CompleteMartialArts.com - Protégé (Special Edition) 2 Disc Set
|
List Price: N/A
Our Price: $22.00
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Deltamac (HK)
Directed By: Derek Yee
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Feature: 2 disc package (region 0 ntsc)
Format: DVD Region
Label: Deltamac (HK)
Manufacturer: Deltamac (HK)
Publication Date: 2007
Publisher: Deltamac (HK)
Region Code: 0
Running Time: 111
Studio: Deltamac (HK)
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
|
|
|
Features
|
2 disc package (region 0 ntsc)
Making Of
Interviews
Winner of the 27th Annual HK film Award for Best Supporting Actor, Andy Lau
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
Winner of the 27th Annual HK film Award for Best Supporting Actor, Andy Lau . Award-winning directors Derek Yee (One Nite in Mongkok) and Peter Chan (Perhaps Love) collaborate in a film about the drug trade, as director and producer respectively. A high-quality work that stands out from the abundant crime flicks produced in Hong Kong recently, Protege features three of Hong Kong's most popular actors - Andy Lau as a drug dealer, Louis Koo as a drug addict, and Daniel Wu as an undercover cop who becomes Andy Lau's protege. Actress Zhang Jingchu from Seven Swords holds her own portraying a drug addict, bringing alive a complex character.
Delving into the mysterious drug world, Protege scrutinizes all facets of a huge drug empire, and at the same time engages viewers with its effective storytelling. Multiple perspectives and location shooting in Thailand help develop the dramatic story. While giving meticulous details about the heroin trade to bring out an anti-drug message, Derek Yee also does not lose sight on narrative and characterization, dealing with a serious topic in an interesting and compelling manner.
Andy Lau previously worked with Derek Yee in Full Throttle in 1995. Daniel Wu also received much applause for his role in Yee's One Nite in Mongkok in 2004. Anita Yuen, who years ago earned a Best Actress statue through her performance in Yee's C'est la Vie, Mon Cherie, agreed to guest star in the film even though she was pregnant at the time. They now re-unite with the acclaimed director to intrigue movie fans with a film that is as eye-opening as it is entertaining.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: [3.5]--"Don't you feel bad about all the people you're hurting?"
Comment: Protege is a very Hollywood'esque type of Hong Kong movie dealing with the familiar subject of drugs, drug dealers, and cops and has a whole lot of similarities to "Infernal Affairs". First and foremost you'll recognize Andy Lau appearing in Protege, but this time around he plays more of a supporting role similar to a Don Corleone type of character. Unfortunately, Andy Lau's character "Quin" doesn't have any sons so he needs to find a successor soon, due to his deteriorating health. In a familiar Infernal Affairs type of gaffe, Quin picks Nick as his heir apparent. Nick, played by Daniel Wu, is an undercover cop planted for the sole purpose of bringing down Quin's drug empire. One of the first scenes in the movie also has a similar Infernal Affairs type of scene involving several cop cars tailing drug dealers out to make a drug deal. The cop cars are all being relayed real time information via cellphones by other cops monitoring the drug dealer's movements.
What I liked about "Protégé" - The little girl that played Jane's daughter was cute as can be and did a wonderful performance, especially considering her age. The film also takes an unexpected diversion into the remote Thai area overlapping the Golden Triangle. During these scenes in Thailand, the viewer is treated to scenes of mammoth elephants, Thai rebel soldiers, and colorful opium poppy fields. The movie also goes into a surprisingly detailed overview of the entire Heroin making process. This would have been the most original aspect of Protege. Finally, Daniel Wu gave a very solid performance and his character was very personable.
What I didn't like about Protege - The movie was often shot in this slick MTV style, which I found off-putting. Most of the drug scenes involving Jane was filmed in this style, as well as the sex scene between Jane and Nick. Also, Jane at times looked like she was doing a modern art dance while getting high or convulsing from an overdose. Finally, the whole theme of the dangers of drugs and the undercover cop working for the drug dealers was typical stuff that someone could have written in 15 minutes while sitting on the can.
In retrospect "Protege" covers a very familiar topic except those 15 minutes spent in Thailand. I would guess if you like action movies/crime thrillers, especially the Hong Kong variety, you will enjoy Protege a whole lot more. There's really no glaring faults in the movie, but then again there's nothing in this movie you haven't seen before. Drugs are bad - we know that. Undercover cop feels almost loyal to the people he is out to bust - we have seen that. Big crime lord gets caught in the end - we have definitely seen that. With that in mind, if you asked me to sum up "Protege" in a few lines, I would use the line that Quin often repeated to Nick, which was "...never take risks." A mantra that the filmmakers truly took to heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|