PTU (film)

PTU
PTU
Directed by	Johnnie To
Written by	Yau Nai-Hoi; Au Kin-Yee
Produced by	Johnnie To
Starring	Simon Yam; Maggie Shiu; Lam Suet; Ruby Wong
Cinematography	Cheng Siu-Keung
Edited by	Law Wing-cheung
Music by	Chung Chi-wing
Production; company	Milkyway Image
Distributed by	Mei Ah Film Production Co. Ltd.
Release date	17 April 2003;
Running time	88 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Budget	HK$4,000,000

PTU, also known as PTU: Police Tactical Unit, is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller film produced and directed by Johnnie To, starring Simon Yam, Maggie Shiu, Lam Suet and Ruby Wong.

Plot[edit]

The film follows a series of encounters of a group of patrolling Police Tactical Unit troopers during one night, which starts off when the patrol-team tries to help a sergeant of the District Anti-Triad Squad of the Hong Kong Police Force, Lo Sa, to retrieve his lost service-issue revolver after he was assaulted by a group of triad members. The films portrays the police officers' use of extra-legal means to achieve the results of investigations and reveals the complex relationships between criminals and police officers, the hostility amongst criminals themselves and even the rivalry among different bureaux within the Hong Kong Police Force.

Cast[edit]

Simon Yam as Police Tactical Unit Sergeant Mike Ho
Maggie Shiu as Police Tactical Unit Sergeant Kat
Lam Suet as District Anti-Triad Squad Sergeant Lo Sa
Ruby Wong as District Crime Squad Inspector Leigh Cheng
Raymond Wong Ho-yin as Constable Wong
Eddy Ko as Eye Ball
Lo Hoi-pang as Bald Head
Kenneth Cheung as Orderly

Production[edit]

According to To, the budget for the film was approximately HK$4,000,000 or about US$500,000.^[1] It was shot entirely at night.^[1]

While the final shootout sequence of the film takes place in Canton Road, To reportedly said that "if there was a single location where he would have wanted to stage a gunfight battle, it was Cameron Road, but he could not get permission from the police to do it". The sequence was actually shot in Ap Lei Chau.^[2]

Reception[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Cognac Festival du Film Policier

Special Jury Prize (Johnnie To)

Golden Bauhinia Awards

Won: Best Actor (Simon Yam)
Won: Best Director (Johnnie To)
Won: Best Picture (Johnnie To)
Won: Best Screenplay (Yau Nai-Hoi and Au Kin-Yee)
Won: Best Supporting Actor (Lam Suet)

Golden Horse Film Festival

Won: Best Screenplay (Yau Nai-Hoi and Au Kin-Yee)
Nominated: Best Actor (Simon Yam)
Nominated: Best Cinematography (Cheng Siu-Keung)
Nominated: Best Director (Johnnie To)
Nominated: Best Editing (Law Wing-cheung)
Nominated: Best Costume Design (Sukie Yip)
Nominated: Best Original Film Score (Chung Chi Wing)
Nominated: Best Picture (Johnnie To)
Nominated: Best Sound Effects (Martin Chappell)
Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Lam Suet)
Nominated: Best Visual Effects (Stephen Ma)

Hong Kong Film Awards

Won: Best Director
Nominated: Best Actor (Simon Yam)
Nominated: Best Cinematography (Cheng Siu-Keung)
Nominated: Best Film Editing (Law Wing-Cheong)
Nominated: Best Original Film Score (Chung Chi Wing)
Nominated: Best Picture (Johnnie To)
Nominated: Best Screenplay (Yau Nai-Hoi and Au Kin-Yee)
Nominated: Best Sound Effects (Martin Chappell)
Nominated: Best Supporting Actress (Maggie Shiu)
Nominated: Best New Performer (Kenneth Cheung)
Nominated: Best Visual Effects (Stephen Ma)

Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards

Won: HKFSC Award (Johnnie To)
Won: Film of Merit

Seattle International Film Festival

Won: Asian Trade Winds Award (Johnnie To)

Sequels[edit]

Tactical Unit: The Code (2008), directed by Wing-cheong Law^[3]
Tactical Unit: No Way Out (2009), directed by Lawrence Ah Mon
Tactical Unit: Human Nature (2008), directed by Andy Ng
Tactical Unit: Partners (2009), directed by Lawrence Ah Mon
Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms (2009) directed by Wing-cheong Law^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Axmaker, Sean (19 February 2004). "Karma Chameleon: A talk with Johnnie To (Page 2)". GreenCine. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
^ Teo, Stephen (2007). Director in Action: Johnnie To and the Hong Kong Action Film. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 128, 129, 264. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012.
^ "Tactical Unit - the Code (機動部隊 - 警例) (2008)".
^ "Tactical Unit - Comrades in Arms (機動部隊 - 同袍) (2009)".

External links[edit]

[:0-1] Axmaker, Sean (19 February 2004). "Karma Chameleon: A talk with Johnnie To (Page 2)". GreenCine. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2022.

[2] Teo, Stephen (2007). Director in Action: Johnnie To and the Hong Kong Action Film. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 128, 129, 264. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012.

[3] "Tactical Unit - the Code (機動部隊 - 警例) (2008)".

[4] "Tactical Unit - Comrades in Arms (機動部隊 - 同袍) (2009)".

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Films directed by Johnnie To
Films	Happy Ghost III (1986) The Eighth Happiness (1988) All About Ah-Long (1989) The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon (1990) Casino Raiders II (1991) Justice, My Foot! (1992) The Bare-Footed Kid (1993) The Heroic Trio (1993) The Mad Monk (1993) A Moment of Romance III (1996) Lifeline (1997) A Hero Never Dies (1998) Running Out of Time (1999) The Mission (1999) PTU (2003) Breaking News (2004) Throw Down (2004) Yesterday Once More (2004) Election (2005) Election 2 (2006) Exiled (2006) Linger (2008) Sparrow (2008) Vengeance (2009) Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011) Life Without Principle (2011) Romancing in Thin Air (2012) Drug War (2012) Blind Detective (2013) Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014) Office (2015) Three (2016) Chasing Dream (2019)
Films with Wai Ka-fai	Needing You... (2000) Wu yen (2001) Love on a Diet (2001) Fulltime Killer (2001) Fat Choi Spirit (2002) My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002) Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) Running on Karma (2003) Mad Detective (2007)
Co-director	The Big Heat (1988) The Royal Scoundrel (1991) Executioners (1993) Running Out of Time 2 (2001) Triangle (2007) Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020)
See also	Milkyway Image Filmography Awards and honors Tactical Unit series

v t e Milkyway Image
Films	Beyond Hypothermia (1996) Intruder (1997) The Odd One Dies (1997) Final Justice (1996) Too Many Ways to Be No. 1 (1997) The Longest Nite (1998) Expect the Unexpected (1998) A Hero Never Dies (1998) Where a Good Man Goes (1999) Running Out of Time (1999) The Mission (1999) Sealed with a Kiss (1999) Help!!! (2000) Needing You... (2000) Comeuppance (2000) Love on a Diet (2001) Fulltime Killer (2001) Running Out of Time 2 (2001) Gimme Gimme (2001) Wu yen (2001) Let's Sing Along Second Time Around (2001) Fat Choi Spirit (2002) My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002) PTU (2003) Looking for Mister Perfect (2003) Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) Running on Karma (2003) Love for All Seasons (2003) Breaking News (2004) Throw Down (2004) Yesterday Once More (2004) Election (2005) 2 Become 1 (2006) Election 2 (2006) Exiled (2006) Eye in the Sky (2007) Triangle (2007) Hooked on You (2007) Mad Detective (2007) Linger (2008) Sparrow (2008) Tactical Unit - The Code (2008) Tactical Unit - No Way Out (2008) Tactical Unit - Human Nature (2008) Tactical Unit - Comrades in Arms (2009) Tactical Unit - Partners (2009) Accident (2009) Vengeance (2009) Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011) Punished (2011) Life Without Principle (2011) Drug War (2012) Blind Detective (2013) A Complicated Story (2014) Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014) Office (2015) Trivisa (2016) Three (2016) Chasing Dream (2019) Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2020) Mad Fate (2023)
Filmmakers	Johnnie To Wai Ka-fai Law Wing-cheung Patrick Yau Matt Chow Soi Cheang Lawrence Ah Mon Ringo Lam Tsui Hark Jeffrey Lau
Screenwriters	Yau Nai-hoi Au Kin-yee Yip Tin-shing Szeto Kam-Yuen Ivy Ho
Crew	Dennis Law Cheng Siu-Keung Martin Chappell May Mok Patrick Tam Lai Yiu-fai
See also	Tactical Unit series