The Wicked City

I've seen this movie at least a dozen times, and never once, never, didn't I cry at the end! I'm glad this is my first impression of sci-fi movie (besides ET, when I saw it at 6, which I don't quite remember what was really going on until I become a grown-up) since I first saw it at the age 18. It forever influenced my view of sci-fi movies. Whenever I go to see sci-fi films, I always pay attention to the styles, the messages contained within, the connection between the imaginative world and the real life. For me, that is what sci-fi movies really about, not some fancy special effects.

The other day I was surprised to find out we have copies for sale in America, I order a copy at once. But I was also shocked to find that this wonderful film, probably the best Hong Kong movie I'd ever seen, was not received well here in America. Almost all the people who praise the film are Asian. I don't think this has something to do with culture gap, because this is a very unusual Hong Kong films, it didn't contain anything specific about the Asian culture. And that's the point. It is not anything you expect to see in a Hong Kong, or any other Asia films you can find here in the United States. It didn't have fancy martial art, no strange custom (which I strongly disagree with. They always portray Asia as bunch of strange, mysterious, sick places. Because that kind of films can easily won the prize in European film festivals). This is simply a film about humanity. At the same time, it was so beautifully done. Very stylish, with the music that was so heartbreakingly beautiful. But do see this film in its original language with subtitle. NO FOREIGN FILM SHOULD BE WATCHED IN ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION! IT IS ALWAYS THE BIG DISASTER!!! Do take a moment to think about what you see and enjoy that beautiful ending.

I would call this a bad movie, it doesn't follow the original in any way and the acting sucks. But this movie is insane! I can't help but recommend it, this movie makes no sense and so much happens I can't help but like it. Random stuff happens out of nowhere, characters say random stuff, and all if a sudden the Police Cheif has random powers even though he isn't a Reptiod. You know, that's all this movie is, it's just random stuff happening. It's a bad movie but if you have some drugs laying around I would recommend it.

I just watched the anime and live-action versions of "Wicked City" back-to-back, and find it almost impossible to believe that they were based upon the same source material.

The original, Japanese animated version of "Wicked City" was a wildly original blend of supernatural horror, film noir, and secret agent adventure. It's tale of humans and demons battling on earth was really compelling, thanks to some interesting characters (the MIB-like Black Guard) and visuals (a spider-woman assassin, demons whose severed body parts continue to do battle).

The Tsui Hark-produced live action version virtually jettisons everything plot-wise that the anime version built up. The setting is Hong Kong instead of Tokyo, instead of supernatural demons, the villains are alien "Reptoids" (whose origins remain murky). Whereas the anime version drew energy from the conflict/romance between the partnering of the male human agent and the female demon one, plus an impending showdown between the two worlds, the Hong Kong version is more like a modern mafia drama with its multi-leveled relations and betrayals, only that the mobsters are shape-shifting reptillian monsters.

The film begins promisingly enough with what initially promises to be a scene-by-scene recreation of the prostitute/spider woman attack that opens the animated version. Before the segment ends, you already get the sense that something is amiss.

A couple of other visuals are swiped from the animated version: the lead agent's big gun, the female reptoid has laser-like claws that pop out of her hand like the demon-world female agent in the anime.

After that, everything is different - the plotting, character dynamics, everything.

Judged on its own merits, "Wicked City" has some impressive (though low-budget) special effects, an interesting visual style and decent fight choreography. However, I would take the animated version over this film any day.

This movie rarely pauses to let you catch your breath (or figure out the plot) before another onslaught of stylish action wierdness happens. Like Jackie Chan's CITY HUNTER, this is a Hong Kong adaptation of a Japanese manga (comic) which would explain all the tentacle monsters in the movie (a particular Japanese obsession). I couldn't follow the plot but this film is so manic and overloaded with bizarre wham-bang special effects that only the most jaded of fans could dislike it.

Mak Tai-kit co-directed this adaptation of the Japanese anime with Tsui Hark. This HK live version stars Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai and Michelle Reis as Taki, Ken and Windy, the characters from the anime whose names have been slightly changed as well as many other things, too. The anime has plenty of sex and nudity and this (of course) lacks all those elements and concentrates more on action filled mayhem. The plot is so confusing I don't even try to describe it, but it is about those reptoids who live "in peace" with humans and now someone is trying to destroy this peace and inhabit the world for reptoids only.

The action and mayhem-o-meter are as high as possible in this film. Still the story and plot are so hard to follow that it all looks little gratuitous, but maybe it is that way for Western eyes only. The cinematography and atmosphere created by blue and moody lightning is gorgeous and easily the greatest thing this film manages to give. The film bathes in this color and thus is very dark and takes place in night time only.

The film tries to say something about humans and our way of fighting and destroying everything and that is of course a positive point in a film like this, but still they don't concentrate too much on these deeper elements and they look little unconvincing. Also the fears of year 1997 (the film was made in 1992) when HK was given back to China are clearly visible and the film can be easily seen as a dark and pessimistic future vision of HK as well as the whole world of human beings. There is content but there is much more plain battles, shoot outs, chases and spectacular effects and monsters, which are really something rarely seen in Western films, but still they're miles away from those of the original Japanese anime, which I recommend very warmly for those interested after this film or in general.

I give this live version "just" 6/10 because of its mad and confusing elements and lack of any deeper meaning but still it is recommended for fans of fast paced Hong Kong action and fantasy cinema, but don't expect another Heroic Trio!