Herman Yau Movies
- 2009
A triad gangster wrestles with conflicting loyalties after being selected by his boss to become a mole within the police force, then being recruited by the Head of District Anti-Triad Squad to go undercover and infiltrate the underworld. Anthony Wong and Michael Tse star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Tse, Anthony Wong, (more)
- 2007
Notorious Untold Story director Herman Yau returns to terrify viewers with this supernaturally-charged tale concerning a Hong Kong policeman whose extramarital affair literally comes back to haunt him. Cheung Lok-man (Mark Cheng) is a hard-boiled CID detective who is better known as "Rockman" by his fellow law enforcers, and who previously entered into a heated tryst with sultry stripper Elli (Teng Tzu-hsuen) while in Thailand investigating a case involving both the Hong Kong and Thai underground syndicates. Unexpectedly summoned back to Hong Kong, Rockman promises Elli that he will return for her sometime in the not too distant future but ultimately fails to make good on his word. Three years later, Rockman is investigating a murder in Hong Kong when his son dies under mysterious circumstances and notorious fugitive Lam Chiu (Kenny Wong) murders a high-ranking policeman. Despite the fact that he was shot in the head by Rockman, Lam miraculously recovers from his would-be mortal wound and finds that he is no longer able to experience physical pain. As the local newspapers scramble to find a connection between the two cases, supernaturally perceptive detective Brother Sum (Lam Suet) begins to suspect that the lovelorn Elli may have placed a curse on detective Rockman after he failed to return to her in Thailand. At first Rockman is skeptical of this speculation, but when his grieving wife Kar-pi (Maggie Siu) begins suffering from a potent form of black magic known as Gong Tau he quickly seeks the assistance of renowned exorcist Master Clear Sea. Unfortunately the exorcism fails to take, causing the malevolent sorcerer who originally placed it to grow infinitely more powerful. Later, when Lam offers to remove the curse that hangs over Kar-pi if Rockman allows him to go free, it is revealed that the originator of the curse was Elli's guardian angel Lockman, and that the malevolent Gong Tau-practitioner is determined to make Rockman and his family suffer the worst torment imaginable. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Cheng, Maggie Shiu, (more)
Notorious Untold Story and Ebola Syndrome director Herman Yau turns his lens on the simmering Hong Kong sex industry in this drama about two mamasans who aren't willing to let their club close without a fight. When increased competition from ambitious young mainland prostitutes causes attendance to dwindle at there once-thriving club, top mamasans Coco (Athena Chu) and Jenny (Candice Yu) are forced to get creative if they want to keep themselves and their loyal flock of hostesses afloat. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A young athlete desperate to support his girlfriend is inadvertently drawn into the dangerous world of underground fighting. As the oppressive greed and ruthless of the underground prizefighting circuit transform a once-naïve contender into a hardened fighting machine, this noble young warrior enters into a battle in which both his life, and his soul, are on the line. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wu Jing
- 2004
A friendly reunion at a remote cottage quickly descends into a bloody battle for survival when seven friends are stalked by an unidentified maniac in director Herman Yau's tense run-and-slash thriller. Though their arrival at the scenic island retreat finds the long separated friends quick to reconnect as they prepare for a relaxing weekend in good company, a series of deadly and inexplicable accidents soon leads the rapidly dwindling survivors to suspect that their may in fact be a murderous madman lurking within their ranks. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Hong Kong legend Tsui Hark brings you this tale of high-kicking vampire action. A quartet of kung fu masters trained in the Taoist Mao Shan School of magic are on the hunt for zombie vampires in 19th century China. When their Master Jiang (Yu Rongguang) disappears in an intense fight with one of these nasties, Rain, Lightning, Thunder, and Wind set across the countryside for revenge as the Vampire King continues to terrorize the surrounding villages. Through their quest, our heroes discover love and treasure as the legion of the undead hop around them wrecking havoc in true Hong Kong vampire fashion. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Chang, Michael Chow Man-kin, (more)
- 2001
In 1997, as political control of Hong Kong shifted from the British government to that of China, Hong Kong's legal system went through a metamorphosis, and this drama tells the tale of one young man caught in the middle. As a teenager, Cheung Yau-ming (David Lee) fell in with a group of thugs and in 1985 was involved in an assault on a girl that led to her death. Cheung was arrested and found guilty of the crime, and was sentenced to be "detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure" -- an open-ended sentence that could last as long as the authorities saw fit. Twelve years later, Cheung is still behind bars, and with mainland China soon to take power, Zhang Yul-ing (Ai Jinhg), a Chinese activist, sets out to help Cheung and others like him by working with lawyers to give prisoners fixed sentences, rather than have their sentences translated to "at the Chief Executive's Pleasure," which generally means the prisoner is never released. While Zhang and lawyer Leung (Stephen Tang) do all they can to help, it doesn't take long for them to realize that they're facing an uphill battle. Danghau Tung Chee-wah Fatlok generated a certain degree of controversy upon its initial release; the film was expected to be the opening night attraction at the 2001 Hong Kong Film Festival, but it was pulled from their schedule, with many believing the film's political content angered government officials who refused to allow the film to be shown, though a government spokesman claimed the film's screening was cancelled due to poor creative merit. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Tang, David Li, (more)
Directed by Tsui Hark, The Legend of Zu is an adaptation of the 64-volume epic novel of the same name, and follows several warriors training in the mysterious Zu mountains. Somehow, the powers of the mountain are absorbed by the warriors and subsequently used to help combat the evil forces threatening the world's safety. When the mountains are invaded by a creature known only as the Blood Demon, the warriors must pool their skills in order to preserve humankind. The film features Louis Koo, Kelly Lin, Zhang Ziyi, Ekin Cheng, Sammo Hung, and Cecilia Cheung. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Also known as A Dumb Boy, this Hong Kong drama is the story of a dying mother and her love for her retarded son. Mrs. Fat (Deanie Ip) is slowly succumbing to cancer, but her biggest worry is her only child, the 30-year-old Bee (Patrick Tam). Possessing the mind of a toddler but the hormonal urges of a sexually aroused rhino, Bee finds himself in trouble with the gangster boyfriend of his neighbor May (Suki Kwan). After the thug is killed for stealing some heroin, the pregnant May becomes severely disabled -- and after Bee's real mother dies, the surrogate mother for her new friend. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deanie Ip, Patrick Tam, (more)
Two men who have a great deal in common become friends, only to find themselves turned into enemies in this slam-bang action fest from Hong Kong. Tyler (Nicholas Tse) is a man trying to make a career in a rough section of Hong Kong. One night, after several drinks too many, he hooks up with Ah Jo (Cathy Chui), an off-duty undercover cop who has also had a bit more alcohol than usual. Tyler and Ah Jo spend the night together, even though she usually prefers the company of women, and Ah Jo soon finds she's pregnant. Ah Jo has no desire to remain involved with Tyler, but he wants to do the right thing, so he takes a job as a bodyguard for low-level gangster Uncle Ji (Anthony Wong) and sends her his money, all the while wishing he could be in Brazil. Meanwhile Jack (Wu Bai), who once lived in Brazil, is back in Hong Kong with his very pregnant wife Ah Hui (Candy Lo), the daughter of a triad kingpin targeted by Brazilian gangsters. Uncle Ji is in charge of protecting the triad leader, and he makes Tyler one of his right-hand men. Tyler and Jack get to know one another and become close friends, but their friendship comes to an end when the Brazilian mob makes Jack an offer he can't refuse, putting the two men on opposite sides of a gangland war. Seunlau Ngaklau was directed by Tsui Hark, who returned to Hong Kong filmmaking after a brief sojourn in Hollywood. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicholas Tse, Wu Bai, (more)
- 1997
A crack shot with a cool head and an eye for beautiful dames, Mumble Chow, private detective, embarks upon one of his most challenging cases when a pretty femme fatale lures him to the home of a triad boss looking for his missing daughter Cher. Stuffed with action, comedy and beautiful women, this exciting Hong Kong-set detective adventure is based on a popular Japanese manga. Before becoming a gumshoe, Ben Chow had been a marksman with one of the city's most elite commando police units. He got fired after arriving late to a training exercise that ended in disaster. As a detective, he meets Cher by accident when he saves her from a deadly situation. After going to work for her father, he manages to find the missing girl and bring her home. The murder of her oily fiancé, causes the triad boss to hire Mumble as Cher's new bodyguard. That's fine with the detective, for he wants to kindle a relationship with her. At the same time, he is quietly stalked by a vengeful woman who is convinced that Mumble murdered her father. Other troubles arise when someone kidnaps Cher's father, and Mumble finds out that his former commando buddies are out to fulfill a contract on his head. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Chow, Pauline Suen, (more)
- 1996
Even more gruesome and excessive than his notorious 1993 horror film The Untold Story, this bloody Category III sleazefest from Hong Kong director Herman Yau has earned its considerable reputation among gorehounds and Asian horror cultists as among the most cringe-inducing films of its kind. Anthony Wong, who had starred in Yau's previous film, gives one of his most unnerving performances as Kai, who has been a fugitive in South Africa for a decade after committing a trio of brutal murders in 1986. In the present, he is seen working at his illegal low-wage job as a cook at a Chinese restaurant. During an excursion to purchase pigs from a local African tribe, Kai is overcome with lust and rapes a native woman who, unbeknownst to him, is infected with the deadly Ebola virus. Before too long, Kai is an Ebola carrier, setting the stage for some truly revolting sequences. After decapitating his employer, Kai rapes and murders the dead man's wife and uses the couple's corpses to make "African Buns" which pass the virus to anyone unfortunate enough to eat one. Growing more insane by the minute, Kai returns to Hong Kong and goes on a bloodthirsty killing spree, terrorizing the public and allowing Wong to further demonstrate that Florian Koerner von Gustorf (Schramm) isn't the only actor willing to break every conceivable onscreen taboo to shock an audience. Belaboring the point, Wong returned two years later for The Untold Story II. With its virtually identical structure and plot line, this film may be considered an unofficial entry in that series as well. Vincent Wan co-stars with Marianne Chan, Shing Fui-On, and Bobby Yip. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
Herman Yau Lau-to spins this goo wak jai gangster yarn featuring Tony Leung Chiu-wai. The film opens with a gangland fight that breaks out at a screening of Young and Dangerous 3 -- which also happened to be made by this film's producers. During the fight, bumptious gangster Siu-chun (Jordan Chan Siu-chan) from the Hung Hing clan is about to be clobbered by Scum (Ngai Sing), a thug from the rival Tong Sheng gang, when he is saved by celebrated street fighter Hong Fei (Leung). Later, Siu-chun's journalist sister Tong (Carman Lee Yeuk-tung) becomes fascinated with Fei when the charismatic gangster takes her to an underworld drag racing meet. She eventually learns that Fei is the heir to the Hung Hing dynasty. Yet Fei quietly blames his father Hong Sheng (Ku Feng) -- and current don of the gang -- for the brutal deaths of his sister and mother. hen Sheng does die of a stroke, Fei's reluctance to take the reigns of power results is chaos on the streets. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Herman Yau spins this low-budget erotic thriller featuring the softcore screen debut of pop idol Irene Wan. The film opens with a naked woman plunging to her death off of a high-rise -- a seeming suicide. Her husband Tsui Chin-tung (Simon Yam) is unconvinced and sets out to seek vengeance against sleazy businessman Lam Kwok-chui (Alfred Cheung) whom his wife was having an affair with. Though only planning to beat the guy up, he ends up abducting his beautiful wife Ho-yee (Wan) along with his kid. When his crime threatens to be undone by a greedy neighbor, Tsui releases his hostages after Lam reluctantly pays only part of the ransom. Upset and suspicious that her husband tries to haggle for her freedom, Ho-yee returns to Tsui to engage in noisy lovemaking and to plot against her evil husband. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alfred Cheung, Irene Wan, (more)
- 1996
This Hong Kong action film from director Andrew Lau details the activities of a Special Duty Unit (SDU, the local equivalent of a SWAT team) and was designed to capitalize on the success of Gordon Chan's 1994 blockbuster The Final Option. Indeed, the film's Chinese title positions it as a direct sequel, although it is entirely unrelated. The film begins as some gun-toting arms dealers lay waste to a SDU, necessitating a number of new recruits to be put through the grueling two-week training regimen commanded by Eagle (Roy Cheung). Much of the film focuses on Tung Tung (Daniel Chan), who was on police patrol but signed up for a SDU after his partner was viciously murdered by a Vietnamese hitman. Julian Cheung co-stars as Coolman, another recruit who bears a special animosity toward Tung Tung, the secret reason for which is revealed to him by his parents. The first half of the film concentrates on the training period, with the new SDU team members getting a chance to apply what they learned in the rousing second half, in which they are sent to a desert island for three days, during which they encounter some sadistic Vietnamese arms dealers. Naturally, among their number is the man who killed Tung Tung's partner, allowing him a chance for revenge. Dion Lam choreographed the impressive action sequences, and while the film has been criticized for its portrayal of Vietnamese detainees held in camps, it is at least bold enough to tackle the subject. Karen Mok co-stars with Jerry Lam and Chu Win-tong, while Asian action devotees will recognize Herman Yau and Blackie Ko in smaller roles. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Anthony Wong stars in this dark comedy -- directed by James Ha Chim-see -- about Hong Kong's notoriously surly taxi cab drivers. The film centers on Kin (Wong), a meek white-collar worker with a pregnant wife. When she goes into labor, Kin tries desperately to flag down a taxi. The first cabby refuses because his wife's bleeding might soil his cab. When they finally arrive at the hospital, his wife's dress gets snagged in the car door, she get dragged to death by the driver. This sends Kin off the deep end. After drowning his sorrows in liquor, he stabs to death a truculent cabby. A similar foray into vigilantism the following day only leads to a split lip and a stolen wallet. Kin regroups and gets a gun. Soon after an inevitable Travis Bickle-like transformation, he starts picking off taxi drivers left and right. The cops start to plant undercover agents as cabbies, hoping to capture the outlaw. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Herman Yau Lai-to -- who a year later would gain notoriety for his over-the-top brain-munching splatter flick The Untold Story -- spins this quickie ultra-violent crime drama. Dee (Jackie Cheung) is a cop with the elite Special Duty Unit who, while on an assignment to apprehend a band of murderous thieves, rescues a beautiful lass named Heidi (Sammi Cheng), the daughter of renowned gangland kingpin Hung Kwan (Paul Chun Pui). Meanwhile, Dee struggles to come to terms with his embittered, dissolute father who, 20 years previous, killed his brother. When Dee and Heidi fall for one another, both fathers are less than pleased -- partially because the two are life-long enemies. When Heidi refuses to listen to her father's commands to end the relationship, Hung Kwan puts a hit out on Dee. Our hero responds by taking weapon in hand and meting out his own brand of decidedly violent justice. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sammi Cheng, Jacky Cheung, (more)
Herman Yau Lai-to spins this notoriously grisly crime yarn based on a real-life case of Wong Chi-hang and his ill-fated venture into the restaurant business. The film opens with Wong (Anthony Wong Chau-sang) fleeing Hong Kong after setting alight a fellow mah-jong player during a major case of sour grapes. Fast-forward ten years, when a bag of severed limbs washes up on the beaches of Macau. When Inspector Lee (Danny Lee) takes over the case, he is inevitably led to the Eight Immortals Restaurant, which Wong manages. After successive beatings from both the cops and fellow prisoners, Wong spills the beans. He gained control of the Eight Immortals after massacring the owner and his entire family. When the cook started getting uppity, he whacked him and turned him into pork buns. Soon numerous others found themselves as the daily special. Anthony Wong won best actor for his effort as the sociopathic cannibal restaurateur. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Wong, Danny Lee, (more)
- 1987
In this small, independently produced feature, Chak has been separated from his wife for some time, and he has a number of sexual and other hang-ups. To add to his emotional burdens, he is unemployed. For one thing, he obsessively entertains fantasies of rape. Nonetheless, he has custody of his young son. This morning, he begins the day by visiting a prostitute friend then goes to see his sister and his mother (a widow). Perhaps even then he has some notion of the tragedy that awaits him. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
