheung plays Harry. Harry was an undercover cop for 8 years. After Harry helped bust his triad boss, Harry is not back in the police force. But those 8 years as an undercover triad member are causing Harry some extreme internal and workplace conflicts. Anthony Wong plays Lung, Harry's new partner. Lung doesn't go easy on the triad members he come in contact with. Many times, Harry is at odds with Lung because of this. Back at home, Harry's girlfriend and best friend are from his triad days. They don't like that he's a cop and conflicts are ever present.

The movie was pretty entertaining for the most part. The undercover cop story gets another unique turn with this rendition. Worth a watch.

Election 2 - Triad Election - 黑社會以和為貴

Election 2/Triad Election (黑社會以和為貴) is a 2006 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, and Gordon Lam.

The movie is a sequel to the first Election movie. Hold overs are Louis Koo, Simon Yam, and Nick Cheung. Gordon Lam joins the group.

The movie is set 2 years after the first movie as the next election is coming up again. Simon Yam as Lok has had a very successful 2 year run. However, tradition says that a new head must be elected each time. Now that Lok as had the taste as the head, he wants to stay the head. Gordan Lam as Kin and Nick Cheung as Jet are not in the running. Louis Koo as Jimmy is not interested in the seat and would rather make money, working with the mainlanders.

Many outside factors start to get introduced and things are not what they seem. A long extended storyline takes place to find and retrieve, the leong toe, the head of a staff.

This was actually even more violent than the first movie with even more twist. It is a surprise that a number 3 wasn't made as trilogies are very popular.

In order to know the background on some of the politics, you will need to watch the first one.

Election - 黑社會

Election (黑社會) is a 2005 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Simon Yam, Tony Leung, Louis Koo, and Nick Cheung.

The movie is about the Wo Sing triad's election of a new head person. The head person is not a dictator, but a representative. But with it is a lot of prestige and the promise of a legacy. Let the politics of the triad play out on the screen.

Simon Yam plays Lok, a boss that is cool and collected and doesn't show much emotion. On the other end of the spectrum is Tony Leung as Big D. Big D is loud and hot tempered. Big D is one of those prototypical triad bosses. Nicky Cheung and Louis Koo play up and coming bosses that help each respective boss.

The movie is dark and violent. It is not for the faint of heart as the violence is very real and bloody.

Behind it all is this looming sense that things will work out, even with all the chaos.

In all, for 2005, it was a great film. 2005 wasn't a stellar year for HK movies and election was hope that there are still good movies being produced out of HK that was made for HK fans. But could go international as well.

Exodus - 出埃及記

Exodus (出埃及記) is a 2007 out of Hong Kong. It stars Simon Yam, Annie Liu, Nick Cheung, and Irene Wan.

Simon Yam is a police officer and takes the statement of Nick Cheung. But something happened, Nick's statement was lost and they had to redo the statement. The second time around, the statement was not an explanation, but a confession of crime. Yam is now out for justice. But the investigation is about a group of women that kill men, any men. As long as you're a dude, you got a chance to get offed by this group of women. Lots of mystery.

The movie was really slow for the first hour. I was still wondering, what is the point?! When it got to the point, I remember reading about this premise a few years back. It came together, but the pay off wasn't worth the wait. I have mixed feeling about this film. If you know the premise before, I think you're still going to wonder what's going on for the first hour.

I couldn't find the trailer as the Chinese and English names are so common. I gave up after the 3rd page.

Connected - 保持通話

Connected (保持通話) is a 2008 film out of Hong Kong starring Louis Koo and Barbie Hsu. This is actually a remake a Hollywood film called Cellular. I have not seen Cellular so I cannot do a comparison.

Connected starts by doing a little background feature on Barbie Hsu as Grace Wong and Louis Koo as Bob. We start with Grace as a single mother taking her daughter to school and gets kidnapped and finds a way to dial out. We than break to Bob as a collections drone who's a deadbeat Husband and Father. Bob's son is on his way out of the country with his sister. On the call, we find out the Bob's wife has left him and that Bob's not very good at keeping his promises. Grace can only dial out and her dialing is random, so she has to stay connected to the person on the other end or she will not be able to call that person again. Grace and Bob are connected via fate and via the call as Grace calls Bob.

The fun starts from there and its a pretty wild ride and I enjoyed it a lot. Louis takes up the majority of the screen time. Louis does a good job as a timid and un-action oriented Bob. Who's trying to see his son and save Grace's family.

I haven't seen Cellular before so I have no clue as to how much was taken from the original. But they only needed the main plot points to make a good movie.

You should check it out when it makes it to the USA on April 28th, but you can get an imported version via Ebay if you can't wait.