Throw Down

2004

1h 34m

Action

List

93%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

70%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

A young fighter (Aaron Kwok) and an aspiring singer (Cherrie Ying) reawaken a drunken gambler's (Louis Koo) desire to prove his skills in the judo ring.

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Jeannette Catsoulis

New York Times

Bursting with gangsters, gambling and human weakness in general, Johnnie To's Throwdown is so strange and idiosyncratic that it's almost surreal.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 22, 2005

Full Review

Ed Gonzalez

Slant Magazine

A compelling remix of aesthetic showmanship and human movement.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 19, 2005

Full Review

Michael Atkinson

Village Voice

The absolute best neo-samurai judo farce in town.

Jul 19, 2005

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Throw Down is a marvel: a unique film experience that blends genre so effortlessly that it becomes difficult to describe its genre at all.

Rated: 10/10

Oct 10, 2023

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

It is a setting we are familiar with, yet the atmosphere has a different feel than what we are accustomed to.

Feb 28, 2023

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

No matter how hard he fronts; Johnnie To is no Kurosawa.

Rated: TWO STARS

Mar 8, 2022

Full Review

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Alexander B

It is a little hard to understand for a westerner but the fights are great, the acting I'd terrific and the directing is dupurb. It does a great job showing you the wonder of Judo.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Perhaps a bit too breezy and somewhat shallow given what Director To seems to be trying to convey yet 'Throw Down' strides through the finish line with it's gorgeous use of film stock, unorthodox trio of leads and appreciation of Judo culture.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

andres s

Beautiful cinematography. I love that opening shot of the twilight sky and the city in the background and then the camera pans to a field of reed plants - poetic. Very striking imagery, lighting and colors. This movie has captured my attention, I am intrigued. I love the lightheartedness and somewhat off beat comedic tone of everything. This is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, and I love that. It's so weird cuz the visual style says neo noir but then they play a romantic song from something like '50 First Dates'. It throws me off in an odd way. That tussle in the downhill alley was awesome. Yeah, the overall mood and tone is off lol. It's like the movie doesn't quite know what's its trying to be. The soundtrack and music are so off that it's comedic at times lol. It doesn't fit the scene or whatever's happening on screen. It's like they used stock and non copyright music for the movie lol. It ends up being a really silly final product. An unusually odd movie to say the least. I couldn't really get into the mood or tone of the movie, but I did enjoy the fight sequences and visual color style.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Deep and beautiful, so humbling but at the same time it capture every aspect of human emotions in this only one movie myterious, funny, drama, action etc. you name it. One of my best time watching movie.....

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

While I prefer his stylized bullet ballets, I still found this an enjoyable film!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Throwdown may not be top-drawer To, but it's still a good introduction to a director who deserves attention.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

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Johnnie To

Director

Louis Koo

Sze-To Bo

Aaron Kwok

Tony

Cherrie Ying

Mona

Tony Leung Ka Fai

Lee Kong

Jordan Chan

Mona's Agent

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Synopsis

A young fighter (Aaron Kwok) and an aspiring singer (Cherrie Ying) reawaken a drunken gambler's (Louis Koo) desire to prove his skills in the judo ring.

Director: Johnnie To
Producer: Charles Heung
Screenwriter: Nai-Hoi Yau, Yip Tin Shing, Kin Yee Au
Production Co: China Star Entertainment, Sil-Metropole Organisation, One Hundred Years of Film Co. Ltd.
Genre: Action
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (DVD): Aug 2, 2005
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Surround