Shou shen

For a crime thriller, then "Slim Till Dead" (aka "Shou shen") wasn't particularly impressive, and it was often hanging just above the mediocre waterline.

Directors Marco Mak and Jing Wong set out with a potential interesting story, especially since there compulsive obsession with weight loss and weighing next to nothing is rampart amongst the women of Hong Kong - trust me, as I have lived there.

However, the story just failed to rise to the occasion, and only managed to muster a mediocre result. Which was a shame, because "Slim Till Dead" did have potential for much more.

It was the synopsis of the movie and the fact that Anthony Chau-Sang Wong stars in the movie which lured me in. But sadly this movie didn't impress. It should be said that he wasn't really performing up to his usual standards in this movie.

What hindered the movie was the lack of anything really interesting or appealing ever really happened. And as such, then the movie just trotted along at a very mediocre pace. And even when the odd bits and pieces of anything that could be interesting, then what was put on the table just never managed to take hold.

"Slim Till Dead" does deal with some interesting topic, but just a shame that directors Marco Mak and Jing Wong didn't delve deeper into this social stigma, because that this is a multi-million business in Hong Kong which is rotten to the core, and fueled by the media's ability to bombard the people with unrealistic ideals for their bodies.

All in all, then "Slim Till Dead" is not a noteworthy movie to have made it out of the Hong Kong cinema. It is mediocre at best, and there are far better crime thrillers available. "Slim Till Dead" scores a very mediocre five out of ten stars from me.

Tak (Anthony Wong) is a Hong Kong police detective (again). He has a chip on his shoulder because of accidentally shooting a kid who was passing by. He has a good relation between his wife Ling (Sheren Tang) who used to be a cop herself. There's a mysterious murder going on in town. Bodies of beautiful victims who's been staved to exactly 70 lbs. is showing up. Tak goes investigating the TV station where the girls were working at. Just then a kidnapping of one of the actress occurs. Tak is stymied by lack of suspects, but his wife volunteers to look into the dieting clinic all the victims seems to have connections with. Unfortunately, they still come up with no suspects until ....

Not a bad mystery plot. The movie has all the elements of Wong Jin's movies. Good looking girls, high quality production, and compelling story telling. Wong Jin himself appears as the police chief. The psycho serial murder with the diet angle was unique, and shows Wong Jin's mastery in coming up with good stories.

Sheren Tang was great as Anthony Wong's wife. She really added good contrast to Anthony Wong as inspector Tak, and Anthony Wong puts in his usual (great) performance.

This was one of the better movie to come out of Hong Kong in 2005, and is recommended for viewing.