It seems like the Chinese can’t get enough of gambling, as they are fond of frequenting offline and online casinos like gclub, as well as sports betting centers.
This love of gambling also extends to their choice of movies. It is evident with a large number of Chinese films centered around gambling or casinos.
And we can’t blame them. Casinos and gambling are thrilling to watch in real life, so imagine if you take them to the big screen. Add in some interesting characters and over-the-top action, and you have yourself some very memorable hits.
God of Gamblers
This is the granddaddy of Chinese gambling films, and the one most Western audiences are familiar with. It stars Chow Yun Fat and Andy Lau with an all-star cast. The film is a mix of action, comedy, and drama, weaving all three genres together in an entertaining 126 minutes.
The film tells the story of Ko Chun (Chow Yun Fat), a mysterious world-class gambler who’s so good at the game that he is dubbed “The God of Gamblers.” After he was hired by a Japanese player to take on a Singaporean gambler as revenge, he gets into an accident. He goes into the care of Knife (Andy Lau), an aspiring gambler. Together, they narrowly avoid the assassins sent their way, ending in a climactic high-stakes gambling game.
The series is so famous that it has spawned five more movies and a spin-off. It has also inspired dozens of other gambling-themed movies.
The Conman
God of Gambler mainstay Andy Lau returns as the lead of his own gambling movie in The Conman, directed by the same director as God of Gamblers, Wong Jin.
This movie is a modern retelling of the original but sadly isn’t quite up to par with the original. The plot is weird at times, and some scenes are unnecessary to move the story along.
Don’t get us wrong, though. It’s still entertaining at some points, but it’s not as polished as God of Gamblers. For gambling movie enthusiasts, however, it’s still a worthy addition.
Casino Raiders
It seems like most Chinese gambling movies are dominated by the same director and actor team-up of Wong Jun and Andy Lau. Casino Raiders is no different. It came out around the same time as God of Gamblers but is a more serious take on the gambling genre.
The film tells the story of professional gamblers Crab Chan (Andy Lau) and Sam Law (Alan Tam). The duo gets hired to disrupt a gang of yakuza using technology to cheat in a casino.
Poker King
For a more modern take on the gambler genre, you have Poker King, starring Louis Koo and Sean Lau. It tells the story of Jack, the son of a casino owner with no interest in gambling. That changed when he started playing Texas Hold ‘Em poker online. In the process, he develops a rivalry with Uno. The two then meet in the Asian Poker King Championship.
