Shao nian ye, an la!

Young people were facing a society with so many opportunities, but they don't have any idea what they can do. Hope and hopeless shows their power to these young boy's life.

Once you step in, you'll never get out. The most "real" movie about Taiwanese mafias, or gangsters. What will you do if there's no more justice in the society?

I wonder why there is so less review on this site for this movie, maybe due to the popularity on oversea, or less popular when the movie is released 30 years ago. However, this is one of the best work by great legendary movie maker Hou Hsiao Hsien, who is the producer of this movie, and the movie style follow closely to his previous work.

Of course, regarding it's theme, this movie is not for everyone, not for kids either, but it is considered a significant movie for Taiwanese movie industry. It has gained the classic and cult status. The whole movie for it's underground and cult status, the characters mostly talk in Taiwanese Hokkien/Minnan dialect. The movie shooting style is like documentary, and this add a sense of realistic and edgy feel to the movie. The score of the movie is also in Taiwanese Minnan dialect, making this one of the very Taiwanese movie.

Unlike various on-line's comments saying this is the Taiwanese version of Godfather/Once Upon a Time in America, or compare to Young & Dangerous film series from Hong Kong, or saying this is the gangster movie ahead of Monga or Gatao, this movie has almost non of the element found on these movies.

There is so much less violence and less fighting, there is no mafia family or boss of underworld to speak about, also not about climbing the ladder to fight for the leadership.

On the very synopsis, it is just about a journey of two youngsters that step into the world of underground not by choice, and accidentally involved into a series of fatal event. Even the first half of the movie mainly is about a revenge act by their senior, it is not made directly by the two youngster. There is also no heroism to speak about, it is just about survival in the cruel society that they are stepping in.

There are also major hints on social issues happened in Taiwan at that time, and also depiction of rural Taiwanese culture on that era.

To fully enjoy this movie, you should have some understanding of Taiwan's 90s or late 80s culture.

With the current 4K restoration, you might pickup this movie in your watch list.