This film directed by Johnnie To in 1999 won 8 nominations for the Hong Kong Film Awards the following year. Unfortunately, only one was achieved in the end - and it was the first time that Andy Lau, who has always been known as a dull and rigid performer, won the title of Best Actor. Liu himself also claimed that this film made him truly understand what acting is. However, although there is only one award, I personally still think that it is Du Dabao's best work so far, no one. There are You Naihai and Liu Qingyun, the two best partners of Lao Du. Although the tone of this film is cold and the scene is not hot, it still bursts with endless light. Even as a supporting role, Xu Shaoxiong played "I am Chief Inspector Huang Qifa, I give you three minutes to come out and surrender", and Meng Jiahui, who has only three scenes, is full of aura and brilliance. To say that the only weak points are the bald Li Zixiong who also has facial makeup, and Andy Lau who won the best actor. But speaking of this scene, Liu learned to stop acting, not just put on poses. It is also a great improvement for him, and it is worth encouraging. After this film, Lao Du played more and more high in the stylized police and gangster genre films and chic flick's urban romantic comedies. On the contrary, it is a pity that such quiet and hidden ambition works are rare.
For me, the most down-to-earth part of this film is the fucking identity of the two protagonists. Policeman Liu Qingyun is highly capable and a workaholic, but he was assigned to the civilian department as a negotiator who was stable and stable. He had a bunch of lazy rubbish under him. On top of his head was the rubbish boss Chief Inspector Huang Qifa, who always had a line that would only add to the chaos. The thief Andy Lau paid equal attention to beauty and wisdom, but he only had 4 weeks to live. In short, police and criminals are all very powerful and serious people who do their jobs, but their lives are more than unsatisfactory. Watching Liu Qingyun in the office full of energy but nothing to do, after a perfect handling of a hostage-taking case, willing to eat hot dogs on the street, watching Andy Lau in a bar watching cartoons on TV in a daze, on the rooftop of the building watching the thousands of feet under his feet Abyss, I often think, isn't this my own situation? Capable but always unable to find a suitable role, running around in the east and west, bruised nose, swollen face, embarrassed, gritted teeth and doing bad things, often forced to a situation where there is no way to go back, this is also a must-have Most people live in WFL. Everyone is thinking "what if you give me a chance", but unfortunately, the opportunity is never met, and it can only slowly sink in the muddy life, so the collision of two unsuccessful men on the screen is so provocative. Here's your chance, fight your wits.
Speaking of which, I don't know how many times Lao Du watched Michael Mann's "The Line of Fire" before he made this film. In the setting of the identity of the police and bandits who are down and sympathetic, "Dark War" reminded me of "Pirates" more than once. The Wire of Fire, where the occasional revealing tenderness is very similar. I still remember the scene where De Niro looked at the police cordon and said goodbye to his beloved woman with his eyes, how similar it was to Andy saying "sorry" to get up and leave after spitting blood. However, it is not uncommon for seniors in Hong Kong films to use this kind of setting and technique. At least there is a very similar setting and technique in another famous work, "Blood Two Heroes", and Michael Mann also highly respects this peak of John Woo. Therefore, the ideas of good directors are similar, the difference is only in the actors and techniques. However, "Dark War" is far from the hot action scenes of "Broken Fire" and "Blood Two Heroes". There is only one shootout scene, and the main performance is the quiet battle of wits, which makes "Dark War" worth recalling. many.
Back in "Dark War", the two protagonists are struggling in an embarrassing environment. Liu Qingyun is struggling to deal with the bad people and things around him. Liu Dehua challenges his father to take revenge on a powerful gangster group by himself, just two words: loneliness. Every time the two depressed masters met, they even smiled a lot more. Nima had to suppress how much she could do it. So despite the cooler tones, any turnaround experienced by two people whose lives have bottomed out looks so warm. Needless to say, Andy Lau's peach blossom luck on the bus, Liu Qingyun faced the waste boss "Why didn't you say it earlier" and the gay encouragement with his hands around his neck. Although he was embarrassed and annoyed, he must have been relieved and made the audience feel soft.
Fighting wits and courage, not giving an inch, smiling when meeting each other, but full of tact in their words, the two destitute men finally carried out the matter to the end. Andy Lau had no regrets laughing with the people around him, and then sprayed blood on the front window of the car. Liu Qingyun was stunned. His best opponent and most intimate friend was dying, even though one was a soldier and the other was a thief. There were still tears in his eyes. What a sad thing this TM is, it's hard to find someone who has a tacit understanding in your heart, but it will be gone in a blink of an eye, but it is still alive in front of you, and you will still be so lonely in the future. So even though Hei Zi Liu was tricked by Handsome Liu again and asked him to start the car and leave quietly, he didn't have any regrets or unwillingness this time, presumably this was their last tacit understanding. The police still shouted "hungry" and went to the street to buy a hot dog to eat, while the thief drove his car out of his last shot and disappeared into the crowd. One of them continued to struggle in the mud, and the other went to the end of their lives. The reality is such WFL, even if you are dazzling in an instant, it will not change the entanglement and loneliness behind you, just like the itching under your underwear, only you understand. This is the life of most people.
However, Lao Du still gave a warm ending with good intentions. Liu Qingyun was nibbling on a hot dog again (Huh? Why should I say it again?) and got on the bus, and saw the diamond necklace that Andy Lau took away from Meng Jiahui's chest, "It turns out that this guy didn't die at the time, he lived a few more days, and he was still alive. There is a girl on an appointment", this subtext made Hei Zai make a rare joke with the beauties.
and then? The bus leaves, everyone goes back to their homes, each finds their own mother, the entangled continues to struggle, the struggling continues to struggle, life is like this, any legend will not have any ripples in it, and it will still move at its own pace.
But I still can't forget the scene of two people sitting in a car driving through the midnight street, just around the corner to the police station, the soldier and the thief are the most relaxed moments, they are like old friends reunited for a drive In the same way, leaving two handsome and lonely figures in the bright night. Just like De Niro and Pacino, who died holding hands in the wilderness of the airport in "The Wire".
There are also three supporting roles in this film that cannot be ignored. One is the clown-like "Chief Inspector" Huang Qifa, Xu Shaoxiong. Although he is a rubbish boss, he likes to make small reports to shirk his responsibilities. Relief still makes people feel that he is not bad, at least a kind person. Moreover, I recently learned that Xu Shaoxiong is the nephew of Mr. Xu Guangping, that is, the nephew of Mr. Lu Xun. This identity is really awesome. The second is Lin Xue, the gangster younger brother who is also a clown. The appearance of always being confused and lost makes the originally hostile underworld a lot more cute. The last one is of course Meng Jiahui, who has only three scenes, from the first time he was coerced on the bus to the second time he was on the bus. The boss took the initiative to step forward to cover, facing the consternation of Andy spitting blood in the cup, and finally facing Liu Qingyun on the bus indifferent and nostalgic. Love gives her an enigmatic charm. Well, women who are beautiful and dare to show their love are always more charming. Her appearance in the whole movie of the confrontation between the two heroes is a lot softer and more tragic. It makes countless people who did not belong to this The women in the audience were sad and weeping for this. It is a pity that this woman no longer has such an amazing role. The only thing that is remembered is her later love with "Brother Hao Nan" Zheng Ekin. In fact, I personally think that her potential should be no less than Shu Qi's , people like Lin Jiaxin. The
cold tone of the film produces a feeling of coexistence of warmth and loneliness. This is the fundamental reason why "Dark War" is difficult to disappear in many people's minds, because most people are lonely and lonely. I also long for warmth and comfort. When will Lao Du have another good work like this again? I really want to ask him this question in person.
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