Colour of the Truth

A great departure for creator WONG JING, known mostly for superfluous comedies and mindnumbingly bad comedy-action films that should have been left on the floor of Hong Kong film history (i.e. the '80s and early '90s).

COLOUR OF THE TRUTH is predictable and there's nothing new in it. In fact, it's somewhat of a copy of the far superior INFERNAL AFFAIRS in premise. Even so, TRUTH is rather enjoyable, thanks to a classic turn by star Anthony Wong.

Not quite as good as INFERNAL AFFAIRS, but even that movie was a retread of familiar territory. Hong Kong has done so many Cop/Triad films that it's hard to break new grounds. TRUTH doesn't, but it's still quite good.

6 out of 10.

After, Qi Xi, whom even calls 7-up (how's that for product placement) is killed, his young boy grows up thinking that Huang (the great Anthony Wong) a policeman had killed him. Now as a new graduate of the police academy and going by the name of Coke, he plans to avenge his fathers death. This film is derivative of better films, but the acting and the stylistic action keeps it not only afloat but makes it a pretty good film in it's own right. I was never bored with it as it kept my attention throughout.

DVD Extras: Making of; Movie Synopsis; Cast bios; 2 Theatrical Trailers; Trailer for "Love undercover 2"

My movie/DVD grade: B/F (too many of the extras aren't subtitled)

Everything in Colour of Truth you have seen before, likely more than once, and these elements are put together in way that is frightfully predictable. This however does not prevent the movie from being watchable and even enjoyable. One reason is the good, brisk pace. The other is the abundance of characters, which provides a good variety even if most of them are somewhat one-dimensional. The main reason, however, is Anthony Wong.

Academy of Performing Arts trained, Wong is a true actor and a joy to watch whether he is in lead, support, or even a cameo role. In Colour of Truth, the two lead roles are a veteran police inspector, played by Wong, and a young officer whose father was a colleague that the inspector shot, under dubious circumstances. In this movie, Wong for the first time adopts an identity that reflects what he is in real life, a Eurasian, something he rarely refers to because he detests his English father who deserted him and his mother. It is completely different in the movie. Inspector Wong Jiang's father, once a bomb expert in England, is incapacitated by two strokes. The inspector feeds, baths and even changes diaper for his father. It's quite a touching scene to see Inspector Wong stroking his father's almost hairless head gently. I seem to sense that behind the actor, Anthony Wong is stroking a father that he longs to have but never had.

The movie is a good commercial flick, and followers of Hong Kong movie will enjoy seeing many faces, albeit some of them briefly. There are Francis Ng and Lau Ching-Wun, two of Hong Kong's best actors, playing a good, tense scene with Wong at the beginning. There is Tse Yin, now at his 70s, an icon in the Hong Kong movie world and still active.

Of the up and rising, there is Gillian Chung from the Twins Effect and Tao Man-Chak who is getting a good handle of his comic role since Internal Affairs. Chan Siu-Chun plays a role he is very familiar with since his Goo Wark Jai series: an underworld boss. Pinky Cheung would have got the voluptuous role of the Vietnamese assassin a couple of years ago but now it is given to the new comer Winnie Leung who play the real estate agent in Twine Effect. Pinky instead plays a middle-aged mother. I have not forgotten about the other lead, the young policy officer taken under the wings of Wong who he believes to be the murder of his father. Wong Ho-Yin, young and fresh looking, gave a respectable performance.

Jing Wong's "Color of the truth" is the kind of films that great directors are remembered by, with beautifully crafted cinematography and just the right mix of editorial features, it is a signature addition to Wong's body of work. A perfect mix of hard-nosed cops and gangsters who die trying.

One of the most powerful scenes of film came early on in the opening sequence, where an undercover informant played by Ching Wan Lau is confronted by his supervising officer played by the delightful Anthony Wong and his mark, a local mob boss played by the colorful Francis Ng.

On a beautifully lit rooftop, (a love letter from cinematographer Edmond Fung to his camera) the trio are put in what may stand alongside Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" as one of the best Mexican stand-offs in world cinema to date.

In an attempt to conceal his cover, Seven up (Lau) gently reassures his commanding officer by placing his hand on Huang's(Wong) shoulder, focus is pulled to the foreground leaving Lau's face and the rest of the conversation to take place in the unfocused background.

The performance by Anthony Wong brings a refreshing quality and adds a darker persona to his already impressive repertoire. Comic genius Man Chat To has acquired the kind of master timing that most comics only dream about, playing the "wacky assistant" role, reminiscence of Stephen Chow's standout performances.

It may be far too early to be branding the year¡¦s ¡§best¡¨ but if ¡§Color of the Truth¡¨ is forgotten when the awards draw near, it will be a shame as well as a mystery.

Daniel Chan (Independent Filmmaker)

The storyline in this action/crime movie was nothing out of the ordinary, unfortunately. Though what made the movie somewhat different from so many other Hong Kong crime movies was the way it was shot and some brilliant acting performances.

"Colour of the Truth" is an average cop and triad story, where Wong Jiang shoots and kills two people, one triad boss and one being an undercover policeman. The sons of these two grow up with a brooding urge to seek vengeance and justify the loss of their father; one growing up to become a policeman and work along side Wong Jiang, while the other grows up on the shadier side of the law.

Even though it was a fairly 'standard' storyline, then it was still enjoyable, because it was well shot and nicely executed by both director and acting talents alike. Was it predictable? Yes.

"Colour of the Truth" has some of Hong Kong's heavier acting talents to the cast list. There is Anthony Wong Chau-Sang (playing Wong Jiang), Jordan Chan (playing Ray Tam Dai Wai) and Yin Tse (playing Wang Kwan). And on supporting roles you have Gillian Chung (playing Katie Wang) and Chapman To (playing Toast). But most impressively, there were two great cameos by Francis Ng (playing Tam Chui) and Ching Wan Lau (playing Seven Up).

There was also a nice reference to "Young and Dangerous" in the movie, with a very clever follow-up scene, which you can't help but cheer for if you are familiar with Hong Kong cinema (well, "Young and Dangerous" in particular). Hint; it is the scene with Jordan Chan.

"Colour of the Truth" was good entertainment, however it had a tendency to be a bit too plain in the vast available crime titles out of Hong Kong. But it is well worth a watch if you are a fan of Hong Kong cinema.