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Mood:
- RoughTenseStylizedSuspensefulCaptivating
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Plot:
- Criminal HeroesGangBetrayalCrime Gone AwryHeistCrimesDeadlyDishonesty more...
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Genres:
- CrimeThrillerForeignAction
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Time/Period:
- 20th Century80s
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Place:
- AsiaHong Kong
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Audience:
- Boys' Night
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Praise:
- Critically Acclaimed
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Attitudes:
- SeriousRealistic
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Flag:
- Strong Violent Content
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City on Fire, 1987
Cantonese, Mandarin, English
Hong Kong
Profile of City on Fire
City on Fire can be described as tense, rough, and stylized. The plot revolves around crime gone awry, a heist, and betrayal. The main genres are foreign, thriller, and crime. In approach, City on Fire is serious and realistic. It is located in Hong Kong. It takes place in the 1980s. City on Fire has received attention for being critically acclaimed. It is well suited for a boys' night. Note that it involves strong violent content.
Summary of City on Fire
When an undercover cop is killed, Chow (Chow Yun-Fat) is recruited by Inspector Lau (Sun Yueh) to take his place trying to infiltrate a gang of thieves. But Chow had previously done undercover work and had developed an emotional bond with the men he then later had to betray--and he is afraid it could happen again. The loyalty of the younger cop to the older man will be tested against the bonds he must form with the criminals in order to be trusted by them. This theme of the similarities between cops and criminals is a staple of the heroic bloodshed branch of Hong Kong cinema. Chow befriends Fu (Danny Lee) by posing as a man who can supply the guns needed for a jewelry heist. Director Ringo Lam stages his action and street scenes with a high degree of realism. The characters' movements are erratic and the violence is brutal and unstylized, with everything unfolding in believable chaos. Released at the same time as A BETTER TOMORROW, it made Chow Yun-Fat a Hong Kong star. This Hong Kong classic formed the basis for Quentin Tarantino's later RESERVOIR DOGS.
Details
| Language: | Cantonese, Mandarin, English |
| Country: | Hong Kong |
| Release date: | 13 February 1987 |
| Runtime: | 101 min |
Cast and Crew
as Ko Chow
as Fu
Photos
