Watched in the cinema (180th visit in 2024)

"Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" is the film adaptation of the novel by Yuyi and the comic by Andy Seto. The project has been in the making since the 2000s, with John Woo and Johnnie To set to co-direct. The cast was also a who's who of well-known stars from Hong Kong, including Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau and Tony Leung. However, the project didn't get off the ground for a long time until it was announced in 2021 that director Soi Cheang would be taking over as director. Two well-known Hong Kong actors, Sammo Hung and Louis Koo, have been cast in the leading roles, which is certainly one of the reasons why the film achieved one of the highest box office results ever in its home country. Now the international market is also being targeted.

When the demolition of Kowloon City was completed in 1994, a new era began in many respects for the citizens of Hong Kong. Soi Cheang's film is therefore far more than just an action film, as we are used to seeing in Hong Kong, but also a reflection of this formative time and its political, cultural and economic restructuring. As in "Limbo", Cheang proves his talent when it comes to showing the Moloch of a big city, the darkness, the dirt, the noise and the smells, which the viewer can experience almost at first hand. In contrast to "Limbo", however, the city does not become an adversary, as it is a refuge and home for the hero played by Raymond Lam, as well as for many other people who have built a life here, far away from the authorities and gangs.
At times, the perspective the film adopts seems a little too idealistic, considering that the real Kowloon City was controlled by these same gangs and was a haven for prostitution and drug trafficking. Nevertheless, Cheang succeeds in capturing the "texture" of this place, its colors and its sounds, until in the end this place turns into an urban battlefield. However, the aura of transience hangs over everything, as can be seen in Louis Koos Cyclone, who hides his sad eyes behind his sunglasses and suspects that the hours of this place are already numbered.

The characters represent the different moods of the time. Lam plays someone who is trying to put his past behind him and make a fresh start, ultimately finding a home. Koo and Hung are two bosses who couldn't be more different, because while one is still sticking to principles, the other is lurking for a chance to exploit Kowloon City and make a business. The battle between these characters is one that is about nothing less than the future of an idea, a homeland and a culture. The film's action scenes are correspondingly elaborate and fast-paced and will appeal not least to fans of Hong Kong action cinema. Rayond Lam, Richie Jen and above all Philip Ng are convincing in these moments, which are not just a means to an end, but reflect the characters and their development. Ng also seems to take obvious pleasure in portraying a character that is both exaggerated and very dangerous.