Set in a fictionalized version of the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City — based on the novel City of Darkness by Yuyi and the manhua of the same name by Andy Seto — Soi Cheang‘s Twilight of the Warriors‘s gritty and hard-hitting actioner delivers what we’ve come to expect from Hong Kong cinema.
Though it’s an action spectacle in itself, it’s lack of depth prevents it from becoming something more than that.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In opens with some exposition of how the rivaling gangs and Kowloon City came to be, which is supplemented with an action-sequence that doesn’t shy away from the violence. By providing information about the arrival of refugees seeking work in the mainland. Soon after, the film introduces its guide, Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a desperate Hong Kong refugee who fights to make enough money to purchase an ID from the triads so that he can escape the island. Though money isn’t coming in quickly enough, and so he steals a stash of Mr. Big’s (Sammo Hung) cocaine in hopes that someone in Kowloon City is willing to purchase the goods. The only problem with that is, Kowloon City follows three specific rules: Don’t sell drugs. Don’t make enemies. Don’t cause trouble.
While Mr. Bigs, his cackling lieutenant King (Philip Ng), and the rest of his gang are prohibited from entering the city, Lok has to figure out a way to make his temporary sanctuary a permanent one. Though, he quickly learns that the city follows its own set of rules and is governed by Cyclone (Louis Koo), a cool barbershop owner who is also an excellent fighter. If he isn’t grooming he’s taking out goons while fliping one of his cigarettes in the air and then catching it before it falls to the floor.
The film tries to strike a balance between being a claustrophobic action spectacle and a social class commentary. Although it highly succeeds with the former, it comes short with the latter. The small confines of the walled city provides for s dynamic space that allows its cast to combine parkour movements with kinetic fighting choreography. The characters leap through the air and smash through walls, sometimes in one swift camera move. The sound design also helps enhance the experience making it seem as though they are throwing a flurry of punches at such a fiery pace. Of course, the fights themselves wouldn’t have much substance if it weren’t for some of the memorable characters in Lok’s journey.
Within the walled city are hospitable people who care for one another as if they were all one family unit. Though there is somewhat of a hierarchy, its abundantly clear that Cyclone uses his role to be more of a protector than a mayor. His three-man crew consists of a face mask wearing medic, a sword wielding warrior, and a young protege. Lok is as proficent in fighting as they are but learns that being a one-man crew will only get you killed sooner. So rather than just keep on fighting, he order to adapt, he will have to pull put the city’s needs before his own. As such, he works an assortment of odd jobs like marinating char-shu properly and making deliveries.
Though the film’s city and action sequences are equal parts grounded with its real-life city and humanized struggles and fantastical with how Wuxia makes the action more cinematic and the films characters with their eccentric personalities, it doesn’t embrace the history of it all. Gang leaders speak about their historic feud to the younger generation as if there was something to be learned or to avoid future bloodshed. Citizens of the Walled-City watch the news about the future and the city’s fate. But because the action is the biggest draw it overshadows the emotional connect that comes from the characters struggles for survival, the inevitable destruction of their homes, and the generational trauma that’s passed down. Everything that is presented feels more superficial and doesn’t dig deep enough to give the film the emotional nuance that it deserves.
Yet, despite it coming short on bringing emotional depth via historical context, the film’s strengths come from its action, production design, and committed performances from its cast. Each of these characters are the hero of their own story. Though the tonal shifts from the action to the drama are a bit clunky, it still brings the fun through all of the action and stunt work — the latter of which is even more exciting when you see how they race down narrow passageways.
8.5/10