Tai fong lo chin

Shaking off his permeated image of producing only meaningless and not-so-fun comedies with often obscene scenes, Jing Wong,the director who is also a leading actor in this movie, has given us something different. Tai Fong Lo Chin is comparatively a solemn movie with well-organised plots, an unexpected ending and most importantly a message that reminds people they will have to eventually pay the price for greediness. Apart from that, it is quite disappointing the movie lacks laughters especially when everyone expects it is a comedy(although the film category says so) because of the leading actor, Nick Cheung, who has long been considered one of the greatest comedians in Hong Kong. This movie is not a comedy whatsoever but a drama with a message behind.

"Wise Guys Never Die" has nothing original at all. Wong Jing is known for copying ideas from other movies, but he gets away with it as he can pass it along as "parodies" in his comedies. Unfortunately, "Wise Guys Never Die" doesn't seem to be a parody at all, in fact, it seems that he is serious and thinks he can pull off a smart drama about swindling. Unfortunately, it falls flat.

"Wise Guys Never Die" is about an accountant (Nicky Cheung) who gets nailed for corruption charges and stealing from his company. He gets sentenced to jail, where he meets and learns from an old swindler (Wong Jing) and they end up becoming partners and plot to swindle people when they get released.

It's true that most movies end up copying from one another, or borrowing ideas from each other, and I'm fine with that. But my biggest gripe with "Wise Guys Never Die" is that the entire plot was REVEALED to me halfway through the movie, by using a very elementary type of foreshadowing. It's almost as if Wong Jing treats his audience as little children, and tries to guide us like guiding blind folk. The final shot of the movie is especially pathetic and unnecessary (not the scene, but the camera shot).

I won't reveal anything in this review, but anyone with half a brain can figure out how this movie would end. The gambling scenes were boring as well, the subplots were useless and especially Nick's wife, whose an interesting character but severely underused in a plot that pretty much had nothing to do with the story at all. Sorry Wong Jing, you should stick to what you do best, and that is parody comedies in the style of SNL and MadTV. You are NOT Tarantino, Bruckheimer, Scorsese, or Lynch, and you will never be. This is not to knock Wong Jing, but simply because he's toying with a genre that is clearly not his niche.

Tai fong lo chin (wise guys never die), follows the story of our protagonist Nick who is imprisoned for embezzling 10 million hk$, though he protests that he was set up. All pretty straight forward, he meets Teddy, a gambling con man, who teaches him the tricks of the trade (though not much of this is shown) in return for becoming partners once Nick is released. Up to this point its straight forward, Teddy has some scores to settle, among other with a guy called "Dragon" who runs gambling joints. He teams up with Nick to accomplish this, but this is where the movie turns into sub plots and basically many twists in the story line which I will not divulge for those who are interested.

On paper this sounds like it could be a decent enough movie, good enough for anyone who enjoys movies about gambling. However, a proper gambling movie this is not, the plot is somewhat idiomatic (especially concerning Nick's rather attractive girlfriend) and given one or two twists, most outcomes can be spotted from a mile away. Personally i thought it was a very un-gratifying movie, if you are a person who does not enjoy protagonists acting like an idiot, then don't watch this movie. From the many Asian movies I have seen, this one scrapes the bottom of the barrel.

Better "gambling themed" alternatives would be "Gong Fu Mahjong" (also hk) or "The High Rollers" (korean).

Wong Jing is the ultimate loser…

Some movies are so smart that the viewers are overwhelmed. It is generally OK to look smart when you are humble. However, if you think you are damn smart and the fact that you are pretty damn stupid and lame, it just turns the audience "off". Such is the case in Wong Jing's Wise Guys Never Die and when you not only have Wong Jing as the director, writer, producer, but also the main leading role, this flick is really going to head one direction – hell. It is a shame that after a flawed, yet promising – Wo Hu, Wong Jing as expected, follow it up with a piece of lame crap. Then again, it's becoming more like social norm than the unexpected. Sometimes, you really wish this flick to just work, especially when you have several hot babes baring it all, the newly improved reputation of Nick Cheung and a pack of cards. With that being said, the flick is not only disappointing, but it makes you feel sorry for the stupidity the entire cast has to go through.

Sometimes it is good to have ambition, but sometimes one also have to be realistic. Wong Jing may be arguably at best a capable director, but he is by no means in any destinations – a leading actor material. It is a disgrace to HK film industry and a full-on smack in the face to the leading actors of the tiny territory. Not only does he, not have the looks, but his acting is plainly crap and it is an insult for the audience to endure his face and unbearable antics on the big screen and the small screen. What's worst is the unrealistic portrayal of Wong Jing as the ultimate mastermind that seems to "know it all" plus a player. Seriously, Wong Jing bedding the hot chicks is like saying William Hung with Jessica Alba! Get real man, it is both lame and bad for the viewer's eyes. If this flick is directed by someone else, then at least, it makes Wong more credible, but when he is the one behind every one of those steamy hot scenes. It is clear that Wong Jing is more interested in touching and sexually harassing the hot chicks than actual filmmaking. All in all, it is a full on disgraceful performance that underlines a huge detrimental effect on the credibility of 2006 HK cinema.

With that being said, there are some better points, notably being the hot babes doing hot things here and there - including a pretty chick with just a piece of cloth, on the top of the HK peak. Extra points must be given to their brave performance as they handled the harassment of Wong Jing with grace and endurance.

As for Nick Cheung, who has become one of the better supporting actors in the last couple of years, mainly due to the Johnnie To's effect, shows once again that comedy isn't really his cup of tea. Whoever designed his hair – must either hate accountants (Neo doesn't have a lame haircut like that) or he/she is just plainly bad taste. It is still a rhetorical question as to why Cheung actually starred in such a role, after receiving much praise from critics net wide. In a totally un- educated guess, Nick might have been coned by Wong Jing into thinking that this is a witty and smart drama. If that's the case, then Neo must say that – Nick, you are really a stupid guy.

All in all, Wise Guys Never Die is not really a gambling film or a comedy, but rather a chance for Wong Jing to flirt and touch some innocent hot chicks. It is degrading and absolutely disgraceful to endure through the steamy spa scenes. To be honest, Neo does not recommend this flick in any fashion and if you have a chance, just stay away from it. Yes, it is an official warning. Yes, if Wong Jing is replaced by Tony Leung Chiu Wai – Neo will probably praise it as a daring performance. Yes, it has the chicks. Yes, it is from Wong Jing, but it is so damn stupid and the though of seeing Wong Jing in a leading role is really like the end of HK cinema. For the goodness of the world sake, please do not make a sequel or a prequel and do not let this happen again…

Note: All 3 rating points are given to the chicks that endured through this harassment event.

I rate it 3/10

This is one of Wong Jing's serious movie - that he successfully brought up the theme about "Con & Karma". It was a great movie because it simply was written very well - characters got layers, storyline is mature & believable. I haven't seen any movies as good as this one in this genre. Probably because most movie goers these days are getting younger and only look for visual effects with big explosions, yelling & screaming, lots of actions ... etc. Sigh!!! They are missing out big time. For those who appreciate Hong Kong movies / movies with mature themes, it is a must-see!!! I personally admired Wong Jing as a Script Writer & Director & a Film Maker - he makes movie that is entertaining & profitable to investors. Some Hong Kong movie directors, such as Yee Tung-Sing, criticized his works as poor taste, non-educational and pollute Hong Kong film industry. They are both good directors and film makers - just have different styles and purposes. Wong Jing's ultimate purpose in making movies is to make money for investors while make a movie that entertains audience, while Yee makes movies to bring up social conscience about certain issues. Wong Jing's movies get more revenues for sure, hands down!!! Wong Jing recently moved to China and hopefully, it would give him more freedom to make more mature movies like this one. Good luck Master Film Maker Wong Jing!!!