R E V I E W :    The Longest Nite  

Reviewed 12/26/00 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Background 

Universe / 1998 / 84 minutes
Directed by Patrick Yau Tai-Chi
Written by Szeto Kam Yuen and Yau Nai Hoi

Director Patrick Yau Tai-Chi frustrated some and delighted others with his first film, The Odd One Dies, a jazzy criminal romance. His follow-up film was the first of three made by Milkyway Image productions during 1998 (the others being Expect the Unexpected and A Hero Never Dies).

Evidently the film was not a popular success upon its release in Hong Kong, but it has developed a small but loyal following. After directing Expect the Unexpected, Yau split with producers and Milkway masterminds Johnny To and Wai Ka Fai.

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

Two rival gangs in Macau are struggling for control. Rumor has it that one gang has put out a contract on the rival gang's boss. On behalf of the gang that pays him off, crooked cop Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is systematically roughing up and scaring off potential assassins -- including Lau Ching-Wan, a bald tough guy. Things are not as they seem, though, and as the night stretches on, events spin wildly out of control.

The beauty of the plot is its misdirection, like a blindfolded ride on a roller coaster made exclusively with blind curves. Writers Szeto Kam Yuen and Yau Nai Hoi avoid any hint of character development, but the increasing paranoia felt by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is a result of the claustrophobia the scenarists convincingly develop.

Shadows dominate nearly every frame. When faces or bodies do emerge, they are nearly overwhelmed by the bright neon colors of the Macau night life. The superb cinematography by Ko Chiu Lam evokes a Technicolor version of the great black-and-white noir films of the late '40's and '50's. The score by Raymond Wong neatly counterpoints the action.

A major drawback is that The Longest Nite lacks any character development and is populated by criminals without any redeeming features. Oh well. It's still a great exercise in style. And maybe the substance is that all criminals are evil and deserve to die.

The film is rated Category IIB with much blood, gruesome and painful sounding torture scenes, and some explicit gunshot and automotive violence.

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

The Universe transfer is acceptable but not especially sharp. Colors are not as vibrant as they should be, but the black levels are deep. The photography is so good that it deserves a better mastering job.

The Cantonese Dolby 5.1 audio track sounded OK but was not deep or expansive. A Mandarin Dolby 5.1 audio tracks is also provided. Traditional and simplified Chinese removable subtitles are provided in addition to English; the English titles are large, white, easy to read, but they sometimes fly by too fast to read and many mistakes are obvious.

Eight chapters are listed in a nice full-motion menu. Filmographies are included for Lau Ching-Wan, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Patrick Yau Tai Chi, and Johnny To. The original trailer is also here, as well as four short features (all in Cantonese without subtitles, unfortunately, for those who don't speak the language): "Premiere Footage," "Making Of," "Press Conference" (check this out for the public shaving of Lau Ching-Wan's head), and "NG Footage" (silent outtakes with musical accompaniment).

Buy, rent, or pass?

Rent. A stylish exercise in brutal fatalism, The Longest Nite is required viewing - but maybe just once.

 

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