Peng Dang
1990 / 89m - Hong Kong
Crime, Drama
1.5*/5.0*
Against All poster

Watches

December 21, 2015

1.5*/5.0*

Early Andrew Lau that hooks itself into the racing hype that was well underway back then. As could be expected, it's very much a project where Lau stuck to what was expected of him, learning the trade rather than making worthwhile cinema. Against All is the definition of easy shelf filler, but in that sense, it's not the worst film to sit through.

Steve and a few of his pals work in his uncle's garage. They love to tinker with cars, and they don't mind taking them out for a spin. Steve falls in love with a singer in a local bar, what he doesn't know is that a Triad member also has the hots for this girl. Steve isn't willing to back down that easily, so he is willing to go against the Triads to win his lady's heart.

The story is pretty generic, then again, so is the rest of the film. The performances are pretty weak, Lau's direction is very basic and the film looks dirt cheap. None of this is very unexpected of course, and the runtime/pacing make sure I never got too bored watching. Unless you're a real Lau adept or a big fan of race films, there's not much reason to prioritize this film.