R E V I E W :    Full Throttle 

Reviewed 5/25/01 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Background 

Mei Ah / 1995 / 108 minutes
Directed by Derek Yee Tung-Sing
Written by Derek Yee Tung-Sing and Law Chi Leung

This was the follow-up film after the success of director Yee's C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri. It established Gigi Leung Wing-Kei as a star -- and further solidified Andy Lau Tak-Wah as a romantic leading man.

The film opened in Hong Kong cinemas on December 14, 1995, and was a big hit, playing for a month and grossing HK $33.7 million.

Yee and Law followed up with the acclaimed Viva Erotica in 1996. They also worked together on Till Death Do Us Part in 1998 (Yee produced, Law co-wrote) and Double Tap in 2000 (Yee produced, Law directed).

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

Plot: Joe is known as the #1 street drag (illegal) motorcycle racer in Hong Kong. Recently returned from overseas, David is also a motorcycle racer who yearns to be the champion. Initially through David's eyes, we learn about Joe's relationships with his long-time and increasingly unhappy girlfriend Yee (who doesn't want him to race), with the bossy Uncle Paul (who runs a legal racing team), and with his long-time friend and fellow mechanic Jianle (who is known as the #2 motorcycle racer). In addition to the attempt by David to make Joe a friend, we find out that Joe is rapidly approaching the time when he can regain the license that was taken away from him years before. This will enable him to race on the professional circuit again. Broken bones and hearts lay on the road ahead . . .

Performances: Andy Lau Tak-Wah is marvelously nuanced in his embodiment of Joe - conflicted and moody but capable of gentle emotional communication. David Ng Dai Wai does not add much via his rather bland characterization of David. Gigi Leung Wing-Kei is very touching and believable as the long-suffering Yee. Paul Chun Pui is the blustery and business-like Uncle Paul. Veteran stuntman and action director Chin Kar-Lok is quite effective as Jianle. Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong plays a retired (due to injuries) racer who runs a bar where the racers hang out; he also contributes an interesting life experience near the end.

Production: The script is excellent, with dialogue that hits all the right notes, characters who ring true, and well-spaced action sequences. As for the direction, Derek Yee Tung-Sing allows scenes to breathe, and even linger a bit, without overstaying their welcome. Individual scenes are framed with a pleasing variety, and camera movements are kept to a minimum while avoiding a too-static look. The often-thrilling motorcycle races were staged by Bruce Law Lai-Yin. (According to Stefan Hammond's Hollywood East, Law said that the races were staged on the sly, sans permits!) The colors of the racers' uniforms, the motorcycles, and backgrounds are well presented in the many night scenes (captured beautifully by cinematographers David Chung Chi-Man and Jingle Ma Choh Sing) and the editing by ace veteran Kwong Chi-Leung. The musical score (Frankie Chan Fan Kei and Roel A. Garcia) seems noticeably absent during much of the running time, but it kicks in effectively during the last third of the film.

Rating: Category IIA. Pavement violence and slightly bloody post-accident wounds.

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

Look: The source print seems to be the culprit for the lackluster letterboxed (approximately 1.85:1) presentation. Many splotches, speckles, and blemishes are evident. Despite these problems, the colors are fairly vibrant and the black levels are sufficiently deep. The flesh tones, however, do not always appear natural.

Sound: It would be great to hear a well-done, remastered DD 5.1 audio track for the full effect of the screaming motorcyles, but that is not currently available. Nevertheless, the DD 2.0 Cantonese audio track was clear and audible. A DD 2.0 Mandarin track is also provided.

Subtitles: The non-removable (burned in) Chinese and English subtitles were sometimes lost in white backgrounds. This was especially frustrating during a key sequence near the end. The usual imperfections (misspellings, grammar) are present in the English subtitles, but nothing too distracting.

Features: As bare bones as they come. This was an early effort by Mei Ah (the catalog number is DVD-004). When the disk starts up, a menu appears which offers three options: Cantonese, Mandarin, and Start. To its credit, the disk does have 22 (!!) chapters, but you'll have to step through the chapters with your remote control since there is no chapter menu.

Buy, rent, or pass?

Buy. More cautious buyers may wish to rent first and wait to see if a remastered version appears. Despite my qualms about the quality of the disk, however, I have no reservations in highly recommending the film. Put this one on your "don't miss" list.

 

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