Hong Kong | China 2024
Opening November 28, 2024

Directed by: Soi Cheang
Writing credits: Kin-Yee Au, Tai-Lee Chan, Li Jun, Kwon-Sin Shum
Principal actors: Louis Koo, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Raymond Lam, Philip Ng, Richie Jen

It’s the 1980s in a part of Hong Kong called Kowloon Walled City. A young man, Chan Lok Kwon (Raymond Lam), needs a forged ID card and hopes to buy it in Kowloon Walled City. He steals a bag of cocaine with which he plans to pay for his card and sneaks into the city, which is governed by two competitors: Cyclone (known as Tornado in the German version, played by Louis Koo) and Dik Chau (Richie Jen). Cyclone is head of a Security Committee, known as Triad in this dark city of drug dealers and prostitutes. Chau has lost his wife and two daughters and seeks revenge. Chan Lok Kwon and Cyclone meet at the hairdresser, an unusual meeting place in this insecure community.  Soon we learn that Chan is the son of Jim, the King of Killers, who was wiped out by Cyclone. The city is dark, stinking, full of immigrants hurrying down narrow lanes between tall buildings. Four of the men, who, when they aren’t wrangling against each other, fly a kite and play Mahjong.

City of Darkness was the most viewed film in Hong Kong, praised as the martial arts highlight of the year. It showed at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar for Best International Film. It is based on the book by writer Yuyi and comic artist Andy Seto. City of Darkness is all about men, whose main interest is fighting each other uninterruptedly throughout the 126 minutes. Women are virtually absent. One must concentrate on following the characters and the plot, which are worth seeing, even if one doesn’t understand all details. A fight is a fight with the best and longest taking place in the last ten minutes. Most interesting is the set. The actual Kowloon Walled City, known for having the highest population in the world, was torn down in 1994. It’s amazing how director Soi Cheang was able to recreate it. (Becky T.)