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Mad Fate

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Mad Fate
Theatrical release poster
Traditional Chinese命案
Simplified Chinese命案
Hanyu PinyinMìng Àn
JyutpingMing6 Ngon4
Directed bySoi Cheang
Screenplay byYau Nai-hoi
Melvin Li
Story byYau Nai-hoi
Au Kin-yee
Produced byJohnnie To
Yau Nai-hoi
Elaine Chu
StarringGordon Lam
Lokman Yeung
Berg Ng
Ng Wing-sze
Peter Chan
CinematographyCheng Siu-keung
Edited byDavid Richardson
Allen Leung
Music byChung Chi-wing
Ben Cheung
Production
companies
MakerVille Company
Noble Castle Asia
Milkyway Image
Distributed byGolden Scene Company
Release dates
  • 19 February 2023 (2023-02-19) (BIFF)
  • 30 March 2023 (2023-03-30) (HKIFF)
  • 20 April 2023 (2023-04-20) (Hong Kong)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeUS$1.5 million[1]

Mad Fate (Chinese: 命案) is a 2023 Hong Kong mystery thriller film directed by Soi Cheang, produced by Milkyway Image, and stars Gordon Lam, Lokman Yeung, Berg Ng, Ng Wing-sze and Peter Chan. In addition to being the film's director, Cheang also served as a film's executive producer. The film followed a fortune-teller who crosses paths with a young man with a strong desire to commit murder and tries to change the latter's destiny.

Mad Fate made its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on 19 February 2023 as a Berlinale Special.[2] The film also opened the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 30 March 2023[3] before its theatrical release in Hong Kong on 20 April 2023.[4]

Cast

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  • Gordon Lam as The Master (大師), a fortune-teller with an expertise in helping his clients cheat fate.
  • Lokman Yeung as Siu-tung (少東), the son of cha chaan teng owners and has a strong desire to commit murder.
  • Berg Ng as a veteran police inspector hot on Siu-tung's trail.
  • Ng Wing-sze as the Prostitute (妓女), a prostitute who seeks help from The Master in order to avoid her fate of dying in an imminent stroke of misfortune.
  • Peter Chan
  • Ko Tin Lung as Siu-tung's father.
  • Wong Ching-yan as a prostitute.
  • Pancy Chan as a policewoman.

Release

[edit]

Mad Fate made its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on 19 February 2023 as a Berlinale Special.[2] It also made its Asian premier as one of the two opening films at the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 30 March 2023, where director Cheang was also chosen as the Filmmaker In Focus.[3][5] The film was later theatrically released in Hong Kong on 20 April 2023.[4]

The film was showcased for its North American premiere at the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival in 'Hong Kong Panorama' section on 22 July 2023.[6][7]

Reception

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Box office

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Mad Fate topped the box office chart during its opening day in Hong Kong with gross of HK$450,000, beating out The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed HK$370,000 that day.[8] The film finished at No. 3 at the end of its opening weekend, grossing HK$2,962,028 (US$377,438) during its first four days of release.[9] The film remained at No. 3 during its second weekend with a gross of HK$3,494,876 (US$445,229) while accumulating a total gross of HK$6,456,904 (US$822,577) by then.[10] During its third weekend, the film grossed HK$2,306,888 (US$293,953), moving down to No. 4, while accumulating a total gross of HK$8,763,792(US$1,116,719) by then.[11] The film remained at No. 4 on its fourth weekend grossing HK$1,233,621 (US$157,329), and have grossed a total of HK$10,000,114 (US$1,275,362) by then.[12] On its fifth weekend, the film moved down to No. 5 with a gross of HK$735,519 (US$94,098), while having accumulated a total gross of HK$10,735,733 (US$1,373,470) by then [13] The film moved down to No. 7 in its sixth weekend with a gross of HK$485,970 (US$62,035) while having grossed a total of HK$11,221,703 (US$1,432,490) by then.[14] During its seventh weekend, the film came in at No. 9 with a gross of HK$212,081 (US$27,059), while accumulating a total gross of HK$11,433,784 (US$1,458,837) so far.[15][16]

Critical response

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On Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 9 reviews are considered positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10.[17]

Lee Marshall of Screen Daily praises Cheng Siu-keung's cinematography and Lokman Yeung's performance, while noting the film's tonal shifts.[18] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film a score of 3.5/5 stars and praises its inspired premise and screenwriters Yau Nai-hoi and Melvin Li's clever use of coincidences.[19]

Awards and nominations

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Hong Kong Film Awards April 14, 2024 Best Film Mad Fate Nominated [20][21]
Best Director Soi Cheang Won
Best Screenplay Yau Nai-hoi, Melvin Li Won
Best Cinematography Cheng Siu-keung, To Hung-mo Nominated
Best Editing Allen Leung, David Richardson Won
Best Art Direction Bruce Yu, Cat Leung Nominated
Best Costume & Make Up Design Bruce Yu, Karen Yip Nominated
Best Action Choreography Jack Wong Wai-leung Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Mad Fate - Box Office Mojo".
  2. ^ a b "Berlinale Program - Mad Fate".
  3. ^ a b "Mad Fate - Hong Kong International Film Festival".
  4. ^ a b "Watch the Trailer for the Johnnie To-produced 'Mad Fate' from 'SPL II' director Soi Cheang starring Gordon Lam".
  5. ^ "'Mad Fate', 'Elegies' To Open Hong Kong International Film Festival". 10 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Mad Fate: 22nd New York Asian Film Festival". NYAFF. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "New York Asian Film Festival 2023". Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  8. ^ "《命案》開畫票房奪冠周末啟動謝票 林家棟憶初拍銀河靠前輩教路". 21 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 16 April 20-23, 2023".
  10. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 17 April 27-30, 2023".
  11. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 18 May 4-7, 2023".
  12. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 19 May 11-14, 2023".
  13. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 20 May 18-21, 2023".
  14. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 21 May 25-28, 2023".
  15. ^ "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 22 June 1-4, 2023".
  16. ^ "Weekly Box Office - Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) 2023".
  17. ^ "Mad Fate". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  18. ^ "'Mad Fate': Berlin Review".
  19. ^ "Mad Fate movie review: in absurdist Hong Kong murder thriller from Soi Cheang, Lam Ka-tung and Mirror's Lokman Yeung try to change the course of destiny". 19 April 2023.
  20. ^ Wong, Silvia (6 February 2024). "Hong Kong Film Awards nominations led by newsroom drama 'In Broad Daylight'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  21. ^ Ng, Kang-chung; Hung, Emily (April 14, 2024). "Stars bring glitz and glamour to Hong Kong Film Awards, with The Goldfinger widely tipped as a big winner". South China Morning Post. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
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