Subject: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Sun Jul 07, 2013 5:18 pm
This one received a really warm reception at the New York Asian Film Festival, with some comparing it to Woo in his prime.
Strangways&Quarrel 'R'
Posts : 353 Member Since : 2013-03-26 Location : Florida
Subject: Re: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Sun Jul 07, 2013 6:02 pm
I've been looking forward to this one. I saw Johnnie To's Election and Triad Election last year on the Sundance Channel and consider those two masterpieces as far as the gangster genre goes.
Harmsway Potential 00 Agent
Posts : 2801 Member Since : 2011-08-22
Subject: Re: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:06 am
I definitely need to familiarize myself with To's films. DRUG WAR is the first time he really appeared on my radar.
Loomis Head of Station
Posts : 1413 Member Since : 2011-04-11
Subject: Re: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:13 pm
Going purely by the trailer (I know nothing about this film or indeed about this Johnnie To geezer) this doesn't look anything special - indeed, it strikes me as nothing more than a generic, garden-variety Asian action flick (and I watched it twice just to make certain I hadn't overlooked something). I'm not getting the feeling that this could be something rather more than that - another OLDBOY or THE CHASER, in other words.
It's not even an above-par trailer as action flicks go, as were the trailers for, say, A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD and THE RAID: REDEMPTION (not that those two actually delivered on the promise of their trailers, IMO). Had you not started a thread about this, Harms, I'd wouldn't have given this trailer another thought (if I'd watched it in the first place).
Still, one cannot judge a movie by its trailer, and I'll keep an eye out for further word on DRUG WAR.
Harmsway Potential 00 Agent
Posts : 2801 Member Since : 2011-08-22
Subject: Re: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:56 pm
There aren't too many reviews from the big publications, but here's what The Hollywood Reporter has to say:
Quote :
In Drug War, Hong Kong genre master Johnnie To gives a superlative lesson on how to give an updated, thoroughly engrossing twist to the classic cops-and-robbers chase. Following his relatively action-less financial thriller Life Without Principle (currently Hong Kong’s nominee for Oscar candidacy), To cuts a sweet slice of genre cake that pits the balletic efficiency of police operatives against the wiles of organized crime lords and leaves few characters standing by its bloody end. The first action film To has shot in mainland China, it brings a reported budget of $16 million of cool to the mainland, where drug stories are very, very rare. Shot and acted with flair, it has the look of a potential hit for its opener in China and HK this December. Genre film or not, its premiere raised the temperature of competition at the Rome Film Festival considerably.
[ . . . ]
While the cast plays dead serious, etching their very distinct characters through action, To takes a playful approach shuffling the story elements and confusing the audience. Superior stunt-work gives even the most violent battles a realistic look, while scenes are swept along on an elegant stream of breath-taking shots and cinematography.
Not particularly enlightening, but I'm sure the major outlets will get to it in time.
It's the enthusiasm for DRUG WAR on Letterboxd that has gotten me excited.
Strangways&Quarrel 'R'
Posts : 353 Member Since : 2013-03-26 Location : Florida
Subject: Re: Drug War (2013, dir. Johnnie To) Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:48 pm
U.S. release date for the Blu-ray has already been set, October 15th: