Pay
Back (2013 aka PayBack/Lionsgate DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: B Extras: D Film: C+
Zhang
Jin (Francis Ng) was the fall guy for the local Triad mafia and after
serving 3 years in jail, he wants out and to live a normal life.
Unfortunately, neither his former friends, enemies, or the family he
helped destroy is satisfied with him being released. As Zhang
searches for forgiveness and redemption, the father of the victim
searches for revenge ...including Zhang and those whom Zhang took the
fall for.
In
Fu Xi's Pay Back (2013 aka PayBack), Zhang isn't good,
but you can't say he isn't bad either. After serving his time, he is
disgusted with the crimes his crew done, his girl has left him and he
is at odds with his father. While Zhang's father knows Zhang is
innocent of the crime itself, he has withheld evidence from the
police, evidence that proves Zhang was innocent but still accessory
to the crime. As Zhang tries to forget his past sins, he is being
chauffeured by a taxi driver, the very father of the victim, who also
knows the truth of Zhang but wants revenge on the people Zhang
protected with his silence.
This was the story of a criminal,
can a criminal be forgiven if he truly repents for his crimes? And
should good person forgive them if they do? The good and bad guy's
roles become reversed, if an evil man could be forgiven then a good
man can decide if a man should live ...or die. The entire film
questions the morality of justice, even if a good man was justified
to kill, does it become no better than evil if it does decide to
kill? Or should a good person always forgive no matter what happens
to him? In the end, karma justice barely makes it, and the only sure
thing to take away from this film was evil thrives when good people
do nothing (including the incompetent police force, but then a 'good
citizen' should never lose faith in the justice system ...even when
they fail). Fans of this kind of story might want to see how they do
it.
The
anamorphically enhanced image ia s bit soft and lossy Dolby Digital
5.1 mix as good as they can be for this format, so playback is not
awful, but the only extra include trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
