‘Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In’ Review – A Visually Stunning, High-Octane Homage To The 1980s Gangster Genre [Cannes 2024]

Despite the Kowloon Walled City, a once ungovernable and densely populated residential area in Hong Kong, being demolished in 1993, it continues to serve as a rich source of inspiration for creative works. The enigmatic aura and the menacing figures that once roamed its streets formed the backdrop for various artistic expressions, including the comic City of Darkness by Andy Seto. However, it’s surprising that the city’s allure has just now come to the big screen for the first time. Award-winning director Soi Cheang, known for his gritty crime thrillers such as Accident and Mad Fate, finally brings the darkness and threats of the Kowloon Walled City to life in Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. With a staggering budget of $40 million USD and a physically strong ensemble cast, Cheang delivers a visually stunning, high-octane movie that pays homage to the 1980s gangster genre.

The story, loosely based on Seto’s work, takes place during the 1980s, a troublesome and turbulent time in Hong Kong. After stealing from triad leader Mr Big (Sammo Hung), the young fighter and refugee Chan Lok-Kwun, a.k.a. “Lok” (Raymond Lam), flees and unknowingly ends up in the infamous Kowloon Walled City. A special shout-out instantly must go to Cheang and his production design team. They re-created the Kowloon Walled City in such a meticulous and immersive way. From the narrow alleyways to the complex mazes and the overly packed building to the dark and dirty corners and every detail in between, it’s all beautifully made by the entire team.

The visceral aspect of the feature goes through the roof thanks to Siu-Keung Cheng’s (Limbo, Ip Man 4) energetic cinematography and Kenji Tanigaki’s (Fierce Cop, Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I – The Final) powerful stunts. The explosive confrontations become even more vivacious as you hear every bone breaking and the impact of each powerful punch thanks to the splendid sound design.

While the non-stop, action-packed scenes are a thrill to watch, we couldn’t help but wish for some moments of respite. A slight slowdown in the pacing would have allowed the audience to fully appreciate the breathtaking cinematography and the top-notch stunts by the legendary action choreographer Sammo Hung, without the story feeling too slow or too detached from the other more fast-moving moments.

Suppose you combine all those well-crafted elements with the gorgeously dark special effects. In that case, you get a film that undoubtedly will be nominated in the technical categories for the Hong Kong Film Awards. When watching this feature, it truly feels like you’re walking through the grim and desolate streets of the city yourself.

We’re not sure if that’s something we would want to do, though, as violence, drugs, and murder rule the notorious city, overseen by crime boss Cyclone (Louis Koo). After temporarily finding shelter from Mr Big, Lok has to find a place in the new chaotic and intense community he has found himself in. We follow how he navigates through the city in a city. Cyclone offers him a job, and he even becomes friends with three gangers (Shin, AV and Twelfth Master) who work for Cyclone or Uncle Tiger’s (Kenny Wong) gang. It seems that Lok is finally where he needs to be, but when his dark past ignites again and the stakes are raised, it’s just a question of whether he will ever find the forever safety and security he’s looking for.

Lok may or may not have found what he was looking for, but Cheang certainly did when he chose his marvellous cast. Lam takes on his most significant role as the headstrong fighter, just trying to make a name for himself and live the life he always wanted. The actor who shone in films such as Tai Chi and San Taam Daai Zin stands at the forefront with a lot of power and ease, and together with the delightful Koo, they create a palatable kind of father/son relationship. Koo (Warriors of the Future, Paradox) himself ensures that Cyclone possesses the calmness and amity he needs as Lok’s friend and mentor, as well as the authority and leadership a triad leader needs to have. We also get a glimpse of Aaron Kwok as a terrifying and charismatic killer.

Film lovers of the golden era of Hong Kong features will adore this work. Not only because of its battles, violence, and grittiness but also because the movie follows a more traditional structure. The classic elements include the triad rivalry, retribution, brotherhood, justice and a sense of community. While those aspects might create a too-predictable story for some people, most moviegoers in Hong Kong don’t mind that familiarity. The riveting movie has already been a box office hit in Hong Kong and after the Midnight Screening at the Cannes Film Festival, the popularity of this feature will certainly rise more. This is because of its impressive cinematography, stunt designs and performances!

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is an Official Selection (Midnight Screening) of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The film is now out in UK cinemas. No US release date has been announced yet.

Director: Soi Cheang

Screenwriters: Kin-yee Au, Kwan-sin Shum, Tai-Lee Chan, Chun Lai 

Rated: NR

Runtime: 125m