Prison on Fire

I first watched this movie when I was rather young. After 13 years, I've just re-watched it. Still a brilliant piece of work. Often, I'd be bored watching old films which I had thought the world of. But this movie still amazes and excites me after so many years.

I am sure the more violent scenes were cut from the version I watched, because I vaguely remember moments that were a lot more shocking. But I would't classify it as a "violent" movie, because there was a lot of meaning to it. If I as an elementary school child could take it, it shouldn't be any more gruesome than The Ring 2.

Simply watching Chow Yun Fatt was a treat in itself. His acting was intriguing and absolutely intense. Never did a moment pass that he wasn't giving in his best. The smiles and the stares, the jokes and the scorn, the singing and the scolding... and who would forget his orange with 3 cigarettes? No kid from a chinese-speaking family doesn't remember this classic arrangement.

Tony Leung, another great actor, could be seen shining in his own right. Although much of the glamour belonged to Chow Yun Fatt, Tony Leung's performance in the suicide scene, and the sheer ignorance in his eyes as he incurred the wrath of just about everyone, were truly commendable. He was the "stupid little lamb" in the film.

Watch this film, and you'd find "Anna and the King" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" terrible jokes. I still can't believe Chow Yun Fatt starred in these 2 films. From an Asian's point of view, his recent Hollywood films were disappointing. His roles in these new films were a far cry from his memorable performances in "The Story of Ah Lang", "A Better Tomorrow" and this film. Special effects can't be everything in a movie. Realism is more important.

And don't walk away without learning how to sing the prisoners' favourite song! *Yian sum yu sei shueang yao do siu...*

Director Ringo Lam would follow up the crime drama 'City on Fire' with this heated prison drama; 'Prison on Fire'. Then the excellent 'School on Fire' would round off his (unrelated) back to back fire trilogy. A couple years later Lam would return to this well with a less effective 'Prison on Fire 2'. 'City of Fire' might be the most iconic of the three, but I think it's the weakest of them, but that doesn't mean it's still not a great film.

'Prison of Fire' was rather systematic when it came to its story beats, however the pacing never lingers and it's Chow Yun-Fat who steals every scene whenever on screen. The affable chemistry with co-star Tony Ka Fai Leung grows, and shapes the plot holding everything together. Ka-Kui Ho (prisoner) And Roy Cheung (prison warden) made great antagonists. Which leads to a few unfortunate events and violent encounters, never making prison life all that easy.

...and soon enough, like any situation where the pressure does nothing but build, it'll explode.

Chow Yun-Fat plays Chung Tin Ching, a prisoner on a manslaughter charge, who befriends a harmless, naive twig of a man named Yiu, also on a manslaughter term. At first, he's a nuisance, but as he sees just how useless Yiu is in his situation, he can't help but step in when Yiu's blunders aggravates the wrong people. Friendship blossoms, and then the two of them must fend for themselves and each other against the cruel warden, Officer Hung, and Hung's obnoxious rat. The situation intensifies... it escalates... and when it finally explodes, it is intense, emotional, and effective.

I've seen six of Ringo Lam's films now, the other four being Prison on Fire II (right after I saw this one), City on Fire, Full Contact, and two of his Van Damme vehicles, and Prison on Fire is definitely the second-best film I've seen from him so far. It's nothing original, and the villains are a little cartoonish at times, but for the most part, it's a great movie, and definitely among the best of Chow and Lam.

This Chinese prison drama is a film that just gets better as it goes along. It starts off on the usual ground, with a green inmate unfairly sent to jail, and before long all the prison movie clichés are coming out: the ruthlessly corrupt guards, the rival prison factions and the tough gang bosses and inevitable riots. So far, so typical. But then the film pulls an ace from its sleeve with the presence of Chow Yun-Fat, pretty much playing the opposite of his John Woo tough cop character as a friendly, humorous fellow prisoner who befriends the lead and helps him find his way around.

Chow Yun-Fat is excellent in this film. I don't want to spoil the plot too much, but his character undergoes a gradual transformation as he becomes involved in the violent politics of prison life, and come the climax he's giving an unforgettable, show-stopping turn as an ordinary guy pushed to the limit…and beyond. Bestial, inhuman and altogether frightening, this is Chow Yun-Fat like you've never seen him before.

The Chinese star isn't the only good thing about PRISON ON FIRE. Ringo Lam, an underrated director, more than holds his own against John Woo. This film is the definition of the word "slowburning", gradually building up to one of the most unforgettably violent endings of the era. The fact that it takes a long time to get to that stage just makes it all the more effective. What's interesting is that the chief villain in this – officer Scarface, played by Roy Cheung – is far more of a subtle presence than usual for this genre. Instead of making the lives of his prisoners a misery with punishment and violence, he actually seems like an all right type of guy before you realise his talent for backstabbing and betraying, turning one against the other.

The other cast members are particularly good here; Tony Leung (DUMPLINGS) convinces as the mild-mannered convict not cut out for prison life, and Sammo Hung lookalike Ka-Kui Ho is fine as the gang leader you don't want to fall foul of (kudos to the filmmakers for making him an ordinary guy, slightly overweight and wearing glasses, instead of the usual bodybuilder type). Kwong Leung Wong also shines as gang leader Billy, a man who initially appears to be yet another villain but soon becomes a key ally. PRISON ON FIRE is a delightful movie that more than holds its own against later prison flick ISLAND ON FIRE.

Gaam Yuk Fung Wan/Prison on Fire(1987) is the second film in the On Fire Trilogy(excluding Prison on Fire 2). The first film, City on Fire(1987) dealt with a man who's trapped between duty with the police and loyality with the triad gang he's working undercover with. Prison on Fire(1987) is about a man sent to prison for manslaughter who slowly learns how to survive in prison with the help of a fellow inmate. A harrowing look into the prison system of Hong Kong. Makes Midnight Express(1977) look like a pleasent experience. Like City on Fire, this film shows a world of brutality where only the strongest and toughest survive. Chow Yun Fat is brilliant as the prisoner, Ching who takes the new guy under his wing.

The role of the new guy was originally offered to Danny Lee who turned the role down. Tony Leung Ka Fai was given the role of Lo Ka Yiu and did a wonderful job. The actor gives a sense of naive honesty in his performance. Lo Ka Yiu gets in trouble when he accuses one of the prisoners of stealing sissors. This put him under the wrath of the prisoner in glasses who sets him up as a rat. Roy Cheung is sadistic and dislikable as Officer "Scarface" Hung. His best roles are when he plays dislikable and dispictable characters like the arrogant Police officer in City on Fire(1987) or the Triad punk in School on Fire(1988).

Ringo Lam deals with many issues involving the prison system in Hong Kong. excellently scripted from the writer of Xia Dao Gao Fei/Full Contact(1987). Emotional involving film with an realistic fight scene during the climax. One thing I would like to know is the name of the song that's playing on the radio during the New Year Celebration. Officer "Scarface" Hung gets what was coming to him when Ching becomes deranged. One of the best acting by Chow Yun Fat comes in the climax when he goes insane. He plays this scene with an emotional wildness that hasn't been seen from him since.