Fong juk (Exiled)

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Fong juk (Exiled)

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Fong juk (Exiled)

Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Ellen Chan, Francis Ng, Josie Ho, Ka Tung Lam

For the first time since The Mission in 1999, Anthony Wong (Infernal Affairs) and Francis Ng (Infernal Affairs 2) once again team up with Johnnie To and his regulars Roy Cheung (Infernal Affairs 2), L...( read more  read more... )am Suet (PTU), and Simon Yam (Election) in another action-packed ensemble piece, Exiled. Joining this virile cast are Richie Jen and Nick Cheung, both of whom worked previously with Johnnie To in Breaking News, as well as new collaborator Josie Ho (Butterfly).The time is 1998. Every living soul jumps at every chance to make quick money before the Portuguese colony ushers in a new era under the Chinese rule. For the jaded hit men, they wonder where this journey will end. Against this background of fin-de-siècle malaise come two hit men from Hong Kong sent to take out a renegade member trying to turn over a new leaf with his wife and newborn baby. They soon find themselves in the throes of a dilemma when two of their former associates also show up, intent on thwarting them at every cost.

Id: 6742212

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Fong juk (Exiled) Recent Reviews
  • organgrinder136
    December 29, 2009
    organgrinder136
    a chinese version of "the wild bunch". fricking awesome!! saw the election movies recently too. starting to become a johnny to fan
  • gor41
    October 27, 2009
    gor41
    Nostalgia trip to early 80's Hong Kong John Woo stylised shootouts. Mimics the pacing with long sections of thoughtful pondering interspersed with frenetic gun-ballets. Fortunately keeps the acting and soundtrack histrionics to a minimum. Guilty pleasure.
  • EarthlyAlien
    June 9, 2008
    EarthlyAlien
    WARNING: This Review Will Contain Spoilers.

    If Sergio Leone had lived to this day, witnessing the economics of filming in Asia rather than in the now-expensive tourist havens of Italy and Spain, his output might've looked like Johnnie To's Exiled. The film i...( read more)s touted as an unofficial sequel to To's The Mission, a triad film that mixed male-bonding camaraderie with the most eye-popping of bullet ballets and, while it is indeed a reunion-of-sorts for The Mission's actors, the characters are entirely different. Despite that, a tinge of nostalgia accompanies the viewing experience.

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    A knock on the door opens the film. Tai (Francis Ng) is looking for Wo (Nick Cheung) from a homely woman (Josie Ho) struggling to pretend that she does not know of any Wo. Tai and his pal Cat (Roy Cheung) await as another knock on the door by Blaze (Anthony Wong) and pal Fat (Lam Set) forces the woman to say the same lie. The four men meet uncomfortably in the cobblestone plaza across the woman's apartment; the Sergio-esque tense silence eased only by waves of familiarity and former friendship by the two opposing duos. Wo arrives, and Blaze and Tai follow him to his apartment.

    Again, To prepares us for a gun fight while evoking Leone; Blaze and Tai prepare their cartridges as Wo reloads his gun. It's Johnnie To-cool; only improved by the fact that the scene was not only perfunctory cool but showcases To's gun fight economics. Each bullet has a target; one lands in Blaze's bullet-proof vest; some in the door floatingly dancing in the rhythm of gunshots. The five thereafter reconcile and relive their younger years, to the wrath of Blaze's boss Fay (Simon Yam).

    Macau's distinct mix of Portuguese and Oriental architecture makes the Leone-esqueness of To's filmmaking easier to digest. The score, clearly inspired by the moving melodics of Ennio Morricone, set the action at flawless pace while enunciate the raw sentimentality and emotionality of the film's affairs. While To's actors may not have the soul-stabbing blue eyes and the sun-baked faces of Leone's cowboys, they surely possess the same sense of internal and moral conflict - just look at Anthony Wong's troubled eyes or Francis Ng's intensity in keeping their crew together and intact. Their struggle inhabit the plentiful gun fights; pumping up the visuals of bodies bursting red with sprays of blood, of sparks from exploding guns, of bullets surely hitting targets, with indelible romanticism.

    To enters Peckinpah territory with its visceral depiction of bodily harm and violence. Not only that, Exiled is set in pre-turnover Macau; when gangster lords are modifying their plans to suit the change of the times, when fraternity and loyalty between gang members are forgotten idealisms, when triad members such as Blaze, Tai and Wo are a dying breed. It's the same as the Old West Peckinpah is mourning over in his ultra-violent features. The uncertainty of the times enunciated by these men's reliance on a coin whenever faced by a difficult question of where to go and what to do. It certainly felt like To is lyrically ushering the passing of these men; in a way he only knows possible.

    A seemingly extraneous character features in Exiled. A prostitute played by Ellen Chan conveniently appears throughout the feature; first, at the hotel where the crew gather possible jobs; second, at the mercenary surgeon's apartment, and lastly, again, at the hotel during the final showdown. I thought that the character wasn't merely placed there to be a recurring joke, or an embellishment, or as an add-on to the female-deprived film. The film ends with the prostitute being the only one living in the hotel; the gangsters did not survive the turn-over and have, one by one, waved their final gestures of farewell. She carries the bags of gold out the hotel. Is To implying something here? That when all these men of honour have died out, the capitalist whores inherit the earth? Possible.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    June 9, 2008
    DragonEyeMorrison
    This is a lesson for Steven Sodenberg and his lazy "Ocean's..." flicks. When you are doing a movie that has zero plot, make the characters actually fun and interesting to watch. The first time we see Anthony Wong, Suet Lam, Francis Ng, Nick Cheung and Roy Cheung all together in ...( read more)scene you never doubt that these guys have been pals since childhood. Instead of over paid poster boys pretending to be cool we get real bad ass and kick ass performances from genuine kings of greatness. And where to begin with Simon Yam's delirious performance as the bad guy?

    So, while not on the level of something like Throw Down (i still rate that one as To's best so far) Exiled is exactly what any HK/action film aficionado is looking for. If anything, just the editing of some early shootings could benefit from some polishing. But neverless, Exiled is a lot of good ol HK fun.

    Also, did i spot a harmonica- Sergio Leonesque reference?
  • Sssabee
    May 2, 2007
    Sssabee
    You know why I love Asian cinema? Because it's so friggin cool! I mean, take this film for instance: an action-drama with humourous undertones, packed with style and also with what I can only deem Sergio Leone influences in the music as well as the construction of the characters....( read more) It's nothing we haven't seen before and it's not as slick as any of the Andrew Lau movies, but it's just so darn cool.

    The characters seem caricatural, somewhat parodic at times, the acting falters here and there and the stylish scenes are on occasion a bit too forcibly stylish, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter because everything is just so much fun to watch and there are so many moments where the film does hit the mark. The fight scene in the restaurant has impeccable style, and the choice of music just underlines that very well.

    This will by no means rise to the same level as Infernal Affairs, but if you are looking for an action packed, stylish, fun movie to watch, this Johnny To production is your winner.
  • TheMichiganMauler
    October 14, 2009
    TheMichiganMauler
    This movie has a great story, friendship, honor, and loyalty. The cinematography is also done extremely well. Whether it's fight scenes, gun battles or just plain blood splattering from a wound, Johnny To never ceases to disappoint.
  • TobiasXimenez
    April 19, 2009
    TobiasXimenez
    EXILED is loads of flashy style over plot, in a strangely similar way too Michael Mann's MIAMI VICE, but I don't think it comes close to being nearly that other-worldly or absurdly brilliant.

    To compare the tone Johnny To establishes in this film to Sergio Leone is certainly war...( read more)ranted, even though Leone's revisionist work was innovative in the mid 60's when many a genre film had become too stagnant. But whatever.

    For my taste EXILED is living a little too much in the wake of John Woo's late 80's Hong Kong actioneers. We've all seen these themes explored in this fashion already, so i guess in that way it's reliable genre action. The ridiculously macho characters and deliberate pace can be a bit tedious, but for the most part, this movie has really grown on me. I've come to appreciate Johnny's craft and drugged storytelling a lot more. Maybe it's just a case of what I respond to cinematically being very different from what a film offers. Genetic cinema opposites.
  • douchebagter
    April 9, 2009
    douchebagter
    No thanks - Not interested.
  • aswinwilliam
    February 1, 2009
    aswinwilliam
    A great asian gangster film. There many of them but this was kind of different to others. The story was pretty cool plus the stunning looking action sequences and special effects. Sure was a great film but if you can stand to watch gangsters blow each other up between women.
  • kienjean
    October 19, 2008
    kienjean
    A masterpiece!

    A film without script for the first time from Johnnie To, it shows how talent he can be. I really respect him.

    This film is best viewed with LCD surround or watch it in cinema.

    I love all the shooting scenes and performance from the ensemble cast. Cheers! ...( read more)

    This movie has a really deep and profound philosophy.

    Hong Kong's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

    Won Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival Carnet Jove Jury Award. Won Golden Bauhania Awards Best Picture & Best Director. Won Golden Horse Film Festival Best Action Choreography. Won HKFCS Award Best Director.

    Nominated for Chlotrudis Award US Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast. Nominated for Venice Film Festival Golden Lion. Nominated for Asian film Awards Best Picture & Best Director.

    Nominated for 4 HK Film Awards including Best Picture & Best Director.

    The film is a little similar to Reservoir Dogs. If it is truly unique I would have rated it 5 stars and put into my favourite list.

    If you like Quentin Tarantino style, or typical HK movie, or a bright new vision, or you enjoy action, or you're Johnnie To fan like me or you're the fan of one of the cast, you should not miss this out!
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