 |
Statistics :
11630 Movies
19215 People
1448 Studios
29 Articles
73 Interviews
12 DVD Reviews
32452 Screenshots
3722 Videos
|
|
|
 |
Running On Karma (2003) |
 |
|
This collaboration of Johnnie To and Wai Ka Fai brings forward a new visual and lyrical style from the team that previously spearheaded such titles as A Hero Never Dies and Fulltime Killer. Acting as more of a spiritual and metaphoric tale rather than one that relies on action and a fast pace, Running on Karma works extremely well on many levels and provides the audience plenty to decipher.
One of the most frequently referenced features of the film is the ‘muscle suit’ that Andy Lau wears for the majority of the story. While looking realistic, this arguably intends to symbolize an essence of his character, ‘Big’, the former monk turned male stripper who abandons his old code when a close friend is brutally murdered. Yet he is haunted by eerie images that depict the cause and consequence of people’s deaths, and can see that someone’s life will soon end because of a seemingly unrelated chain of circumstances in a former life. After meeting a female cop (Cecilia Cheung) when the club where he performs is raided, he assists her in catching the killer in the case she is working, using his ‘karma’ to see events surrounding the murder that no ordinary human could.
Having discovered a mutual, but unspoken, affection for one another, ‘Big’ saves her life while she pursues a criminal, but realizes her death was meant to happen - according to the laws of karma. Haunted by conflicting emotions, he remains detached until she accepts her own fate and decides to hike into the mountains thought to be home to the man who killed Big’s friend years before. She decides that if death is inevitable, she would rather it happened doing something good and exposing the killer, bringing justice for Big. In a state of desperation, Big furiously runs into the mountains and seeks to challenge what is thought to be destiny. Big could not possibly be prepared for the events and the transformation that will follow.
Running on Karma has many subtleties, particularly in the later stages of the film, that will undoubtedly create debate and varied interpretation in audience members, but ultimately it is what makes the film such a vast and varied experience. It is cinematically stunning to watch, and includes some incredible urban and rural locations, all contributing to the conflicting metaphors of the whole film – Andy Lau’s highly developed physique, to Sun Ko, the mountain killer’s starkly different appearance. The spiritual, at times supernatural style of the film offers a variety of perspectives that could probably be better appreciated even more upon further viewings.
The film deservedly picked up 3 Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Andy Lau, who does give an extremely deep performance that is full of conflict and subdued passion. Fans of Johnnie To will not be disappointed by yet another strong entry in an already excellent back-catalogue. Running on Karma is a perfect example of visually rich, quality filmmaking and excellent writing going hand-in-hand to create something pretty special – something that those of us in the west have to venture away from our domestic market to really experience.
|
|
 |
Mike Fury 8/8/2007 - top |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
