Starring
Sean Lau, Louis Koo, Eddie Peng, Yuan Quan, Jiang Shuying, Wu Jing.
Directed by Benny Chan / Action Directed by Sammo Hung. (2016, 120
min).
Sometimes
the best westerns aren't made in the West at all.
While
Call of Heroes isn't technically a western, it plays just like one
and wears its influences proudly, from the story, which recalls the
likes of The Magnificent Seven & High Noon, to the main
characters and music, with more-than-passing nods to Sergio Leone
and Ennio Morricone. But this isn't a mere homage; with well-drawn
characters, sharp dialog and a compelling story, this Hong
Kong-Chinese co-production is one of the better action films released
this year.
The
story takes place in 1914 at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The
government is trying to halt the advances of a brutal warlord. With its own army away at the front lines, the town of Pucheng is
vulnerable; only Sheriff Yeung (Sean Lau) & his deputies remain to keep everyone safe. The warlord's sadistic son, Cho (Louis Koo),
comes into town one day and viciously murders three people just for the
thrill of it. Yeung arrests him, which brings Cho's own troops into
town, demanding they set him free. When he refuses, the entire town
must prepare for an upcoming invasion. Aiding Yeung is a young,
charismatic drifter, Ma Fung (Eddie Peng), who's reluctantly drawn
into the conflict after his sense of justice is put to the test by a
childhood friend who's now serving under Cho.
 |
| "Woah...maybe it's time you got that dog of yours neutered." |
Call
of Heroes' tone runs the gamut from fast, funny and frenetic to
violent, philosophical and, in one jarring scene, heart-breaking. Yet
it's all put together seamlessly, aided immeasurably by a script that
makes the most out of a can't miss formula...triumph against
insurmountable odds. It's heroes are genuinely complex and likable,
boasted by solid performances all around. Lau is to this film what
Gary Cooper was to High Noon, playing the sheriff with a stoic sense
of duty and honor; Peng (who my wife pointed out looks exactly like
an Asian Ryan Reynolds) makes an ultra-cool (and funny) antihero. As
Cho, Koo is a truly hateful, despicable villain; you'll likely be
praying for his agonizing death within a few minutes of his first
appearance.
 |
| No, Louis Koo is not playing a Bond villain. |
Director
Benny Chan (with considerable assistance from martial arts legend,
Sammo Hung) provide numerous action set-pieces that are wonderfully
choreographed – nearly balletic in their complexity – yet
brutally intense. Aside from a bit of questionable CGI here and
there, we feel like we're right in the middle of the mayhem.
We
review a fair amount of Asian action films here, but like both films
in The Raid franchise, Call of Heroes transcends its genre. It's
simply a great action film that plays like a classic western in all
the best ways possible. This definitely a Blu-Ray worth picking up.
They should have stuck with it's original title, though, The Deadly
Reclaim. Call of Heroes sounds more like a video game.
EXTRA
KIBBLES:
Making-Of
Featurette: In eight 1-3 minute chapters
Trailer
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEE-OW! BETTER THAN A FRESH CAN 'O TUNA
No comments:
Post a Comment