Running on Karma

I did not expect the depth that this film mines when buying tickets yesterday for "Running on Karma" starring Andy Lau. In fact, when it began, I cringed wondering how campy it could possibly be. This first impression quickly transformed as some special effects were artfully used to convey that I was in for fast and thought-provoking ride.

The violence in the film stops just short of being gratuitious. In fact, it is quite purposeful and well done. As a whole, the film has a little of everything that attracts me: the supernatural, special effects, humor, love story and surprise, surprise, an actual heartfelt message that provides the viewer with 'the big picture' on life. I wanted to give the flick an 8.5/10 but opted for the 8 since this system does not take half points.

By the way, seeing this film is Hong Kong has the added effect of illustrating one of the film's points: there are many layers to our day-to-day 'reality.' This may not have such a strong effect for the viewer who lives elsewhere.

I feel that the plot is excellent: A Buddhist monk who is able to "see" past choices that lead to present day Karma. This was an excellent plot but... They should have made it more of a love story, i.e. a strong attachment by the viewer between "Big" and the police woman. And somehow it should have had a clearer ending. the plot had a potential for a great movie. Also it would have been nice to have a good ending. There were some interesting things in the movie...For example, the director certainly understood something about karma as explained by buddhist. I recalled in the movie when the monk says that the Japanese soldier is a different person than the policewoman, but that she is carrying his karma. That is an interesting distinction from the Hindu explanation of karma.

I will list three major reasons why this film should rock your world: 1. (The action.) It is a mixture of Chinese-martial and superhero choreography. The protagonist and the various "villains" he encounters are over-the-top, their abilities are by all means supernatural, there's nothing believable about them. All this exists in a contemporary Hong Kong setting. The film isn't even about kung-fu or wild action sequences. This is brilliant.

2. (Andy Lau showing off his skills with a piece of tissue.) The most original way of demonstrating martial art skills of all time.

3. (Unconventional genre mixing.) It has action, it has comedy, and it has philosophical depth. It features Andy Lau in a goddamn body-suit. There's a love story. It's a tragic love story. There's a tragic love story involving Andy-freaking-Lau in a goddamn body-suit. He does kung fu. There are cops. There's mystery. There's a detective story. This is very brilliant.

I find this film brilliant. There's no other adjective I find more fitting. Every word of that screenplay and every movement captured by the director (Johnnie To), is goddamn brilliant.

Along with One Nite In Mongkok, this was my favourite HK film of 2004.

A lot of comments have been made about the gimmick of Andy Lau's body suit but I think the director intentionally used it. Much of the film is metaphorical and symbolic. The movie artfully provides a story that is richer for its indirectness. Just as Daai Chek Liu fights the form of his would be self, and prevents the triggering of a new karmic thread through a potential revenge/ justifiable killing of Sun Ko, the body suit may in fact symbolize the effort that many people put into developing the unimportant/ ineffectual aspects of their lives. In the first part of the movie, none of his highly developed skills or extrasensory perception can avert the eventual course of karma; and only in the second part, when he forgives Sun Ko, is he successful in making any difference.

His shedding of his over-developed physique during this journey is perhaps symbolic of his return to simply pursuing "the only thing that Buddha taught" (per his soliloquy after he resolves the conflict with his alter ego). If you watch carefully, everything you need to understand the story is right there; but it's not obvious. There are many places where the director has only sown the seed for further inquiry. I could go on; but suffice to say it's not a movie that can be fully appreciated without at least some analysis on the part of the audience :) In the end, if your interpretation even makes you think about the laws of nature, the meaning and purpose of your life, that's what matters, and is perhaps what the director/ scriptwriter intended.

it has been a long time watching film doesn't leave any strong feelings to me... I left feeling conflicted, yet enlightened.. Perhaps one of the best Andy Lau's best performance in his acting career. Cecilia Cheung did a good job as well. There were some good action and a bit romantic scenes, there were some "strong' scenes that makes me freaked out as well,but I think it i necessary. The script and plot is great. Please make sure you watch the HK version not the Chinese cut. Go and watch for the experiences.