Hak se wui (2005)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Johnnie To

Writers:

Nai-Hoi Yau (written by) &
Tin-Shing Yip (written by)

Release Date:

20 October 2005 (China)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A drama-thriller centered on a democratic election within an organized crime society. |

Plot Keywords:

Election | Triad | Organized Crime | Car Accident | Loyalty

Awards:

9 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Simon Yam	...	Lam Lok
Tony Leung Ka Fai	...	Big D
Louis Koo	...	Jimmy Lee
Nick Cheung	...	Jet
Ka Tung Lam	...	Kun (as Lam Ka Tung)
Siu-Fai Cheung	...	Mr. So (as Cheung Siu Fai)
Suet Lam	...	Big Head (as Lam Suet)
Tian-lin Wang	...	'Uncle' Teng Wai (as Wong Tin Lam)
Ping-Man Tam	...	Uncle Cocky (as Tam Ping Man)
Maggie Siu	...	Mrs. Big D (as Maggie Shiu)
David Chiang	...	Chief Superintendent Hui
Yong You	...	China Police Captain (as Yao Yung)
Chung Wang	...	Whistle (as Wong Chung)
Siu-Pang Chan	...	Uncle Monk / Long Guen (as Chan Siu Pang)
Bun Yuen	...	Incense Master (as Yuen Bun)

Also Known As:

Election (International: English title) (UK)
Black Society (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) (literal English title)
Election: Vol 1 (UK) (DVD box title)
Election: Volume 1 (UK) (DVD title)
Hei she hui (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Longcheng suiyue (China: Mandarin title)

Runtime:

France:101 min (Cannes Film Festival) | USA:100 min | China:85 min (cut version) | Argentina:100 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:III | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Brazil:18 | Australia:MA | UK:18 | Malaysia:18PL | France:-12 | Finland:K-18 | USA:Unrated | Germany:18 | Norway:11 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Central, Hong Kong, China

Company:

China Star Entertainment

Trivia:

The porcelain spoon eating scene was based on Suet Lam's real life experience in triads.

Quotes:

Big D: [to Lok] Don't talk to me until you have the baton!

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hak se wui yi wo wai kwai (2006)

Soundtrack:

FOREVER SMILE

A good crime drama well worth watching if only to set up the superb sequel

Despite a tight narrative, Johnnie To's Election feels at times like it was once a longer picture, with many characters and plot strands abandoned or ultimately unresolved. Some of these are dealt with in the truly excellent and far superior sequel, Election 2: Harmony is a Virtue, but it's still a dependably enthralling thriller about a contested Triad election that bypasses the usual shootouts and explosions (though not the violence) in favour of constantly shifting alliances that can turn in the time it takes to make a phone call. It's also a film where the most ruthless character isn't always the most threatening one, as the chilling ending makes only too clear: one can imagine a lifetime of psychological counselling being necessary for all the trauma that one inflicts on one unfortunate bystander.

Simon Yam, all too often a variable actor but always at his best under To's direction, has possibly never been better in the lead, not least because Tony Leung's much more extrovert performance makes his stillness more the powerful.