“I just want money.”
You aren’t ready for this rumble!
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is a non-stop beat-down which takes its high-kick cues from Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest films of the past and merges them with an engaging narrative about an underground fighter who dares to dream big within an overcrowded former military fort.
Beginning with a recap of the history of the notorious Kowloon Walled City, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, fiercely directed by Soi Cheang, is immediately fascinating and full of vigor as an uneasy peace is ushered in within this safe haven for gangs and refugees.
It won’t last. It can’t. Not with the echoes of a bloody turf war heard still faintly beating at the heart of this Hong Kong underworld. Ultimately, this is a battle between Mr. Big (Sammo Hung), a triad boss, and Cyclone (Louis Koo), the head of the city’s de facto criminal government.
And Chan Lok-Kwan (Raymond Lam), an underground fighter, is at the center of it all with a price on his head which will set fire to the tenuous peace between the two figures. He is, in fact, running for his life after stealing from Mr. Big, defeating his goons on top of a double-decker bus (one of the film’s early highwater marks), and hiding out on sacred turf.
With a strong production design - set in the early 1980s and a camera which is fully engaged with the action and the labyrinth-like alleyways of the city - Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, already a top earner in Hong Kong, virtually explodes off the screen with controlled anger and fury. The action film is a breath of fresh air as its focus on character as priority and delivers all sorts of action with controlled stability.
The gritty, Cannes-debuting Hong Kong action extravaganza is packed with martial arts legends like Sammo Hung and Louis Koo. It also features new talent from Philip Ng and Raymond Lam, who definitely hold their own as the action rages from alley to warehouse and beyond. Ultimately, this love letter to all things martial arts is equal parts brutal beatdown and a celebration of the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, the first in a trilogy from Soi Cheang, will arrive in US theaters on August 9th from Well Go USA Entertainment.
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 126 mins
Director: Soi Cheang
Writer: Kin-Yee Au; Tai-Lee Chan; Li Jun
Cast: Louis Koo; Sammo Kam-Bo Hung; Richie Jen
Genre: Martial Arts | Action
Tagline: Don't Cause Trouble in the Walled CIty.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Well Go USA
Official Site: https://wellgousa.com/films/twilight-warriors-walled
Release Date: August 9, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Follows troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun as he accidentally enters the Walled City, discovers the order amidst its chaos, and learns important life lessons along the way.
