Fulvue Drive-In.com
Current Reviews
In Stores Soon
 
In Stores Now
 
DVD Reviews, SACD Reviews Essays Interviews Contact Us Meet the Staff
An Explanation of Our Rating System Search  
Category:    Home > Reviews > Gangster > Martial Arts > Hong Kong > Triad Election (2006)

Triad Election (2006)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C-     Film: C-

 

 

In one of lamer, odder gangster films we have seen anywhere in a while, Johnnie To’s Triad Election (2006) tells the strange story about a triad who can get a deal with the Chinese government to have some free reign over an empire if the current head of affairs steps down, but he would rather die gloriously than walk away, so conflict results with the new potential electee who would rather not be involved.  Too bad China’s offer is so good.  The idea is interesting, but To is a good director and manages to mess this one up.

 

One problem is that the film becomes far too involved with old conventions and even clichés, which immediately takes it out of the big leagues of better gangster tales from Year Of The Dragon to Miller’s Crossing.  So much so in fact that it does not look, feel or play like a Hong Kong production in a way that is not to its advantage.  The scenes of violence and torture get stupid very quickly and the film eventually implodes on itself.  If you want to see this one, vote no!

 

The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image is not bad, but too soft and detail challenged too often.  I doubt Director of Photography Cheung Siu Keung, H.K.S.C., intended this to look like this, but I would like to see certain scenes in HD and 35mm for comparison purposes, so odd are some of the shots.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 mixes are better, if not great, with the DTS having a slight edge.  Unfortunately, there is some compression in both showing multi-channel sound is no the primary goal in the original sound mixing.  Extras include a making of featurette, original theatrical trailer and two separate interviews with actors Lam Suet & Lam Ka Tung.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


Marketplace


 
 Copyright © MMIII through MMX fulvuedrive-in.com