Beast Cops (aka Yeshou xingjing) (1998) Starring Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Michael Wong Mun-tak, Kathy Chow, Sam Lee, and Roy Cheung Co-written by Chan Hing-kai Written and Produced by Gordan Chan Directed by Dante Lam and Gordan Chan Rating: ***** out of *****
Review: Hong Kong films in 1998 have never been better than "Beast Cops". This latest work from Gordan Chan and his protege Dante Lam is an immensely entertaining character study, layered with shining performances, bouncy camera-work, and an intelligent script with heavy doses of wit and humor.
The films plot centralizes around a decorated cop named Michael Cheung (Michael Wong Man-tuk). Cheung has been appointed to the anti-triad division of the force, and subsequently moves in with his cohorts, Tung and Sam (Anthony Wong Chau-sang and Sam Lee). Sam is the slacker type who drives around in a scooter, and prides himself as the "ladies man". Tung is a pleasure seeker who's quick mouth makes himself popular with his aquaintances. This feature makes himself especially popular with a local triad group, with whom he's going undercover against. As Tung shows Michael around his various hang outs, he brings him to a popular triad spot, where Michael meets, and eventually falls for Yo Yo (Kathy Chow), a hooker who has been left behind by the big brother who promised to run away with her. This big brother (Roy Cheung), who is a friend of Tung's, is fleeing to escape an unintentional murder rap. As big brother is gone, a young, arrogant triad named Pushy Pin takes over. Pushy Pin has his own type of infatuation with Yo Yo, and unsurprisingly, is furious to hear of Michael and Yo Yo's relationship. He attempts to have Michael "bumped off", but his efforts falter. This is where the film takes a sharp turn in the other direction when big brother returns, only to be killed by Pushy Pin himself. Every single twist and turn ultimately leads up to the over-the-top conclusion, where it pits everyone, more particularly Tung and Pushy Pin, in a no-holds-barred knife and fist fight.
As mentioned before, the main reason "Beast Cops" is one of the best of 98 is because it's script, which was jointly written by Chan Hing-kai and Gordon Chan, manages to blend drama and violent action with scenes of hilarious, and often dark comedy. The strength of all this is that even with the mashing of genres together, the pace of the film still flows smoothly. The film even takes a documentary type turn, in which the actors speak to the camera, therefore breaking the fine line between them and the viewer. Even the typical romantic subplot doesn't drag the film down, in fact, it provides a good chunk of the humor (a particularly memorable scens features Wong desperately searching for a substitute for condoms). All you have to do is witness how well this film works, even with a bevy of genres that confuses me when trying to categorize it.
As mentioned in plenty of other reviews, the title "Beast Cops", often misguides the viewer, leading them to believe that the film they are about to witness is a hardcore action film, in the tradition of other Gordon Chan efforts like the often lampooned "Option" series (which also stars Michael Wong). Instead, they are treated to a character study, leaving very little room for action. When the action sequences do come, they again take the documentary turn, as a handheld camera follows the action, swiping and bouncing as in real life. Those gore hungry fans who are disappointed in the limited action sequences that "Beast Cops" offers will definitely not be disappointed in the gore factor. The film's action, especially the finale, features plenty of brutal stabbings, maimings, and shootings, in the tradition of Hong Kong cinema. The finale is a prime example of this, as Tung and Pushy Pin are literally drenched in blood by the end. Again, be forewarned, "Beast Cops" is one of those films in which the quote "Don't judge a book by it's cover" comes to mind (Well, in this case, don't judge a film by it's title).
Whew! While citing the superb script and how not to view "Beast Cops" for the action, I forgot to mention my single favorite element to the film, the powerful and superb performances, courtesy of a finely assembled ensemble cast. Wait a minute, powerful and superb performances and Michael Wong don't go together. Wong, who is undoubtebly the most criticized actor in HK cinema history, breaks that typecast by delivering the best performance of his entire career. His use of the English dialogue to get around the tougher Cantonese phrases is used to a minimum here, and he manages to stand out during his key sequences. But as much as he stands out, he cannot, even on his best day, make himself standout when the great Anthony Wong Chau-sang is on screen. Wong, who appears a bit bloated in this film (due to the fact of an illness he is recovering from), is the strongest out of the ensemble cast. His lines are delivered with Wong's characteristic wit and sarcasm. His dramatic scenes are well handled too, making this a terrific all-around performance. Add this to one of the many awards Wong should have received for best actor. Sam Lee, whose appearence is reduced to a small role, gets some funny scenes, and basically provides some of the comic relief the film contains. Kathy Chow is very effective as Yo Yo, while Roy Cheung plays the role he does best, as a triad leader. To sum it all up, the performances to not disappoint the least bit.
With it being the middle of November, it looks as if nothing in Hong Kong will ever top "Beast Cops" as best film of the year. Although The "Longest Nite" comes close, it's tiny subtitles have taken the enjoyment factor out of me. "Beast Cops" is a pleasant change of pace in a cinematic community where Hollywood films are currently dominating the territories own box office receipts. With Hong Kong's decline in the quality of films, "Beast Cops" (and virtually every Milky Way production) is a step in the right direction. Ever since I read the first wave of reviews for the film, I have been anxiously awaiting the day when I finally saw it. Let's just say I share the enthusiasm contained in most of the reviews, and that the wait was well worth it. (Note: Beast Cops has not been released into the mainstream market. The only way to view this film is by importing it. Another way is to seek out a Chinatown video store. This film, due to it's immense popularity in it's native Hong Kong, is almost guarenteed to be in one of those stores. I suggest you get this film by any means necessary)
-Victor Nguyen
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