Andy Lau Movies

A lone hero comes to the rescue of a village about to be overrun by a marauding army in this historical epic from Hong Kong. In the year 370 B.C., China has been torn apart by a handful of warring factions, and the Zhao State has set out on a long march to invade and conquer the Yan State. En route, the ten thousand-strong Zhao army will pass through the town of Liang City, home to four thousand souls. Led by Lord Liang (Wang Zhiwen), an ineffectual and alcoholic leader, the people of Liang City fear the worse, and beg the warriors of the Mozi clan to come to their aid in protecting the city. As Zhao general Xiang Yanzhong (Ahn Sung-ki) and his men loom on the horizon, a single Mozi fighter, Ge Li (Andy Lau), arrives in Liang City; while the townspeople are certain the battle is already lost, Li is a brilliant strategist, and convinces the handful of Liang soldiers that they can indeed fend off the Zhao invaders. With the help of Liang cavalry woman Yi Yue (Fan Bingbing) and Zi Tuan (Nicky Wu), a master of the bow and arrow, Li is able to fight the Zhao soldiers to a standstill; however, Lord Liang is humiliated by the success of the interloper, and his right-hand man (Wu Ma) plants seeds of doubt in the villagers' minds about their new champion. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Hong Kong cinema star Andy Lau stars in director Feng Xiaogang's crime story about two married con artists who attempt to turn away from the grift but give in to temptation after boarding a train that's overflowing with shady characters. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Not to be mistaken for the movie in which a smirking Bruce Willis saves the world, this film, directed by Gordon Chan, is a rare example of a Hong Kong sci-fi thriller. The film opens with a noted scientist bursting into flames in a church belfry at the exact moment that a number of satellites fail. Dr. Ken Tak (Andy Lau), a renowned computer scientist, soon learns that two of his colleagues, who met with similarly grizzly ends, were approached by a shadowy organization called the Brotherhood of Technology. Before their untimely deaths, Tak and the two dead scientists were working on a revolutionary computer system called VOD, which would effectively put the internet providers, video game companies, and film studios out of business. While the police suspect agents in the entertainment industry behind the killings, Tak's suspicions run more towards the supernatural. His theories are confirmed when Adele (Michelle Reis), Tak's long-dead girlfriend, suddenly shows up at his doorstep. When Tak's investigation leads him to Prague, he learns that the Earth's end is indeed nigh. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

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

Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Yee's highly lauded and sentimental tearjerker swept the 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards and was warmly embraced by audiences due to its well-developed characters and exceptional performances. Anita Yuen stands out as Min, an ebullient young woman who came from a street-singing family and now lives in a broken-down apartment house. Her upstairs neighbor is Kit (Lau Ching-wan), an aspiring songwriter who has just broken up with his fiancée, a successful singer (Carina Lau). Kit knows that his perky downstairs neighbor has the charisma and talent necessary to become a star herself; he is re-energized by the prospect of shepherding her career and begins falling in love with her. Unfortunately, Min's childhood bone cancer -- which had been in complete remission for a decade -- returns and she soon finds her declining health sapping most of her excitement for both life and her career. Kit devotes himself entirely to getting Min back on her feet, setting the stage for the obligatory weepy denouement. Despite its "Disease of the Week" story line, Yee (who also wrote the screenplay) never allows his film to become trite or maudlin, and his strong cast (notably Yuen and Lau, Hong Kong's Best Actress and Actor winners of 1993 for their performances) never overplay the material. Paul Chun and Petrina Fung took home awards in the supporting categories, ably backed up by Carrie Ng, Sylvia Chang, and Jamie Luk. Herman Yau appears in a cameo. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Although Andy Lau was indeed one of the stars of the 1989 hit Casino Raiders, his participation in this unrelated sequel was more of an attempt by Hong Kong filmmaker Johnny To to capitalize on Lau's successful pairing with Jacqueline Wu in the previous year's A Moment of Romance. Lau stars as Chicken Feet, a skilled card player who works cons for crippled gambling legend Fan (Lau Siu-ming). Fan was confined to a wheelchair while attempting to escape the villainous James (Kelvin Wong), a turncoat employee whom he had once trusted. James and Fan are each looking for a pair of jade stones, which channel the power of the god of gamblers when united. With a big gambling tournament coming up, James finally kills Fan and kidnaps the daughter of Fan's former pupil Kit (Wang Chieh) to keep him out of the tournament. Kit had given up gambling anyway, but cuts off his hand in order to prove his seriousness and get back his daughter. Chicken Feet still thirsts for revenge on James, and his girlfriend Lin (Jacqueline Wu) discovers one of the jade stones. James has been watching, however, and sends his men after her. Lin is killed, Chicken Feet loses his sight, and all of this sets up one of those bizarre events so typical of Asian crime films in which the blind Chicken Feet and the one-handed Fan take on James in the gambling tournament for a 15,000,000-dollar prize, revenge, and the reclamation of their honor. Needless to say, such a contest of honor cannot rely on deus ex machina, and Chicken Feet discards one of the jade stones in order to whip James by himself. Monica Chan, Tien Feng, and a young Anthony Wong co-star. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

A lawman finds his loyalties put to the test in this action thriller from Hong Kong. Shing (Louis Koo), a top student at the Police Academy, is groomed for a special assignment -- to crack open the Hung Hing triad from the inside as an undercover agent. Shing is able to join up with the Hung Hings and becomes close friends with notorious gangster Fei Ling (Andy Lau). However, when Fei Ling and his henchmen become involved in a gang war with another triad, Shing learns that the rival gang has also been infiltrated by an undercover cop, White Head (Sui-Kei Lee). When Shing is given his assignment to wipe out the enemy gang, he must decide if his loyalty is with the law or with the triad. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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, All Movie Guide

Hong Kong filmmaker Lau Kar-leung followed up the outstanding Drunken Master II by directing this mostly unrelated martial arts comedy which still manages to garner a few laughs despite its dubious reputation and the absence of Jackie Chan. In Chan's place is comedian Willie Chi as Wong Fei-hong, who is assigned -- along with his partner, Wong Kei-ying (Adam Cheng) -- to protect a Manchu princess named Sum Yu (Michelle Lee). Princess Yu is being hunted both by the malefic White Lotus Cult (actually run by white people in this spoof) and by nationalists loyal to Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Fei-hong receives additional help from a wine merchant, Uncle Yan (played by the film's director), who instructs him in special martial arts techniques. Unfortunately, the Manchu leaders fall in with the White Lotus Cult and relinquish Princess Yu to them to be ritually sacrificed, causing Fei-hong to undertake a daring rescue mission. Simon Yam appears as a gay villain aboard a bus, and the supporting cast also includes such familiar genre veterans as Andy Lau, Gordon Lau, and William Ho. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Derek Yee Tung-sing remakes Jacob Cheung's Goodbye Hero with this tale about an aging stuntman and motorcycle racer. Joe's (Andy Lau Tak-wah) formerly stellar career is languishing with a suspended license. Worse, he hates his father and is bored by his timid, dull girlfriend, Yee (Gigi Leung Wing-kei). Some young hotshot named David Kwan (David Wu Tai-wai), who has joined his father's racing team, is threatening to top him on the racing circuit. With new license in hand, Joe gets into an ugly accident that lands him in the hospital for a very long time. There, Joe re-evaluates his life and realizes what is really important to him. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

This 1989 thriller, directed by Jing Wong, resurrected the subgenre of the Hong Kong gambling film. Do San (Chow Yun-Fat) is a slick professional gambler on a seemingly endless winning streak. On his way to defeat a rival in a card game, Do's streak comes to a close when a head injury leaves him brain-damaged. Reduced to the mental capacity of a child, his friend "Knife" (Andy Lau) and Knife's girlfriend Jane (Joey Wong) are left to care for him. They soon realize that his gambling abilities have been left intact, and in a series of events reminiscent of Rain Man, Do makes a comeback. Yun-Fat, who gained international reknown as an action hero in such thrillers as The Killer and Hard-Boiled, shows a surprising amount of range in this departure from his usual role. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide