The Return of the Lame Hero

The Action Movie Made in China, not as Hong Kong Action Movie

It was hard to get this movie when you’re living outside mainland china! I need intense browsing whishing someone upload it before I found it few weeks ago.
First, if you love something romantic, sentimental, good looking ML & FL, rich with all modern things china have nowadays, then I’m sure this movie it isn’t for you. On the contrary, if you like realistic, real life, daily routine ordinary peoples with all of their struggle live, so this movie worth watching.
Second, you must change your view and have in mind, the movie happened in the developing country China around 90’s, when there was no handphone, internet connection, private luxurious car and all modern things as nowadays. As normally communism countries before 2000, not too open, bit close from outside world, bit slow in the industrial development and etc, so did China. That is why I like this movie because it also contain bit of historical things.

The story told about a young policeman Bi Zhengming (Wang Anyu) whom become policeman coz his experience in his youth when he saw the pickpocket occupied daily train in china that almost cost his life, how they operating to steal and avoid got catch by policeman. Later he become obsessed to liquidate the pickpocket gangster, no matter it have cost his leg. With his chief mentor in the police department, he did undercover and join in the small pickpocket gang which the chief girl named Da Baitao (Zhang Tian Ai), to learn their trick and skill. Bi Zhengming did everything to create steady and safety public area and transport, especially in the train. It cost a lot of effort, money and also life.

The director successfully transferred the real operation of pickpocket in developing countries at 90’s into a movie. Collaboration, structural, managerial such a corporate organization. Each bunch having their own chief, their own area territory that cant be trespassing by others, their own operation method that could be harsh and cruel for the victim, but also each bunch must respect each others. In 70’s – 90’s era, it was the era of big gangster occupied country such as Mafia in Italy, Yakuza in Japan, Triad in Hong Kong, Kartel in Mexico/Brazil and so on. As normally a gangster, they have godfather, the mighty highest leader that chosen by each chief of bunch. So did what also in this story, even just bunch of pickpocket, they also have a godfather.

This movie was rich of characters development, Bi Zhengming with his chief mentor whom always support him, his opposed mother whom prefer him to be a cloth seller than a policeman (especially after it cost his leg), Da Baitao pickpocket girl who has felling for him (that of course will never happen coz in in the real life, it bit impossible that a policeman married ex pickpocket girl – realistic). She also have her own issue with her biological mother whom also ex part of pickpocket, and how she beg Bi Zhengming to give chance a better life for her best friend (the deafmute pickpocket) after he serve his punishment, in where Bi Zhengming fully agreed. The cruel pickpocket whom obsessed to be a godfather and did everything to make it come true, base also on his youth experience. How one bunch tried to be a biggest and superior one that normal happen in the gangster world. The differences and similarity performance and enforcement between police department and gangster club. I would say, must give big appreciation to the director to do such a rich story for just a 2hrs movie, and especially coz it is a low – moderate budget movie.

I like Wang Anyu in this movie, he didn’t care at all his visual, very contrary as normally see him deadly handsome, clean, attractive, charming prince and so on. I’m sure he can do more (come on Anyu, don’t hold your talent!). Zhang Tian Ai did good job, witty, cheerful, smart ass pickpocket girl. The antagonist ambitious pickpocket, enemy of Bi Zhengming also did good job, he damn cold blooded, cruel one without emotion.
The cinematography is quite good, old fashioned train, crowded, not clean enough station and road (normal in the developing countries in 90’s era), pager and public phone (instead of handphone), and other 90’s look like. Even I doubt that it was look like that exactly coz it seems in the movie look bit modern than reality, some scene miss there and here (not much), but is ok anyway. Need bigger budget to do exactly as reality

What I don’t like most in this movie is the title, OMG why oh why always have name there? It is a movie, should be something more mean, like “Railroad Journey” or “The Bunch” for example. The opening would be more interesting if begun with bullet train journey then slowly year by year back to the 90’s train. In the end, I do like that kind of movie, realistic life, emotion of each character, very realistic romance, and Wang Any in different character and outlook!

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