Max Mok Movies
Hong Kong filmmaker Chung Siu-hung directed this gory historical fantasy which relies on colorful visuals and bloody violence to carry its straightforward plot line. Mainland actor Zhang Fengyi stars as Tong Po-ka, who is captured by a group of soldiers along with his lover Yiu (Rosamund Kwan). Yiu is taken from Tong and he is charged with kidnapping, tortured, and finally has his eyelids sewn shut as punishment. When he is forced to battle several other prisoners to the death, Tong nevertheless emerges victorious and is renamed Tong Chop and given the task of chief assassin for the entire kingdom. With his partner Wong Kau (Max Mok), Tong carries out a number of gruesome assassinations, frequently ending with the victim's graphic dismemberment. Like the reluctant hit man in Andy Warhol's Bad, however, Tong finally draws the line at killing a child, and leaves his post to find Yiu, who has married and given birth to a baby in the interim. As might be expected, neither his superiors nor his former partner are very happy about Tong's retirement, and it isn't long before he finds himself having to fight to save his own life once again. With wire-enhanced stunts of the type popularized in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and a category II-level of bloodshed more typical of Kenji Misumi's ultraviolent Japanese epics, The Assassin is more for fans of sensory excess than story, but it is a rousing example of the form. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
Max Mok Siu-Chung, Miu Kiu-Wai and Joan Tong Lai-Kau star in this crime thriller from Hong Kong about a member of the Triads who obeys a strict code of honor despite his criminal lifestyle. He is forced to battle his enemies in an outburst of bloody gang warfare. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Max Mok, Miu Kiu-wai, (more)
Prolific Hong Kong filmmaker Lau Kar-wing directed this gangster-themed crime-drama about the internecine struggles within a powerful triad family. Lung Ying (Ko Chun Hsiung) is the patriarch of the clan, and -- in a setup used in many such films since The Godfather -- is attempting to slowly move the family away from criminal enterprises and into legitimate business, although his sons and employees make it nearly impossible. Allan (Alan Tam) is a ruthless killer who later has to seek refuge in Taiwan. Kar-wai (Miu Kiu-wai) is the fiery tempered Sonny Corleone character, Hua (Andy Lau) is the calm, rational one, and Chung (Max Mok) is the dedicated student whose learning is unable to prepare him for what is to occur. Yip (Kenneth Tong) is the most dangerous to Lung Ying's plans, as he is a compulsive gambler whose addiction to the activity will lead the family to irreparable harm. Eventually, two thugs from another family, Ko (William Ho) and Keung (Norman Tsui), have Lung Ying killed and ambush the Lung family at his funeral. That's when Allan, Chung, and Hua get together to bring down Keung, who followed his deadly strike on the Lungs by murdering his own employer, Ho E (Ku Feng), and taking control of his organization. This leads to the inevitable bloody shootouts, reprisals, and dire consequences for many of those involved. The film is bolstered by a supporting cast familiar to any Hong Kong film buff, including Kent Cheng, Shing Fui-on, Phillip Ko, and Kara Hui. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Wah-kei directed this minor comedy which draws upon plot elements from the Three Men and a Baby series for much of its humor. Jacky Cheung top lines as Happy Chan, who opens a fashionable hair salon next door to a more traditional barber shop, resulting in some not-so-friendly competition with its owner (Richard Ng). The barber has a beautiful daughter named Ying (Sharla Cheung), and one night, Happy and two of his male friends -- Ho-yan (Max Mok) and Puddin (Stephen Chiau) -- go to her house for an evening of drinking. They all pass out, and when Ying turns up pregnant, no one is quite sure whom the baby's father might be. Whomever it is will not only have a great responsibility, but will also have to shell out half a million dollars to Ying's angry and potentially violent parents. Lydia Shum co-stars with Yip Wing-cho and Liu Kai-chi. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
