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God of Gamblers is a bit of a hybrid of different genres. There`s intense drama, lively comedy and ultraviolent action. Chow Yun-Fat is God of Gamblers. Because of an accident, his mental state is reduced to the level of a child, but he has not lost his gamblegift(nor his hunger for chocolate). The people responsible for the accident(they didn`t mean to by the way) soon discover the unusual gift of their "patient", and begin to take advantage of it. Chow Yun-Fat gets a chance to prove his great acting abilities, without so much use of a gun(he also uses a gun, but rather rarely).

God of Gamblers has intense drama and a rather nice soundtrack(if a little bizarre at times). The comedy part is also all right, but a Western audience might find quite a few of the jokes a little TOO chinese for their liking. Overall though, God Of Gamblers is a quite tasty hongkong-movie that every fan should see. 8,5/10

One of Wong Jing's better directorial efforts, GOD OF GAMBLERS sees man-of-the-moment Chow Yun Fat playing an ultra-slick gangster/gambler who has a kind of supernatural ability to win at gambling. His activities soon bring him into contact with small-time crook Andy Lau, and after a bout of amnesia he finds himself caught up in a completely unpredictable adventure.

GOD OF GAMBLERS is a bit of an odd movie, plot-wise. Part of it feels like a slick John Woo thriller, complete with a lengthy and violent shoot-out in a multi-storey car park which wouldn't be out of place in the likes of THE KILLER. The other part of it is a more traditional Hong Kong comedy, a bit like the Jackie/Sammo flick HEART OF THE DRAGON, with some low brow humour and lots of situational stuff mixed in.

I have to say that I found the amnesia sub-plot to be overlong; it dragged the pacing of the film down as a whole, so my favourite parts were the first and final thirds. Saying that, it's still a pretty good little movie, with strong acting from Yun Fat and Lau, who make a good tag-team. The best bits are inevitably the stylish gambling sequences, which are funny and exciting in equal measure, filled with neat twists and some wonderful card tricks. Given this film's success at the box office, numerous sequels followed.

This movie once again demonstrates Hong Kong cinema at its best. At the helm of the movie, Chow Yun Fat demonstrates magnificent acting skills as he is able to act in all types of characters, from being a man trapped in a child-like state, to ultimately being the "God of Gamblers". Andy Lau also gives a very note-worthy performance, as Chow Yun Fats sidekick (even though this is a much younger Andy Lau). The movie itself was pretty good, although I would have preferred if the movie was entirely serious instead of putting comic relief in the middle. Regardless buy this movie, it is a must for people who enjoy Hong Kong cinema!!

All I can say is WOW! This movie has it all. There is action, comedy, drama, suspense. I have never seen a movie combine all elements as well as this one. I've seen about 10,000 movies in my life and this one rates in the top 5. It is that great! Chow Yun Fat is brilliant and certainly would have deserved an Oscar if this film had a proper US release. His comic genius is present in all aspects of his character. The supporting cast does a fine job, but he is the God of Actors and not just the God of Gamblers. The direction is superb as well. The timing, the camera angles and the music make this movie an absolute pleasure to watch. I just finished watching the DVD and will order the remainder of the series as soon as I'm finished typing here. WATCH THIS FILM!

It is kind of odd that it is only now 23 years after the movie was released that I actually got around to watching it, especially since I am a huge fan of Hong Kong cinema, and "God of Gamblers" is one of the heavy-weighters of Hong Kong cinema. Why? Well when it was released it wasn't easy to get a hand on the VHS copy here in Denmark, and not even when I lived in Hong Kong did I acquire it.

So did the movie deliver and live up to my expectations? Well, yes and no. Yes, because it was a very interesting movie and a genre defining one for the time it was made. No, because there was a little bit too much juvenile attempts at incorporating comedy into the movie, which failed miserably.

The story in "God of Gamblers" is about gambling savant Ko Chun (played by Chow Yun-Fat) who is known as the God of Gamblers amongst the gambling circuit of Hong Kong. Chun is living the good life, lots of money, fame and everything he could ask for, but it is all taken away one fateful night as he has an accident which leaves him with amnesia. With all memories gone, except for his unprecedented knack for gambling, small time hustler Knife (played by Andy Lau) takes advantage of Chun in order to further his own ambition. With lots at stake, can Chun recover his past and win the all important upcoming gambling event?

Actually the story was quite interesting, good and entertaining, however the laughable and juvenile attempts at incorporating comedy into the movie somewhat brought down the overall impression of the movie as a whole. Had director Jing Wong opted to not make use of this inappropriate comedy, the movie would have worked on a whole other level.

As for the cast, well of course you know what you get with Chow Yun-Fat, however this movie was fairly early in his career and he hadn't honed his actual acting talent all that much, it is heavier on the action parts (though thankfully later in his career the acting picked up). And opposite him there is Andy Lau with also is one of the major names in Hong Kong cinema.

"God of Gamblers" proved to be good entertainment (if you look past the comedy parts) and is a definite must have to any DVD collection to fans of Hong Kong cinema everywhere. And having seen this first movie now, I am looking forward to actually getting around to watched the sequel (and perhaps even the spin-offs as well).

It's rare that you see a movie that's so cheap yet so cool. How do you define 'cool'? What makes a guy 'cool'? If you would like to know the answers to these questions, there's one person you can ask, Chow Yun Fat (Yun-Fat Chow). He basically defines cool in this movie. However, that's not the only kind of character he plays in this film. Try and think of the coolest person you know. Now, try and imagine someone really childish. Now imagine both as one person. Sound like a difficult role for an actor to play? After you see the acting in this film, it won't look difficult at all. If you didn't think much about Chow Yun Fat before this movie, I can almost guarantee you will after seeing it. He is clearly a brilliant actor.

There's really no point to have a really good actor if you can't even have a good story. Luckily though, God of Gamblers succeeds in this aspect as well. I don't really want to say anything, as the plot is kind of weird at parts, but if you just follow along with it, you should pleasantly enjoy it. The characters are all performed fairly well, and are enjoyable to watch. There is also a great sense of humour to this film, which may seem weird at times, but always funny.

The directing is well done and the music is absolutely awesome, and fits the film perfectly. This movie also has what could be considered as one of the greatest endings of all time. This movie is brilliantly executed and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys watching movies.

Here is one of Chow Yun-Fat's Hong Kong movies. In it he plays a supreme gambler who is tasked with defeating a crime lord at cards but winds up losing his memory after an accident and is taken under the wing of some low level card sharks. This one begins and ends really well, with a good mixture of humour and suspense. The problem is the part in the middle, where Chow Yun-Fat loses his memory and is reduced to acting like a little kid. Even though it is quite interesting having Yun-Fat totally playing against type and stretching his acting range somewhat, the humour does get a bit grating and annoying after a bit (Hong Kong comedy is very broad in general). So, the movie is a bit of a mixed bag, but there is definitely good stuff in here, mainly at the beginning and the end.

If this is inspired by "The Color of Money" then Andy Lau would be Tom Cruise ..

Three part movie: First part introducing Ko Chun and getting gambling proposition from Wang to take down Chan .. Second part Ko Chun gambling adventures with Knife, whom is responsible for Ko Chun's memory loss .. Third part Ko Chun getting his sauce back and reestablishing himself as the God of Gamblers

Fun gambling movie with some action scenes and slapstick comedy sprinkled inbetween

8.5/10

This is an amazing all round film containing just the right amounts of comedy, drama and gunplay.

Although the Uk edition of VHS suffers terrible subtitling it is still a must see.

Part of the reason why I was a little confused about the plot of Wong Jing's "Du shen" ("God of Gamblers" in English) is that the copy that I watched cut off most of the subtitles at the bottom of the screen. From the amount that I could understand it was a very entertaining movie, casting Chow Yun-fat as a gambler with an almost supernatural gift. One of the best scenes takes place on scaffolding. Even if you can't read all the subtitles it's still a pleasant romp. Partially a study of the underbelly of gambling and partially a look at Hong Kong during its final years as the last British colony on Earth, the flick is a fun ride. Maybe not to the extent of a Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan movie, but enjoyable nonetheless. You'll probably like it.

Under appreciated as an actor in the west, Chow Yun Fat shows his incredible versatility as a performer in this Hong Kong comedy/drama.

Chow stars as Ko Chun a gifted gambler with an almost supernatural gift for gaming, hence his exalted title. Ko Chun is suave and sophisticated, master of his gaming, monetarily successful and confident in his abilities. This makes him enemies among not only opponents, but as it turns out, his allies.

Having narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, Ko Chun unwittingly walks into a trap set by Knife, a young gambler wannabe who hankers after a big score. Knife meant to teach someone else a lesson by sabotaging a trail near his home,instead, Ko Chun is the victim. Finding the head injured gambler, Knife and his family take him in and nurse him back to health, not realizing who has literally tumbled into their lives.

Ko Chun awakens from his trauma with no memory and regressed to a childlike demeanor. He's an appealing manchild with an insatiable hunger for a particular brand of chocolate (one carry-over from his former life), and as Knife and Co. find out, a talent for gambling. Knife and his crew make good use of their new friend's abilities--becoming upwardly mobile thanks to "Chocolate"--the nickname they bestow upon him, knowing no other.

Chow Yun Fat has never been more endearing and charming as the brain injured "Chocolate". Chow makes believable and incredibly touching this dramatic transformation from genius to idiot savant. Viewers may find themselves wishing to protect Chocolate from a world he no longer understands and which is by turns baffling and inhospitable. Knife and his crew come to love and protect their friend, mortgaging all they have to provide him with a surgery that might restore his sensibilities.

Their Chocolate-aided success brings unwanted attention, which leads to pursuit, kidnapping, ransom and gunplay. Further trauma to poor Chocolate follows which leads to a showdown that highlights the God of Gamblers uncanny ability to win, even when opponents cheat and "friends" betray. While Chow Yun Fat's impressive talent and charisma are at the heart and soul of this film, the supporting players are excellent, especially Andy Lau and Joey Wong.

A must see and a must own for any Chow Yun Fat fan! In DVD versions of this film the subtitle problems noted in other reviews can be overcome by using the zoom feature on the remote. By slightly shrinking the image and adjusting it upward on the screen, the English subtitles will be perfectly visible and readable 99% of the time. Note:The DVD version of the film is edited, with several original scenes cut that track the ascendency of Knife and Co., and one pretty major plot point that would clarify the denouement at the film's end. VCD versions which are unedited can be sometimes found, but the subtitle problem reasserts itself--VCDs cannot be adjusted to compensate for the problem. But for anyone who has seen the DVD and has the general plot and dialogue down, the search for the unedited VCD version is worthwhile.

Do you play the gamble?

While the British release is marred by terrible subtitles, this is still a great film. It isn't John Woo-style action all the way, but has so cool gambling, and John Woo playing a character who isn't just an action hero, but becomes an idiot, obsessed with chocolate.

And, regardless of everything else, the entire film is made near-perfect by the character of Dragon, the bodyguard of the God of Gamblers. He's the man we all would like to be.

If you like gambling, Honk Kong movies, or Chow Yun Fat, give it a try... you may like it...

First off, most likely the reason your interested in this film to begin with is because of Chow Yun-Fat. Well in that case this movie is the absolute "Chow-iest of the Chow". Interpretation is up to the viewer and this is why: Traditionally CYF divides the charisma of his typecast roles into three genres: Light-hearted comedies, witty romance-dramas, or violent crime-dramas. Sometimes he may blend 1 or 2 of these genre- based roles together in one feature, however in God of Gamblers we have a blend of all three. Unfortunately the writing doesn't make this a positive attribute, as the movie feels like a disjointed combination of two main separate roles for CYF. For instance here, gangster and toddler. Yes, Chow plays both a gangster and a toddler. The film IS as strange as that sounds. If you have an affinity for the actor and are prepared to suspend your disbelief however, this is a very fun movie with silliness and violence slapped across the entire run time. Chow plays Ko Chun, "The God of Gamblers" who becomes a magical legend of every casino he enters. A problem arises where one day he loses his memory due to an unexpected incident, and becomes a silly wandering man-child. By coincidence he meets Andy Lau a low level street thug, and after some misadventures together Chow is able to slowly remember the legend that he was, and then will continue to enforce. Despite a horribly bizarre portion of the film being dedicated to an infantile CYF, overall God of Gamblers is a fun ride with an epic ending which will leave you highly entertained plus eager to go out and gamble. In conclusion, the TVB CYF and John Woo CYF don't mix well, but a bipolar CYF translates to ridiculous fun on-screen. -6/10

No, not much is missing at all. The movie has great actors performing great all around whether it is comedy or action. The action wasn't much emphasized as in rather friendship, but when the action does kick in, it brings you to the same level as John Woo's bullet exchange, and heck, even Dragon (the bodyguard) knows some kick ass moves when he fights.

I did not expect much of this movie at first knowing it wasn't john woo who directed it, but after just the first 5 min i was totally into the movie and had forgotten who directed the movie, because it was equally great, and i couldn't ask for more

get this movie! i can't wait til i get my hands on it's sequels

If you like action movies, this film is for you. If you like gentle comedy, this film is also for you. If you've only seen Chow Yun-Fat playing suave, "hard boiled" killers this film is *definitely* one you should see. Breathtaking action sequences pepper a sweet plot about the triumph of innocence over arrogance and the power of love and friendship.

Plus you get to see Chow Yun-Fat walking around with Mickey Mouse balloons.

5 stars out of 5. One of my favorite HK comedies.

God of Gamblers is a classic Hong Kong film directed by Wong Jing, released in 1989, starring Chow Yun-fat as Ko Shun, a mysterious and unrivaled gambler known worldwide for his unparalleled skills. The film combines action, comedy and drama into an exciting and emotional experience that will keep viewers hooked from start to finish.

The story begins with Ko Shun being asked to help someone win a high-stakes bet. However, after an accident, he loses his memory and ends up living with a small-time swindler named Knives, played by Liu Liu. This unexpected twist adds humor and emotion to the film, as we see the extremely talented and confident "God of Gamblers" transform into a young man who loves to eat "chocolate" and seems innocent.

I think one of the things that has made the film gain worldwide attention is the development of the character. Chow Yun-fat has done a great job of portraying completely different sides of the same person, whether it's the cool, calm and powerful side of himself or the sweet and innocent side of himself. Andy Lau's character also plays an important role in the film. At first, he only wanted to take advantage of Chocolate's gambling talent, but as time went by, he began to take on more responsibilities and also involved friendship.

The action scenes are very fun and intense, you can't take your eyes off him. Especially the gambling competition scenes, even if you don't know anything about gambling, this film will make you feel the tension, pressure, excitement, and make it easy to understand the rules of the gambling game. The directing and editing also create excitement at the right times. In this film, the music is used to create emotions perfectly.

What makes this film so fun and interesting is the combination of different genres. You will see comedy, crime, drama, and even a little romance, making the film more lively and fun for a wide range of audiences. I can say that if you like comedy films that still have a clear storyline, you will definitely like this one. In addition, the plot has many twists and turns that make you unable to guess. Especially towards the end of the film when Ko Chun slowly regained his memory and had to face the enemy again. You can say that you will be on the edge of your seat in front of the screen with excitement.

The film has a late 80s chic look with flashy suits, sunglasses and a cool casino scene. The film captures the feeling of that time and place very well. I dare say that if you are a fan of period or classic mood movies, you will definitely love this one.

God of Gamblers is more than just a gambling movie. It talks about trust, identity, friendship and redemption. Even though it has been more than 30 years, the film is still popular and continues to influence many other Asian films and series. For anyone who is interested in classic Hong Kong movies or is just looking for a fun, intense, good content, humorous throughout and memorable movie, this is definitely a movie worth watching.

Unlike most gambling movies, God Of Gamblers does not address the addiction of gambling. It does not revel the dirty underside to casinos either. Most of all there are no plies of money floating down on a couple having sex. No, God Of Gamblers is something entirely different. With a fantastic mix of comedy, martial arts and high stakes poker God Of Gamblers set itself apart from all other gambling movie in a way only Hong Kong can do.

Ko Chun seems to have an almost supernatural ability to gamble. After nearly missing an assassination attempt Ko Chun falls victim to a prank set by a neighborhood hoodlum. After hitting his head, Ko forgets his past life and is left with a child's personality and an affection for chocolate. The hoodlum, Knife, brings Ko in and when he discovers the mans gift for gambling he uses Ko Chun to become rich. Only until Ko's past returns and the two worlds collide.

Chow Yun Fat plays Ko Chun and carries the film on his shoulders. With his excellent delivery as both the expert gambler and the innocent child we are captivated, watching his story unfold. Although the subtitles are horribly translated, the camera work is great and the fighting is better than expected.

Most action movies to come out of America or Hong Kong seem to have one problem in common. They focus on the action and forget the characters. This is why God Of Gamblers stands out from other martial arts movies. We take the time to get to know everyone in the story. The movie is just as much a comedy as it is an action movie. We aren't overloaded with long-winded action scenes. The action is short, to the point and interesting.

The film on the whole works well. Jing Wong has directed around 140 films and although I have only seen God Of Gamblers, I'm sure this is at the top of his list. One of the most interesting bits of trivia about the film is it spawned four sequels and six spin off films. It must have been HUGE over seas. And for good reason! Although the film is two hours long it moves fast and is highly entertaining. A must see for Chow Yun Fat fans or action nerds the world over!

Chow Yun Fat is one of the coolest actors to have ever come out of Hong Kong cinema, his roles in films like The Seventh Curse, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, City on Fire, and Tiger on the Beat establishing the actor as the Chinese equivalent of Clint Eastwood, Cary Grant, Harrison Ford, Charles Bronson, and Robert De Niro all rolled into one. God of Gamblers looks set to continue this tradition, introducing Chow as Ko Chun, a suave, sophisticated gambler who has a seemingly supernatural ability to beat the odds, much to the chagrin of various underworld types.

All seems set for another Chow classic until writer/director Wong Jing decides to try out a little role reversal with his star, staging an accident that turns his super-smooth character into an irritating childish simpleton, a combination of Forrest Gump, Simple Jack from Tropic Thunder and Dustin Hoffman's character from Rain Man (a film that Wong Jing seems to have taken just a little 'inspiration' from); at this point God of Gamblers becomes a far less enjoyable affair, the sight of one of Hong Kong's most iconic actors bawling like a child and continuously stuffing chocolate in his mouth not nearly as much fun as him cutting a swathe through Triad baddies with guns a-blazing.

A wonderfully staged and extremely violent shootout between a confused Ko Chun and a gang of criminals briefly reminds fans of what they are missing, but it's the only decent scene in this otherwise rather boring and not-in-the-least-bit-funny caper. The only other thing about the film worthy of any praise is the lovely Joey Wong, who plays Jane, girlfriend of Little Knife (Andy Lau), the small-time hustler who takes advantage of the mentally challenged Chow: Wong wears some iffy late-'80s fashion but still manages to look fabulous throughout.

Rather incredibly, this film was a massive hit on its home turf, spawning several sequels, and seems to have a pretty strong worldwide following judging by its high IMDb rating; I don't get the appeal, but then I never understood what was so great about Forrest Gump either—I guess imbeciles just aren't my thing.

4.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 5 for the (implied) necrophilia scene, which at least caught me off-guard.

Okay so I didn't understand a word of the movie, but thank god for subtitles!

Summary: Ko Chun is the master, the god of gambling, no one can beat him at card games and dices. He is hired by a guy to take his place on a high-stake gambling circuit only Ko Chun ends up having an accident by a couple who had set up a trap for somebody else. They take him in and take care of him, but when he wakes up he has no memory of who he is except that he has a fondness for chocolate and starts behaving like a little child! Great movie, brilliant performance by Chow Yun-Fat as Ko Chun, I rate this movie 10/10!

Inspiring and often hilarious, this movie should not be missed by anyone.

Gasp in amazement as Chow Yun showes his 'mah jong' opponents no mercy!

Laugh as Chow's head is beaten again and again!

Grab your wallet and puchase a copy!

This movie is great - action, storyline, step-in part by the director, comedy: God of Gamblers has them all. Make sure you watch the dubbed version or the ending will not be the same... (you'll see what I mean)

Watch out for the product plugs for Disney and the blatent disrespect showed to Masterfoods corp. as Chow yun refuses to eat m&ms in stead of his 'favourite'

Now sit back and enjoy as Chow Yun and Andy Lau take part in one of HK's finest.

(1989) God of Gamblers (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY

Chow Yun Fat likable as a master gambler at the beginning gets amnesia upon bumping his head while going down a hill because people want to kill him as a result of his success. A small poor group of naive misfits finds Chow Yun- Fat and take him under their wing where they would then try to exploit him! As you're watching this, you're like why couldn't they have taken him to a hospital and so forth... and the reason is that it wouldn't be a much of a movie and no one would watch it! He builds a rapport with this family who is taking care of him with a mind of a child and an automatic hand as an ace gambler! More comedy slapstick, betrayal's and back stabbings happen along the way, and of course action- a true definition of fun Asian Trash cinema from Wong Jing! There is even a necrophiliac scene which is kind of kind of unnecessary in the overall film and not for everybody! This was a big box office commercial hit with Hong Kong audiences wanting to see more which also inspired many Hong Kong copycats such as "King of the Gamblers", "All For The Winner", "Queen of Gamblers", "Gamblers vs Gamblers".

This movie contains one of Chow Yun-Fat's signature roles, where he plays super gambler Ko Chun, who possesses supernatural abilities during his card playing and has earned the nickname of "God of Gamblers." He was involved in an accident that resulted in him having partial memory loss and forgetting his title as the legendary "God of Gamblers." But, he inadvertently ends up showcasing his supernatural powers to street hustler Michael Chan (Andy Lau), who takes him in after his accident.

This movie has a little bit of a lot of things including action, humor, gambling, and the supernatural. The actors, which also includes Joey Wang, Charles Heung, Sharla Cheung, and Fui-On Shing, gave us quite a movie with a good balance of drama and comedy that made the film fast-paced for much of the film.

From Ko Chun blowing everybody away with his gambling abilities to the development friendship between him and Andy Lau and Joey Wang's characters, the God of Gamblers will definitely remain one of the most iconic movies in Hong Kong cinema and has spawned several sequels and some nonsensical knock-offs, and even inspired the role that launched Stephen Chow's stardom - The Saint of Gamblers.

Overall, it's an entertaining movie with Chow Yun-Fat at one of his best!

Grade A-