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All Wo (Nick Cheung) wanted was to walk away from his life as a gangster and settle down to a new life with his wife and newborn son. But when he returns home to Macau, he finds that Boss Fay (Simon Yam) isn’t going to let him off that easily. When he gets back, four men are waiting for him. Two of them were sent to kill him, while two have come to protect him.
But there’s more to it than just a little gang warfare. These four men (as well as Wo) were all once childhood friends. And after a shootout in Wo’s tiny apartment, the five men cease fire and decide to sit down and talk instead. They help Wo and his wife move their furniture into the apartment before—and then they settle down to have dinner together. As the old friends talk, they agree to help Wo do one last job—one that will earn enough money to provide for his wife and son—before Boss Fay has his way.
Fong Juk (or Exiled in English) is a smooth gangster movie from Hong Kong. Director Johnnie To’s style is slow and deliberate, turning what could be just another shoot-‘em-up action movie into a work of art. In fact, it’s often breathtaking—from the careful choreography to the smooth camera work to the unusual way that To portrays gunshot wounds using what looks like red powder.
As is usually the case with Hong Kong movies, there’s a little of everything in Exiled. There’s a little bit of humor (most of which comes from the cop who’s just trying to make it to retirement). There’s a whole lot of great action (though not the kung-fu kind of action that you might expect). And there’s even a solid story (though I’ll admit it’s a bit difficult to follow at times, especially when you’re trying to follow along with the subtitles).
If you’re looking for a fast-moving action film, though, this isn’t it. Exiled has an old-fashioned western style, which means that it’s not all action all the time. But the action scenes are definitely worth the wait. Not only are they stylistically stunning, but they’re also close, claustrophobic, and chaotic. They’re unlike anything you’d see in a Hollywood action film.
So although it may require a little bit of patience (and a little bit of reading), this surprisingly beautiful action film is well worth the effort.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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