Casino Raiders (1989)
Directed by: Jimmy Heung, Wong Jing
Written by: Jimmy Heung, Wong Jing
Starring: Alan Tam, Andy Lau, Rosamund Kwan
Coming to Blu-ray December 4th 2023 from Eureka
A Wong Jing movie about gambling with Andy Lau that was released in 1989… that’s not God of Gamblers? Yes that’s right, the prolific film-maker loves this subject and these actors so much that he did it twice in one year. After all, why make one movie when you can make two for twice the price? However, far from the usual comedic farce that Wong is known for by some this is, in some ways, a more conventional crime thriller. Which is to say that it’s generally a more sombre affair, but at the same time it’s a film with a very odd structure. Perhaps this is simply the influence of have a second director-writer on board. So while the tonal shift is refreshing this is an experience that can often be unwieldy and unfocused.
It has two directors, and it has two stars; with Crab Chan (Andy Lau) finishing a prison sentence to team back up with his old pal Sam Law (Alan Tam). Because of this there’s a sense that the story is sometimes unsure who to focus on, occasionally leading to some odd bait-and-switch moments. Then again it’s a tale of brotherhood among thieves (something that will be tested as their individual fortunes change) so some diverging threads are to be expected. After doing some time Crab is still the ‘number one gambler in Asia’. The rules for gaining such a title are unclear but he’s an oddly ruthless figure, particularly during early scenes with nightclub hostess Bo-Bo (Rosamund Kwan). Sam on the other hand more sentimental; giving money to beggars and becoming attached to wealthy heiress Ho-yan (Idy Chan).
Their main objective, at least to begin with, is to travel to Nevada where a casino operation is being threatened by a Japanese syndicate. After a few con-artist shenanigans at the club where Bo-Bo is working the two heroes travel to the United States, where a fairly dry investigation of cheating at the tables goes down. However, things aren’t so simple after Sam and Ho-yan meet. It’s here that the strange pacing of the film becomes evident as a romantic interlude unfolds. Typically this is something that would be in the second act once a few dramatic moments have been explored and the stakes are clear. But here it’s front loaded with melodrama as the couple go to a biker bar right out of The Ninth Configuration for the most peculiar birthday party.
Of course things get more complicated, and the film starts to feel its length, as associates of the Japanese gamblers appear. Ho-yan’s wealthy father Mr. Lung and a gangster called Gold Teeth both have ties to the villains in one way or another, which is pretty convenient. It would be less of a problem if the story was about the changing circumstances of Crab. He has to work his way up out of the mud, quite literally in one scene, before getting back at his rivals and escaping with the money and the girl. But the film has a bit of an identity crisis as the protagonist role shifts; particularly during the second half of a fairly baggy running time. Still, there are still various highlights along the way as it moves from gambling tricks to heroic bloodshed.
Which isn’t to say that this is an action film, despite a few moments of violence. There’s a fairly solid bar brawl and a pool hall beat down for your money’s worth, along with a fairly stark revenge montage after a mansion shoot-out. The stunts and squibs are all done with technical finesse. But be warned; the levels of brutality towards both of the leading ladies are perhaps more extreme than something like Tiger on the Beat. It’s a very dark film that has no qualms about pushing things further than necessary where acts of villainy are concerned. A bleak closing scene after the big high stakes finale robs any fleeting moments of romance from a story that is pretty cold-blooded. Once Crab and Sam find their friendship under strain because of a class divide things soon go downhill.
That being said the character drama is generally pretty compelling as Crab and Bo-Bo find themselves cut out of Mr. Lung’s world of legitimate business and big financial deals. There are no jarring moments of comedy relief where characters can be found mugging or doing prat-falls in between all the stab wounds and poisonings. Early on there’s a sense that the scams and romance will build towards a light hearted mood but eventually this side of the story fades away. It’s often a slick and stylish thrill ride as the story moves between Hong Kong and North America, but it’s a tale in which actions all have repercussions. If only the sleazy, and more charismatic, figure portrayed by Andy Lau was given precedence over the softer Alan Tam. He’s less of a nuisance than his role in Armour of God but the disparity is still clear.
Purely as a tale of two rogues and a test of their relationship it’s pretty boilerplate in terms of rising fortunes and sudden tragedy. It’s just a shame that it’s over two hours long. It often feels disorganised in the first half; before swapping the dynamics around and pulling out too many twists of fate later on. A simple tale of triad disputes and conflicting personalities can be done in less than ninety minutes after all. Still, when things are firing on all cylinders it certainly has enough poker-faced intrigue and sudden flashes of pyrotechnics. It helps that the idea of the heroes playing ‘one last game’ before they can win big and escape is always a good hook. Fans of this era and these stars should certainly check it out bearing in mind the caveats noted, but so should anyone looking for a slick, if very bleak, crime escapade.
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Special Features:
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju)
- 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a restoration of the original film elements
- Original Cantonese audio track
- Optional English subtitles
- Brand new feature length audio commentary by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand new feature length audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
- New documentary looking at gambling culture in Hong Kong, and the popularity of the film genre that Casino Raiders helped to popularise
- PLUS: A Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by James Oliver
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