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VIFF 2010 | Gallants
By VIFF Correspondent Devon Wong
Gallants
Audience Award Winners
Hong Kong, 2010, 98 mins
Canadian Premiere
DIR: Derek Kwok, Clement Cheng
Clement Cheng, co-director of Gallants and a Local-Turned-Hong-Kong-Film-Director, describes the film as "an homage to old school kung fu movies in Hong Kong cinema's early days". That kind of description will typically send an audience either running for the door or salivating in their seats for the next combo to be thrown down. It's a soft spot, or a sore spot, for those that can recall what kung fu movies were like before they could wire someone to drop kick their opponent across a mountain. Fortunately I was broken into the genre as a young tot when my father would bring home "new releases" from our residential VHS importer, so I was looking very much forward to the 2010 take on the classic.
With a handful of once-famous martial arts stars from the 70's, you're bound to recognize at least a couple faces that also made cameos in the likes of Kung Fu Hustle. The plot is predictably simple, with Wong Yau-Nam starring as an unlikely protagonist (or martial artist, for that matter) as he attempts to reclaim his pitiful office identity by learning the traditional masculine ways of the Kung Fu Masters. The audience is quite literally taken back an era, as we follow the protagonist's journey from disillusioning City Life, to a time and place where one's status was determined by an old fashioned fist fight.
Despite its lack in complex narrative, Gallants makes up for entertainment points through well-choreographed action cinematography and harsh camera zooms reminiscent of my Dad's first camcorder. Having fun is an obvious tone created by the cast and directors that clearly translate to the audience through a number of cringe and giggle worthy jokes.
All in all, highly recommended for those who know, miss, and love classically cheesy Chinese movies, with a pinch of romance and two cups of kick ass.
Schema Magazine's coverage of VIFF 2010 is sponsored by the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival
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October 11, 2010 at 12:34 AM
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