Ban wo chuang tian ya

Yes, "Wild Search" IS a remake of Peter Weir's "Witness", but just like "Bullet in the Head" is a better film than "The Deer Hunter", this movie surpasses its American predecessor IMO. The subtle and subdued romance between Chow Yun Fat and Cherie Chung (who have a great chemistry that matches those of the classic screen-couples like Mitchum & Kerr or Bogart & Bacall) makes this one of my favourite love-stories in Hong Kong cinema (along with "In the mood for love", "Comrades - Almost a Love Story" and "C'est la vie mon cherie"). Naturally, the action is not too bad either (hey, we're talking about Ringo Lam here after all ...)

A loose reimagining of Peter Weir's 1985 film, Witness, Wild Search comes as an extremely pleasant surprise and showcases Ringo Lam's often underrated versatility as a director. It's a much more tranquil romantic drama with elements of his police procedural thrillers rather than high-octane action, although Lam does manage to provide us with some intense action regardless, patterned car chase included. With gentle pacing and exceptional performances from all involved, this easily ranks as one of Chow Yun-fat's best and his chemistry with Cherie Chung effortlessly enchants. Combining this with the gorgeous photography of Infernal Affairs' Andrew Lau and a dreamy score by Lowell Lo and Wild Search remains an extremely captivating and downright wholesome experience in its own right.

(1990) Wild Search (In Chinese with English subtitles)

This is the Hong Kong version of Peter Weir's "Witness" that starred Harrison Ford, but this time it stars Chow Yun Fat as the hero on the run with actress Cherie Chung as the love interest. When upon watching this film without seeing the original source, still can hold up quite well, because the setting is different whereas in Witness, Harrison Ford hides out amongst Amish people protecting a young kid. In "Wild Search" Chow Yun Fat hides out amongst the countryside protecting a little girl who witnesses her mothers murder. Because it was made in Hong Kong, this film has more tension and more action than "Witness" where the people that're chasing them serves as sort of a backdrop for the rapport between Harrison Ford and the Amish. This is the third of five movies director Ringo Lam collaborated with Chow Yun Fat.

Wild Search is a film in need of respect. I've read reviews that disparage it's pedigree--claiming it to be nothing more than a "Witness" rip-off. Yet, aside from the plot device of a young child being sole witness to a murder and that child's relatives being "from the country", there is little resemblance to "Witness" in plot or characterizations. Chow Yun Fat plays Hong Kong Police Sergeant Lau Chun Pong, nicknamed "Mew Mew". Mew Mew is a man in a downward spiral, having lost his wife and child in a robbery. When first introduced, he's sitting in a car, chain smoking cigarettes and drinking from his flask, watching the drama of street life before him as he awaits the arrival of an informant. His expression is disinterested and weary. In numbing himself from his grief, he is now numb to life. His job is what keeps him going, and he is good at it. He commands the loyalty, respect and affection of his colleagues and supervisor.

Cherie Chung plays the sister of the murdered arms dealer--whose death sets the plot in motion. Chung's Cher Lee is a woman of quiet strength and dignity. Life has not been kind to her. Her husband betrayed her, leading a secret second life with a woman from the Chinese interior, fathering a son. During their marriage he berated her for being clumsy and stupid. Rather than continuing to suffer the humiliation, Cher has divorced him and lives quietly with her father, working along side him in the village fields, harvesting bamboo.

Her sister's death brings Mew Mew into her life dramatically. Their relationship is at first contentious as he suspects her and her father of complicity in the dead sister's arms dealing. The relationship begins to transform as Mew Mew aids Cher in tracking down the father of her 4 year old niece. A man who turns out to be the kingpin of the arms smuggling operation.

Thrown into each others company, facing adversity and danger, these two wounded souls begin to blossom. A tentative, tender relationship grows and is tested time and again: through Mew Mew's suspension from the force (a result of threatening the powerful, rich arms kingpin); a domestic drama within Cher's family concerning her young niece and her father: the complication of Cher's ex-husband returning, determined to win his wife back; and Mew Mew's shooting by Cher's sister's murderer.

To be sure, these are restrained performances. Yet one only has to watch Cherie Chung as Cher as she sits at the bedside of the wounded Mew Mew, not knowing if he will live or die, her worry, longing and love playing over her features, to appreciate her work in this film. Chow's Mew Mew may lack the flash and dazzle of some of his bullet ballet roles, but the transformation from grief stricken widower to a man being brought back to life by love is fascinating to watch. His scenes with the young actress playing the daughter of the murdered woman are especially touching.

Another one of the formulaic action/romance films made by CYF from 1989. This was the same year as "God of Gamblers" and "The Killer" were released, both A pictures. This is definitely one of the B pictures, really only worth watching for the more completist CYF fans.

CYF plays "Mew Mew", a widowed cop. While investigating the murder of an female arms dealer he meets Cher (played by his frequent castmate Cherie Chung), a country divorcee and sister of the dead arms dealer.

It is love at first sight for Mew Mew, even though he feels twinges of guilt before the memories of his dead wife and son. Cher and Mew Mew are thrown together while Mew Mew investigates Cher's sister's death, mainly by the existence of Ka Ka, the orphaned girl and niece of Cher.

There are some touching scenes between Mew Mew and Ka Ka; while it is never touched upon in the script, it seems as if Mew Mew enjoys taking care of the child as he might have done his own dead boy.

Unlike the other rough cops CYF has played in these B pictures, Mew Mew seems fastidious and neat, knows how to cook and treats his girl at least as well as his best friend. While in this film there are really no romantic moments between Mew Mew and Cher after that first fateful glance, there are some sweet scenes between them, but unfortunately they are brief at the expense of some of the action sequences - sequences which really aren't good enough to warrant pulling away from what little there is to the story.

A slight story doesn't give CYF or Cherie Chung, both consummate professionals, much to work with but they try. Miss Chung is always at her most interesting when portraying less sophisticated, more down-to-earth women and one really wishes she had had more to work with in this role; the scenes of her cutting bamboo and mixing traditional Chinese medicines for the new love in her life are solid and seem very natural. This pair of two of Hong Kong's finest actors are given wooden characters and while they manage to paint them in realistic colors, Mew Mew and Cher never really come to life except for some very brief moments.

The subtitling is very bad on this film (the Mei-Ah DVD version); it looks as if the translation was done by machine, and not by a very sophisticated piece of software at that. For those who have seen a lot of these HK flicks subtitled in English you will be able to take the Canto-English and translate it on the fly; those who are unused to doing such may find the subtitling confusing at times and downright frustrating at others. At least most of the words are spelled correctly, even if misused; I would give the effort a 2 of 10 rating just for that (and that's being generous).

The direction, even though by Ringo Lam, is unexciting and unoriginal. It may be that he, apparently like CYF and Miss Chung, was simply uninspired by the whole idea of this film.

CYF looks good as usual, but a bit tired. 1989 saw the release of "A Better Tomorrow 3", "God of Gamblers", "The Killer", "Triads - The Inside Story" and this film. Two classic pictures, one very good one and two not-so-good ones in one short year is a remarkable achievement. Rent this one if you just want to see CYF and Cherie Chung together again, but only buy it if you are a CYFanatic looking to complete your collection.