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Murderer (film)
Encyclopedia
Murderer is a 2009
Hong Kong
mystery
thriller film directed by Roy Chow, and starring Aaron Kwok
. The film centers on a police detective investigating a series of gruesome murderers. As the case pulls him deeper, he soon realizes that he may be a prime suspect. The film co-stars Cheung Siu-Fai
, Josie Ho
and Chin Kar-lok, who also served as an action choreographer
. Murderer is a co-production between Focus Features
and EDKO Film, and was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 9 July 2009.
) is a married self-assured Police Chief Inspector with an adopted 5 year old son who is investigating a cold-blooded serial murder case. However due to the homicide attempt of a fellow inspector named Tai in which Ling emerged unscathed, fellow colleagues are fast becoming aware of Ling's potential involvement. Ling suffered a loss of memory since that incident and cannot recall the events leading to Tai's attempted murder.
As Ling sifts through the clues, he finds that all the evidence is pointing toward himself as the murderer. However, Ling's belief and unwavering sense of innocence fuels him to maintain his suspicion and keeps digging. Nevertheless, his colleagues do not believe him and he accidentally kills his partner in an argument.
Ling takes a temporary leave of absence and enforces a lockdown mode to safeguard his family. During the lockdown the central plot twist of the movie is unveiled, as Ling's adopted son confesses his real identity to him. He is, in fact, Ling's half-brother, born by Ling's father's mistress who was abandoned by the father. Driven by a life of pain, humiliation and suffering for him and his mother he vowed revenge and painstaking made his way back into Ling's life as his adopted son. He was able to accomplish this due to a medical condition where his physical stature remains that of a 5 year old. Having shared a bed with Ling's wife and paid close attention to Ling's friends he is able to slowly fulfill his revenge and give out orders for the murders which was carried out by his accomplice, a mentally handicapped man he befriended years ago at a disability center.
Ling's wife is murdered in their home, driving Ling insane. Ling is able to gather himself to kill the accomplice and is moments away from carrying out justice on his adopted son until the police arrive and shot him. The end of the movie shows Ling's boss discovering that the adopted son is in the picture containing Ling's childhood friends and begins to suspect something whilst Ling is in a mental hospital engraving the words "Revenge upon release" on this left arm. Meanwhile his adopted son is depicted on the beach as a maturely dressed child contemplating the future.
, EDKO Film, and Sil-Metropole Organisation. The film marks the directorial debut of Roy Chow, and features action choreography by Chin Kar-lok.
During production, Aaron Kwok
went without sleep for his role. On set, he became known as "Iron Man
Kwok." Kwok in order to convey the most disturbed emotions, did not say much for nearly a day. He would often sit in a corner without saying a word and looked very vicious. crew members warned each other not to go near Kwok. When production for the film ended, Kwok did not sleep for three days, despite feeling completely exhausted.
Cheung Siu-Fai
, who co-stars in the film, had to overcome his fear of heights for film, as he had to jump down a five-story platform to a ground full of sharp rocks. After Chin Ka-Lok demonstrated that stunt to him, Cheung agreed to perform it himself. In order to break his fall, Cheung used his arms to block the edges of sharp rocks from hitting his head. Despite being shaken after performing the stunt, Cheung described his fall as intense and exciting: "Although I am afraid of heights I feel this scene is very refreshing and challenging."
, which runs Hong Kong's subway system
, nearly banned the poster from all subway stations, feeling that the image was terrifying.
Focus Features spent $1 million to have the theatrical trailer designed by the same English editing company that designed the trailer for Slumdog Millionaire
.
Hong Kong films of 2009
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 2009:.-2009:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 2009 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
mystery
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
thriller film directed by Roy Chow, and starring Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
. The film centers on a police detective investigating a series of gruesome murderers. As the case pulls him deeper, he soon realizes that he may be a prime suspect. The film co-stars Cheung Siu-Fai
Cheung Siu-Fai
Eddie Cheung Siu-fai is a Hong Kong actor best known for his many supporting or everyman roles similar to Liu Kai-chi.-Filmography:-TV series:-External links:* on Sina Weibo* at the Hong Kong Cinemagic* on LoveHKFilm.com...
, Josie Ho
Josie Ho
Josephine "Josie" Ho Chiu-Yi is a daughter of Macao casino magnate Stanley Ho, and a singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Movie career:She was involved in numerous movies, TV commercials, TV dramas, and singing performances....
and Chin Kar-lok, who also served as an action choreographer
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
. Murderer is a co-production between Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
and EDKO Film, and was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 9 July 2009.
Plot
Ling (Aaron KwokAaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
) is a married self-assured Police Chief Inspector with an adopted 5 year old son who is investigating a cold-blooded serial murder case. However due to the homicide attempt of a fellow inspector named Tai in which Ling emerged unscathed, fellow colleagues are fast becoming aware of Ling's potential involvement. Ling suffered a loss of memory since that incident and cannot recall the events leading to Tai's attempted murder.
As Ling sifts through the clues, he finds that all the evidence is pointing toward himself as the murderer. However, Ling's belief and unwavering sense of innocence fuels him to maintain his suspicion and keeps digging. Nevertheless, his colleagues do not believe him and he accidentally kills his partner in an argument.
Ling takes a temporary leave of absence and enforces a lockdown mode to safeguard his family. During the lockdown the central plot twist of the movie is unveiled, as Ling's adopted son confesses his real identity to him. He is, in fact, Ling's half-brother, born by Ling's father's mistress who was abandoned by the father. Driven by a life of pain, humiliation and suffering for him and his mother he vowed revenge and painstaking made his way back into Ling's life as his adopted son. He was able to accomplish this due to a medical condition where his physical stature remains that of a 5 year old. Having shared a bed with Ling's wife and paid close attention to Ling's friends he is able to slowly fulfill his revenge and give out orders for the murders which was carried out by his accomplice, a mentally handicapped man he befriended years ago at a disability center.
Ling's wife is murdered in their home, driving Ling insane. Ling is able to gather himself to kill the accomplice and is moments away from carrying out justice on his adopted son until the police arrive and shot him. The end of the movie shows Ling's boss discovering that the adopted son is in the picture containing Ling's childhood friends and begins to suspect something whilst Ling is in a mental hospital engraving the words "Revenge upon release" on this left arm. Meanwhile his adopted son is depicted on the beach as a maturely dressed child contemplating the future.
Production
Murderer is a co-production between Focus FeaturesFocus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
, EDKO Film, and Sil-Metropole Organisation. The film marks the directorial debut of Roy Chow, and features action choreography by Chin Kar-lok.
During production, Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
went without sleep for his role. On set, he became known as "Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
Kwok." Kwok in order to convey the most disturbed emotions, did not say much for nearly a day. He would often sit in a corner without saying a word and looked very vicious. crew members warned each other not to go near Kwok. When production for the film ended, Kwok did not sleep for three days, despite feeling completely exhausted.
Cheung Siu-Fai
Cheung Siu-Fai
Eddie Cheung Siu-fai is a Hong Kong actor best known for his many supporting or everyman roles similar to Liu Kai-chi.-Filmography:-TV series:-External links:* on Sina Weibo* at the Hong Kong Cinemagic* on LoveHKFilm.com...
, who co-stars in the film, had to overcome his fear of heights for film, as he had to jump down a five-story platform to a ground full of sharp rocks. After Chin Ka-Lok demonstrated that stunt to him, Cheung agreed to perform it himself. In order to break his fall, Cheung used his arms to block the edges of sharp rocks from hitting his head. Despite being shaken after performing the stunt, Cheung described his fall as intense and exciting: "Although I am afraid of heights I feel this scene is very refreshing and challenging."
Release
Murderer was released in Hong Kong on 9 July 2009. The film will be released in Singapore on 23 July 2009.Marketing
The film's movie poster depicts its lead actor, Aaron Kwok, with a vicious look on his face. This photo on the movie poster was taken by famed photographer Wing Shya, who aimed to capture Kwok's exhausted look and almost madly vicious eyes. Kwok himself was impressed with the poster, feeling that it was fully terrifying. When he first saw the poster he almost was not able to recognize himself. MTRMTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
, which runs Hong Kong's subway system
Rail transport in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's rail network comprises public transport trains operated by MTR Corporation Limited . The MTRC operates the metro network of Hong Kong and the commuter rail network connecting the northeastern and northwestern New Territories with the rest of Hong Kong...
, nearly banned the poster from all subway stations, feeling that the image was terrifying.
Focus Features spent $1 million to have the theatrical trailer designed by the same English editing company that designed the trailer for Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
.
Awards and nominations
29th Hong Kong Film Awards29th Hong Kong Film Awards
Ceremony for the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards took place on 18 April 2010 . Here are the nominees listed taken from the official website.Wang Po Chieh's original nomination for the Best New Performer was withdrawn after he was confirmed to be an actor in the 2008 Taiwan film Winds of September...
- Nominated: Best Actor (Aaron Kwok)
- Nominated: Best New Director (Roy Chow Hin Yeung)