After 1997, Hong Kong Cinema was in a state of flux. Many of the top tier talent had moved to America and the future looked bleak. Yet where there is a gap, there is opportunity and “Beast Cops” exploded into the cinemas in 1998, breathing new life into a genre that was struggling. Providing Michael Wong with the role of his career, it also highlighted the talent of Anthony Wong, elevating him from Category III villainy to true leading man status. Tt's time to look back and revisit one of the final great films of the 1990s.
Tung (Anthony Wong) is a policeman that is comfortably playing both sides to maintain an easy life. His friendship with Fei (Roy Cheung) is part of this, with Tung eager to avoid any conflict or confrontation where possible. This all changes with the arrival of Cheung (Michael Wong) his new boss and a man who lives by the rulebook. Tung now finds himself in the middle, a situation made even more complicated when Cheung falls for Fei's girlfriend (Kathy Chow) when Fei is forced to go into hiding. Push-Pin (Patrick Tam), Fei's subordinate takes the opportunity to promote himself and battle lines are drawn. Tung is forced to finally take a side, but which one and at what cost?
Anthony Wong was diagnosed with a thyroid condition in the mid 1990's which left him with a rather bloated appearance which actually helps in his portrayal of Tung. It's perfect casting, with Wong coming out the other side of his Category III wave of “The Untold Story”, “Ebola Syndrome” etc. His career was spent straddling the line between heroic and villainous and he brings all of this to his performance. It's a character that tries to avoid conflict where possible, until circumstances force him to take a side. The finale where his inner beast is revealed is true heroic bloodshed at its finest.
Alongside him is Michael Wong, whose career improved as he aged and the boyish looks hardened. Again, it's perfect casting as he was an outsider like Cheung. His command of Cantonese was not the greatest at the outset and the curious mixture of English and Cantonese that he would utilize for once fits in nicely as reflects the character's situation. He is the white knight to Anthony Wong's anti-hero, but even in this world, Cheung cannot sustain it and falls for Fei's girlfriend. An act that has tragic circumstances in the final act. The awkwardness that would hinder his performances is replaced with a directness that allows him to mask those weaknesses and gives him a presence that helps him avoid being overshadowed too much by Anthony Wong's award-winning effort.
Backing them up is a superb supporting cast. Sam Lee is in scene stealing mode as Sam. Roy Cheung gets a great part as Fei with whom Tung has a conflicted relationship, and Patrick Tam as Push-Pin deserves his accolades in a showy part that really got him noticed. Amidst all this testosterone is Kathy Chow, whose unconventional beauty fits right at home in the proceedings. For the most part, it's a strong role although does conform to type at times, but this has more to do with the script than her.
The post-1997 Hong Kong anxieties are in full display here. Tung is a typical Hong Kong cinematic policeman, prepared to look away when situation demands and trying to navigate a peaceful life for himself playing both sides. Everyone is out to make money or advance themselves in this noir-like setting. Cheung's arrival completely destroys the status quo and leaves Tung ultimately with a stark choice on whether he wants to be a better person. It's an uncertain future that reflects the time of its creation whilst harking back to the previous generation of heroic bloodshed action thrillers.
The action is stylised but retains a grittiness that often gets lost amongst the slicker bullet ballet. The action is lead through the characters which gives it more impact. You “feel” it rather than being a passive observer. Whilst the characters are flawed, they are recognizably human, and that empathy draws you in and makes the bloodshed hit harder. Gordon Chan has always had a good handle on how to shoot actions scenes and to combine them with drama. Dante Lam prior to his newly found career in Chinese “Melody” productions was also a tyro when it came to putting together solid action dramas and here his namesake's “inferno” was never truer.
Although on the surface it's a story that we have seen done countless times before, “Beast Cops” is so much more than a reheated potboiler. Featuring exceptional performances, allied to excellent direction, it's a classic example of what can be done when care and thought is put into a production. Created in a time of uncertainty, it deserves to rank among the finer crime thrillers to emerge out of Hong Kong and one to check out if you haven't already experienced it.
