Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong (2021 film)

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Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong
Official film poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese金錢帝國：追虎擒龍
Simplified Chinese金钱帝国：追虎擒龙
Directed byWong Jing
Woody Hui
Screenplay byWong Jing
Ronald Chan
Lui Koon Nam
Stanley Hui
Produced byWong Jing
Stanley Tong
Connie Wong
StarringLouis Koo
Tony Leung
Francis Ng
Gordon Lam
CinematographyAndy Ng
Edited byLi Ka-wing
Music byLowell Lo
Production
companies
Mega-Vision Pictures
Erdong Pictures (Beijing)
Moke Pictures (Beijing)
Tianjin Maoyan Weiying Culture Media
Emperor Film Production
Beijing Yuanshang Culture Media
Shanghai Zhongyan Culture Media
Nanjing Jiangshance Films
World Universal Culture
Ili Changjiang Culture
Beijing Carrie Yamei Film & TV Media
Bliss Media
Hengnuo Family Office (Guangzhou)
Perfect Sky Pictures
Shanghai Gonggong Film & TV Culture
Horgos Huanxing Entertainment Company Limited
Film Power Entertainment
Flaming Time Broadcast Organization
Distributed byMega-Vision Pictures
Release dates
  • 29 April 2021 (2021-04-29) (Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia)[1]
  • 1 May 2021 (2021-05-01) (China)[2]
Running time
106 minutes
CountriesHong Kong
China
LanguageCantonese
BudgetCN¥330 million[3]
Box officeUS$40.62 million[a]

Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong (Chinese: 金錢帝國：追虎擒龍), previously known as Money Empire (Chinese: 金錢帝國：巔峰之戰) and I Corrupt All Cops 2 (Chinese: 金錢帝國2四大探長)[4] is a 2021 Hong Kong action crime film directed by Wong Jing and Woody Hui, and starring Louis Koo, Tony Leung, Francis Ng and Gordon Lam. The film is a thematic sequel to the 2009 film I Corrupt All Cops, featuring a new storyline.[5][6] Koo and Lam play ICAC investigators who battle against notorious drug lord Crippled Ho (Leung) and corrupt police detective Chui Lok (Ng). The film was released on 29 April 2021.[7]

Plot[edit]

During the 1970s in Hong Kong, corruption has become endemic in the city, with police corruption being the leading culprit. As the kings of the corruption empire, chief Chinese detective Chui Lok (Francis Ng) and triad leader/drug lord Crippled Ho (Tony Leung Ka-fai) have colluded for over ten years and amassed over a trillion dollars.

Lawyer Hank Chan (Louis Koo) has always despised corruption and believes that if citizens fall into poverty, their rights and privileges would be exploited. By chance, Chan reunites with his college classmate Nash Pak (Gordon Lam), who returned from Britain. Pak is impressed by Chan's righteous personality and invites him to join the governor's newly established Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Chan and Pak select a group of elites to be the ICAC's first batch of investigators, with their main targets being Ho and Tsui. The ICAC'S early missions are successful but Ho and Tsui team up to retaliate and threaten many of the investigators. Nonetheless, Chan and Pak's will remain untouched and they become more determined to eliminate the two corrupt tyrants.

Cast[edit]

  • Louis Koo as Hank Chan (陳克), a former lawyer who becomes a chief investigator of Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong (ICAC) after being recruited by his old classmate and friend Nash Pak.
  • Tony Leung Ka-fai as Crippled Ho (跛豪), Hong Kong's number one drug lord.
  • Francis Ng as Chui Lok (徐樂), the corrupt Chief Chinese Detective of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force.
  • Gordon Lam as Nash Pak (白松安), chief inspector of the ICAC and Chan's old classmate and friend who recruited the latter to join the organization.
  • Philip Keung as Elon (依勞七), a gambling-addicted police officer who was dismissed and beaten by Chui and was recruited by Chan and Pak to join the ICAC.
  • Michelle Hu as Yanni Chui (崔瑩恩), Chan's fiance who is a journalist.
  • Kent Cheng as Pudgy (豬油仔), Chui's right-hand man.
  • Jacky Cai as Sharon Lam (林善怡), an ICAC investigator.
  • Lam Tsz-sin as Timmy Hui (許大天), Pudgy's former underling who becomes an ICAC investigator.
  • Mimi Kung as Pudgy's wife.
  • Wilfred Lau as Wil (細威), Ho's top henchman.
  • Dominic Ho as Ron Ho (何國勇), an ICAC investigator.
  • Raymond Wong as Ho Ching (何正), Chan and Pak's old friend who is a marine police officer.
  • Eric Li as Wayne (大威), Ho's top henchman and Wil's older brother.
  • Parkman Wong as Jan Tse (謝淦生), a corrupt police officer and Chui's underling who was caught red-handed with cocaine shipments and was persuaded by Chan to testify against Chui.
  • Wan Yeung-ming as Comic (公仔強), a triad leader who is Ho's friend.
  • Chang Yuci as Leia Yung (容海麗), an ICAC investigator.
  • Ricky Wong as Jackson (強雄), a rival triad leader of Hon who was stabbed by Wil and arrested by the police.
  • Derek Kok as Victor (花仔榮), a drug dealer whom Chui plans to groom to take Ho's position.
  • Yu Kang as Joker (潮州祝), Ho's underling.
  • Michael Joseph Rosenthal as Sir Jack Cater (姬達)
  • Vincent Matile as Peter Godber (葛柏)

Production[edit]

Principal photography for Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong began on 28 August 2019 where a production commencement ceremony was held with director Wong Jing and stars Louis Koo and Gordon Lam present.[8] After two months of compact, intensive filming, production for Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong officially wrapped up on 31 October 2019.[9]

Reception[edit]

Box office[edit]

As of 23 May 2021, Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong has grossed a total of US$40.62 million worldwide, combining its gross from Hong Kong (US$520,000)[10] and China (US$40.1 million).[11]

In Hong Kong, the film debuted at No. 2 on its opening weekend, grossing HK$1,867,401 (US$240,412) during its first four days of release.[12] The film remained at No. 2 on its second weekend, grossing HK$1,283,498, and have grossed a total of HK$3,150,899 (US$410,000) by then.[13] During its third weekend, the film grossed HK$670,348, coming in at Nom 5, and have grossed a total of HK$3,821,247 (US$491,941) by then.[14] On its fourth week, the film grossed HK$207,394, coming in at No. 10, and have accumulated a total gross of HK$4,028,641 (US$520,000) so far.[15]

In China, the film debuted at No. 4 on its opening weekend, grossing US$15.1 million on its first two days of release.[16] On its second week, the film grossed US$19.2 million and remained at No. 4, and have grossed a total of US$34.3 million by then.[17] During its third weekend, the film grossed US$4.4 million, coming in at No. 5, and have grossed a total of US$38.7 million by then.[18] On its fourth week, the film grossed US$1.4 million, coming in at No. 10, and have accumulated a total gross of US$40.1 million so far.[11]

Critical reception[edit]

Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film a score of 3/5 stars and describes the film as "predictable yet undeniably engaging" while also praising Tony Leung and Francis Ng's understated performances.[19] Lim Lian-yu ofYahoo! Singapore gave the film a similar score of 3/5 stars, noting the film's strong buildup to the climax that is hampered by a weak resolution.[20]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ See Box office

References[edit]

  1. ^ "金錢帝國：追虎擒龍｜古天樂吳鎮宇 梁家輝林家棟 四大影帝鬥戲連場". 明報. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  2. ^ "王晶《金錢帝國2》定名為《追虎擒龍》 公開四大影帝最新海報". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 沈洛嘉. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  3. ^ "《金錢帝國2：四大探長》這部電影可以投資嗎？".
  4. ^ "金錢帝國2 王晶借古天樂梁家輝 拍「雷洛」諷英：反制外國勢力". 31 July 2020.
  5. ^ "古天乐梁家辉吴镇宇林家栋齐聚《金钱帝国2》". Archived from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  6. ^ "New poster for Wong Jing & Woody Hui's crime epic MONEY EMPIRE (a thematic sequel to his 2009 film I CORRUPT ALL COPS), starring Louis Koo, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Francis Ng, Lam Ka Tung, Michelle Hu, Kent Cheng, Jacky Cai & Philip Keung". Twitter.
  7. ^ "《明日戰記》《風林火山》終有映期 2021年古天樂包辦5套大製作". 26 February 2021.
  8. ^ "王晶新片《金钱帝国2》开机，又一部枭雄片，"劳模"古天乐也在". 30 August 2019.
  9. ^ "《金钱帝国2》正式杀青，2020江湖见！- 中延集团". Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  10. ^ "追虎擒龍-票房收入-香港偶像劇場".
  11. ^ a b "China Weekly Box Office (05/17/2021 - 05/23/2021)". Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Hong Kong 2021 Weekend 17 April 29-May 2, 2021".
  13. ^ "香港週末◆票房收入:2021年 第 19 週05-06~05-09".
  14. ^ "Hong Kong 2021 Weekend 19 May 13-16, 2021".
  15. ^ "Weekly Box Office - Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) 2021".
  16. ^ "China Weekly Box Office (04/26/2021 - 05/02/2021)". Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  17. ^ "China Weekly Box Office (05/3/2021 - 05/09/2021)". Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  18. ^ "China Weekly Box Office (05/10/2021 - 05/16/2021)".[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong movie review: Louis Koo, Francis Ng in yet another police corruption drama by Wong Jing". 29 April 2021.
  20. ^ Lu, Lim Yian (29 April 2021). "Once Upon A Time In Hong Kong review: Corruption within the ranks". Yahoo. Retrieved 23 October 2022.

External links[edit]

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