Full Contact
| Full Contact | |
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 Theatrical poster for Full Contact |
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| Directed by | Ringo Lam |
| Produced by | Ringo Lam |
| Written by | Nam Yin |
| Starring | Chow Yun-fat Ann Bridgewater Simon Yam Anthony Wong |
| Music by | Teddy Robin Kwan |
| Cinematography | Hung-chuen Lau Joe Chan |
| Editing by | Tony Chow |
| Distributed by | Golden Princess |
| Release date(s) | July 23, 1992 (Hong Kong) |
| Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Box office | HK$ 16,793,011[1] |
Full Contact (Chinese: 俠盜高飛) is a 1992 Hong Kong action film produced and directed by Ringo Lam. The film stars Chow Yun-fat, Simon Yam, Anthony Wong, and Ann Bridgewater. It was based upon Donald Westlake's novel The Hunter, with Chow Yun-Fat's character, Gou Fei, analogous to the novel's main character, Parker.
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[edit] Synopsis
The first part of the movie takes place in Bangkok, Thailand. Gou Fei's (Chow Yun-fat) friend Sam Sei (Anthony Wong) borrows money from a loan shark to give Gou Fei's departed mother a proper burial. The loan shark kidnaps Sam and Gao Fei rescues him by confronting the loan shark and persuade him to give more time for Sam to re-pay the loan. The loan shark does not comply and orders his cohorts to kill Sam but Gou Fei punches two of them before he engages a knife fight with the remaining gang members. After doing so, the loan shark attempts to shoot Gou Fei but he wrestles the gun out of the shark's grasp, frees a trapped Sam Sei and escapes. Not wanting to lose face, the loan shark promises to kill them, so Gou Fei and Sam Sei flee the city.
To earn money, they team up with Sam's cousin Judge (Simon Yam) for a heist. The group meets up, although a fight between Gou Fei's and Judge's friend (Chung and Psycho respectively) breaks out which is triggered off by Gou Fei making remarks about Lau Ngang. After the initial group meeting, Judge, meanwhile, is offered money from the loan shark to kill Gao Fei and Sam during the heist. The heist begins with Gou Fei blocking traffic while Lau Ngang tosses a grenade into an irate driver's car, which explodes. The intended target is a lorry and the group shoots and kills the passengers. Psycho gets in the truck but kicks Chung out and prevents him from boarding. The heist is successful but Judge betrays Gou Fei by attempting to kill him only to kill Chung instead. A car chase ensues between the two. The scene ends when Gou Fei flips his car up-side down. Judge examines the wreckage only to be ambushed by Gou Fei. Another fight ensues, Judge slices Gou Fei's right finger and thumb but is interrupted by a resident who shoots in the air telling them to leave. The stolen truck, now occupied by Lau Ngang and Psycho shoot at the house killing everyone but a girl. Gou Fei takes shelter but Sam Sei appears with a gun intending to kill Gou Fei (at the behest of Judge) but shoots him once in the chest and the rest at the floor. Sam Sei walks out with a pair of bloody eyes to prove that he has "killed" Gou Fei (Judge made remarks about Gou Fei's "mesmerising eyes" earlier). Convinced, he shoots the pressure cooker, causing it to explode, burning alive the previously shot resident and the girl, leaving her with 3rd degree burns.
Gou Fei, assumed to be dead, returns to the city, finding Sam now a competent gangster. Seemingly seeking revenge, he steals the shipment of guns Judge was hoping to sell and ransoms them back. The money is for the hospital bed stricken girl burned in the fire fight. The pair meet again but not before Gou Fei guns down all of Judge's cohorts including Psycho. Judge gives Gou Fei the money and asks for the goods but Gou Fei simply detonates the goods in the end, much to Judge's chagrin. The two shoot at each other but it's Gou Fei who gains the upper hand when he throws his butterfly knife at Judge. Gou Fei finally kills Judge before quipping "Go masturbate in hell!"
[edit] Release
Full Contact was released in Hong Kong on July 23, 1992. It grossed a total of HK$ 16,793,011.[1]
[edit] Reception
Variety referred to the film as "Fast, fierce and gleefully tasteless" while noting that it lacked the "transcendent style" of the John Woo films starring Chow Yun Fat.[2] The Austin Chronicle referred to the story of the film as the "more or less the same old thing" while stating that "Despite the obvious comparisons to Woo's films, Full Contact survives on its own gritty merits. It's a down-and-dirty little actioneer that leaves you squirming, breathless in your seat."[3]
In Time Out, it was described as "Super-slick, making opportune use of Bangkok locations, and relishing every violent episode, the film's unquestionably good of its type, but also sleazy and soulless."[4] Film 4 gave a negative review of the film, opining it was a "dated and discomforting B-movie" noting weakness in the characterization and plot.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Full contact". Hong Kong Film Archive. http://ipac.hkfa.lcsd.gov.hk/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=132123BI1876Q.184&profile=hkfa&uri=full=3100024@!30929@!0&ri=3&aspect=basic_search&menu=search&source=192.168.110.61@!horizon&ipp=20&staffonly=&term=Full+contact&index=FILMBRP&uindex=&aspect=basic_search&menu=search&ri=3. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ Harvey, Dennis (July 19, 1993). "Full Contact". Variety. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117907565/.
- ^ Savlov, Marc (May 7, 1993). "Full Contact". Austin Chronicle. http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/1993-05-07/139430/. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ "Full Contact". Time Out. http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/67159/full-contact.html. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ "Full Contact (1992)". Film 4. http://www.film4.com/reviews/1992/full-contact. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
[edit] External links
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