Audience Member
Review:
The first thing that I noticed with this movie, is how dated it looked, and the soundtrack was pretty awful. I also didn't like the narrating right at the beginning of the film because I found it a cheap way to get the movie going. Apart from that, I enjoyed the whole gangster element of the film and the brutal baddie Yung (Alex Man), who basically went on a killing spree to get to the top, was great. Chow Yun-Fat's character, Lee Ah-chai, was always great and when he teamed up with Kwok (Andy Lau), near the end, they really worked well together. I must admit, the action scenes were way over the top and the amount of times that people were getting shot, before they died, was ridiculous but it's still a watchable, old school gangster movie which does have its good points. I just wished that I saw the first movie, Richard & Famous, before I watched this one! Watchable!
Round-Up:
This movie was directed by Taylor Wong, who has made 22 movies for the Oriental market but his Rich and Famous franchise has to be his best movies to date. He definitely got the most out of the actors/actresses but the whole dated look of the movie, let it down for audiences who watch it today.Â
Budget: N/A
Worldwide Gross: HK $19million
I recommend this movie to people who are into their action/crime/dramas starring Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Danny Lee, Alex Man and Siu-Fung Wong. 5/10
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
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Audience Member
I watched this movie in the theater's projection room.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
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Audience Member
Excellent HK Ganster Movie Chow-Yun Fat is one of the most impressive and most tragic Anti-Hero's and Andy Lau is one of the meanest Villains in Film History
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
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Audience Member
Not much to say... It's like a new Hong Kong cinema in terms of style, but it gets you bored and even sick to see so many people just getting injured and dying and brothers or father and son killing each other...
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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Audience Member
some of the deaths in this film are memorable
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/09/23
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Audience Member
For those of you who, upon turning off 1986's HK triad saga 'Rich and Famous', wondered, "wouldn't it kick ass if there was a sequel to this?" you're in luck. Chow Yun Fat, Andy Lau, Alex Man, Carina Lau, and even Danny Lee (in what is more or less a small 30 second blip on the screen) all return to give us the final chapter in the exploits of Triad boss Le Ah Chai. For those of you who thought 'Rich and Famous' took a bit too long to get to the action and gangster gun play, you're in luck too. 'Tragic Hero' goes for broke in , frankly ridiculous, over-the-top shoot outs, and boasts one of the highest bodycounts in recent cinematic history. Where 'Rich and Famous' focused on issues of brotherhood and loyalty between the characters of Alex Man and Andy Lau, this one is a more straightforward mix of the Godfather and a typical Bronson revenge flick centering on the ever-slick and amazing Chow Yun Fat (the Killer, Tiger on the Beat, Bulletproof Monk).
So, I kinda dug this, but kinda didn't. I think I'd have to say 'Rich and Famous' is a little better, because it was more subtle, whereas this one just goes 'Commando' on our asses 20 minutes in and doesn't let up. Taylor Wong did a good job with the predecessor of balancing the action with a storyline that intrigued, yet couldn't fully develop in the hour and forty minutes alloted. Here, he seems content to say "fuck all," blow shiznit up, kill off pretty much all the main characters, and provide a visual feast of violence, vengeance. and blood on screen.
Chow Yun Fat does pretty well as Le Ah Chai, the HK godfather, but the rest of the cast seems distracted or rushed by the dizzying subplots and confusing tone. Alex Man is deliciously evil as Yung, who has been unusually quiet since getting out of prison. Yung's silence is soon punctured, and he gets his revenge on Chow's character until Chow literally has lost everything- friends, family, empire. This, understandably, makes Chow pissed, and he enlists the aid of Andy Lau (God of Gamblers, Running on Karma, Fulltime Killer), who has been living as a teacher on some island paradise, but still remembers how to fire semi-automatic weapons and grenade launchers in Rambo proportions in the finale. Together, they will not rest until many buildings are sprayed with bullets, small towns set on fire, and someone gets blown to bits with a rocket launcher in Death Wish IV fashion.
Speaking of the finale, many have deservedly compared its cartoonish violence to rival that of 'A Better Tomorrow II' or 'Death Wish III,' and I can't argue with that.
This one was in and out of the system pretty fast: pretty tasty when watching, but forgettable afterwards. There are definitely worse Hong Kong triad/heroic bloodshed movies out there, and you may find yourself enjoying the further exploits of HK godfather Lee Ah Chai. Otherwise, rent something more palatable like Johnny To's 'Election or tried and true stuff like Woo's 'A Better Tomorrow.'
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
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