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Sniper (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
The Sniper is a 2009
Hong Kong
action
thriller film directed by Dante Lam
and starring Richie Ren
, Edison Chen
and Huang Xiaoming
, as top sniper
s for the Hong Kong Police Force
. The film was originally set to be released in May 2008, but was delayed due to the Edison Chen photo scandal
.
Sniper Team. Hartman who is by-the-book and hierarchical, got the job despite being the second best shooter in team history. The best was Hartman's former teammate Lincoln (Huang Xiaoming), whose unorthodox methods and confidence makes him arrogant and disdainful of authority. Hartman and Lincoln are two alpha males with a long-running rivalry, with only room at the top for one sharpshooter.
Lincoln however was dismissed and jailed for accidentally killing a hostage (the son of the bank chairman) during a bank robbery committed by crime boss Tao (Jack Kao). Lincoln maintained in defense that Tao was about to pull the pin of a grenade but no one else on the Sniper Team could support his story, indeed there is a feeling that Hartman (who was the only other person who could have been in a position to see Tao with the grenade) may have withheld key evidence that would have exonerated Lincoln. Back to the present, upon his release from prison after a four-year stint, Lincoln still harbors a grudge against his former SDU teammates despite being welcomed back into society by Shane. Within days Lincoln has purchased an illegal sniper rifle. He also rekindles his relationship with his wife Crystal (Mango Wong) who encourages him to seek revenge, after they view the wedding ring in the aquarium.
In a flashback, there are two rookie cops getting involved in criminal shootout. One of them is OJ, who manages to stay calm and kills a criminal. Lincoln sees potential in this youngster and decides to take him under his wing. Yet when OJ becomes fascinated by Lincoln and determines to top his shooting skills, he becomes another wild card on the loose. OJ's unorthodox means leads him into frequent conflicts with Hartman's rigid authoritarian style.
Within a few days of being a free man, Lincoln helps crime boss Tao escape prisoner transfer convoy. An off-duty Hartman witnesses the incident, killing several of Tao's men but unable to prevent them from breaking their boss free, after Lincoln tips him off to the crime's location as kind of a "ha ha, I'm helping the bad guys," taunt. Ming and his team are dispatched to profile the suspect. OJ (Edison Chen), the hot-headed rookie on the team, surprises everyone by accurately replicating the suspect’s impossible shots. He manages to do this because of advice from Lincoln.
As Hartman investigates the suspect, he inadvertently runs into crime boss Tao and his henchmen in the elevator of an apartment building. Hartman manages to kill one of the criminals but while chasing after Tao he is foiled by Lincoln. Hartman then pursues Lincoln to the roof and Lincoln loses his grip on a rope and falls down. Tao escapes but his right-hand man is cornered by police, so he flees into a restaurant and takes hostages. Hartman, now in the police command van, coordinates his sniper team but only OJ has a good shot. Although Hartman's order is "shoot to kill", OJ instead wounds the criminal in the arm holding the gun. Although the hostage situation has been resolved without loss of innocent life, Hartman and OJ have a heated argument over the disobeyed order, with OJ arguing that this allowed for the mobster's capture so the case can be further investigated.
Later it is revealed Lincoln has survived the fall with no major injuries and continues his plan of revenge and kidnaps Shane, who is Lincoln's last friend and supporter from the SDU. While Lincoln and Crystal make conversation, Shane regains consciousness and reminds him that Crystal is dead and it is revealed that Lincoln has been hallucinating all this time. In a fit of rage, Lincoln takes his rifle and fires at the ghosts of Hartman and the bank chairman's son, before realizing that he has inadvertently killed Shane. A flashback shows Crystal visiting Lincoln in prison, but he tells her to go away. Crystal then returns home and drops the wedding ring into the aquarium. Standing out on the balcony of her apartment looking at a photo of them in happier times, a wind blows away the photo, and as she lunges for it she tumbles over the railing and falls to her death (likely a suicide).
In the ending, Lincoln decides to lure Fong and the SDU sniper team into a trap at an auto scrap warehouse, leading to the ultimate showdown amongst three expert snipers. First Lincoln forces the crime boss Tao reenact the bank robbery hostage taking, and unlike four years ago, this time Lincoln successfully kills Tao and saves the hostage. In the final gun battle, most of Hartman's team is wounded or killed, but Hartman volunteers to sacrifice himself and draw Lincoln's fire, allowing OJ to kill Lincoln and become the best sniper in the SDU.
.
on 24 March 2009, a year after the scandal. Edison Chen did not appear at the HK premiere due to the death threat letter, but was able to participate in the Singapore
an promotions.
Prior to the promotion of the film in Singapore, fellow actor Richie Ren
was asked by the media as to whether he believed that the rumor of Chen wanting to commit suicide was true. He said he did not believe it, and that if he was to do it, he would have done it earlier. Ren also said it did not fit Chen's personality to kill himself, and that him getting shot is more believable. Regarding the death threat, Ren said this is the second time he has been to a film promotion where reality closely resembles a film. While he was at a Taiwan
ese promotion for the film Breaking News, a real cops-and-robber shootout had occurred and was broadcasted live. Anthony Wong
also responded to the media, saying that it was pointless for Chen to wear a bulletproof vest during the promotions as they can just aim for the head.
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...
action
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
thriller film directed by Dante Lam
Dante Lam
Dante Lam Chiu-Yin is a Hong Kong film director, an assistant director, actor, producer, writer, and action choreographer. In 2008 he won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director for his work on Beast Stalker.-Director:* Option Zero...
and starring Richie Ren
Richie Ren
Richie Jen is a Taiwanese singer and actor. He has become extremely popular throughout Asia, particularly in the Chinese-speaking countries. He graduated from the Chinese Culture University's physical education department.-Films:...
, Edison Chen
Edison Chen
Edison Koon-Hei Chen is a Hong Kong film actor, Cantopop singer, Hong Kong hip hop rapper, model, record producer, fashion designer, and a pop icon. Chen is also the founder of CLOT Inc., and the CEO of Clot Media Division Limited...
and Huang Xiaoming
Huang Xiaoming
Huang Xiaoming is a mainland Chinese actor, singer, and model. He is often referred to as China's "number one heartthrob" or "number one young male"...
, as top sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s for the Hong Kong Police Force
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
. The film was originally set to be released in May 2008, but was delayed due to the Edison Chen photo scandal
Edison Chen photo scandal
The Edison Chen photo scandal involved the illegal distribution over the Internet of intimate and private photographs of Hong Kong actor Edison Chen with various women, including actresses Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Rachel Ngan and Cecilia Cheung. The scandal shook the Hong Kong entertainment...
.
Synopsis
Hartman Fong (Richie Ren) succeeds Shane (Bowie Lam) as the leader of Hong Kong's Special Duties UnitSpecial Duties Unit
The Special Duties Unit is an elite paramilitary tactical unit of the Hong Kong Police Force. Established in July 1974, it is a sub-division of the Police Tactical Unit...
Sniper Team. Hartman who is by-the-book and hierarchical, got the job despite being the second best shooter in team history. The best was Hartman's former teammate Lincoln (Huang Xiaoming), whose unorthodox methods and confidence makes him arrogant and disdainful of authority. Hartman and Lincoln are two alpha males with a long-running rivalry, with only room at the top for one sharpshooter.
Lincoln however was dismissed and jailed for accidentally killing a hostage (the son of the bank chairman) during a bank robbery committed by crime boss Tao (Jack Kao). Lincoln maintained in defense that Tao was about to pull the pin of a grenade but no one else on the Sniper Team could support his story, indeed there is a feeling that Hartman (who was the only other person who could have been in a position to see Tao with the grenade) may have withheld key evidence that would have exonerated Lincoln. Back to the present, upon his release from prison after a four-year stint, Lincoln still harbors a grudge against his former SDU teammates despite being welcomed back into society by Shane. Within days Lincoln has purchased an illegal sniper rifle. He also rekindles his relationship with his wife Crystal (Mango Wong) who encourages him to seek revenge, after they view the wedding ring in the aquarium.
In a flashback, there are two rookie cops getting involved in criminal shootout. One of them is OJ, who manages to stay calm and kills a criminal. Lincoln sees potential in this youngster and decides to take him under his wing. Yet when OJ becomes fascinated by Lincoln and determines to top his shooting skills, he becomes another wild card on the loose. OJ's unorthodox means leads him into frequent conflicts with Hartman's rigid authoritarian style.
Within a few days of being a free man, Lincoln helps crime boss Tao escape prisoner transfer convoy. An off-duty Hartman witnesses the incident, killing several of Tao's men but unable to prevent them from breaking their boss free, after Lincoln tips him off to the crime's location as kind of a "ha ha, I'm helping the bad guys," taunt. Ming and his team are dispatched to profile the suspect. OJ (Edison Chen), the hot-headed rookie on the team, surprises everyone by accurately replicating the suspect’s impossible shots. He manages to do this because of advice from Lincoln.
As Hartman investigates the suspect, he inadvertently runs into crime boss Tao and his henchmen in the elevator of an apartment building. Hartman manages to kill one of the criminals but while chasing after Tao he is foiled by Lincoln. Hartman then pursues Lincoln to the roof and Lincoln loses his grip on a rope and falls down. Tao escapes but his right-hand man is cornered by police, so he flees into a restaurant and takes hostages. Hartman, now in the police command van, coordinates his sniper team but only OJ has a good shot. Although Hartman's order is "shoot to kill", OJ instead wounds the criminal in the arm holding the gun. Although the hostage situation has been resolved without loss of innocent life, Hartman and OJ have a heated argument over the disobeyed order, with OJ arguing that this allowed for the mobster's capture so the case can be further investigated.
Later it is revealed Lincoln has survived the fall with no major injuries and continues his plan of revenge and kidnaps Shane, who is Lincoln's last friend and supporter from the SDU. While Lincoln and Crystal make conversation, Shane regains consciousness and reminds him that Crystal is dead and it is revealed that Lincoln has been hallucinating all this time. In a fit of rage, Lincoln takes his rifle and fires at the ghosts of Hartman and the bank chairman's son, before realizing that he has inadvertently killed Shane. A flashback shows Crystal visiting Lincoln in prison, but he tells her to go away. Crystal then returns home and drops the wedding ring into the aquarium. Standing out on the balcony of her apartment looking at a photo of them in happier times, a wind blows away the photo, and as she lunges for it she tumbles over the railing and falls to her death (likely a suicide).
In the ending, Lincoln decides to lure Fong and the SDU sniper team into a trap at an auto scrap warehouse, leading to the ultimate showdown amongst three expert snipers. First Lincoln forces the crime boss Tao reenact the bank robbery hostage taking, and unlike four years ago, this time Lincoln successfully kills Tao and saves the hostage. In the final gun battle, most of Hartman's team is wounded or killed, but Hartman volunteers to sacrifice himself and draw Lincoln's fire, allowing OJ to kill Lincoln and become the best sniper in the SDU.
Cast
- Richie RenRichie RenRichie Jen is a Taiwanese singer and actor. He has become extremely popular throughout Asia, particularly in the Chinese-speaking countries. He graduated from the Chinese Culture University's physical education department.-Films:...
as Hartman Fong - Edison ChenEdison ChenEdison Koon-Hei Chen is a Hong Kong film actor, Cantopop singer, Hong Kong hip hop rapper, model, record producer, fashion designer, and a pop icon. Chen is also the founder of CLOT Inc., and the CEO of Clot Media Division Limited...
as OJ - Huang XiaomingHuang XiaomingHuang Xiaoming is a mainland Chinese actor, singer, and model. He is often referred to as China's "number one heartthrob" or "number one young male"...
as Lincoln Ching - Mango Wong as Cystal
- Michelle YeMichelle YeMichelle Ye Xuan is a Hong Kong actress. In 1999, she won the Miss Chinese International competition. Ye then signed a contract with TVB from 1999-2005. After she left TVB, She signed with Rich & Famous Talent Management Group Limited to pursue a movie career.Ye is fluent in Cantonese, English,...
as Mon - Bowie Lam as Shane
- Wilfred LauWilfred LauWilfred Lau Ho-Lung is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He is also known as "師兄" in the entertainment industry. He was the winner of the 16th annual New Talent Singing Awards International Finals in 1997. Many have made comparisons to his voice to the voice of Eason Chan.Wilfred attended St....
as Iceman - Charmaine Fong as Kit
- Patrick TangPatrick TangPatrick Tang is a Hong Kong singer, actor, and TV show host who has been involved in numerous drama and movie productions. He was born 6 May 1974 in Hong Kong. He has three sisters. He started his career with TVB, where he has been from 2000 to the present day.-Television:-Film:-External links:* *...
as Police Chung (Cameo)
Production
Principal photography commenced in August 2007 with a budget at HK$30 million. The Sniper was originally set to be released in May 2008, but was delayed due to the Edison Chen photo scandalEdison Chen photo scandal
The Edison Chen photo scandal involved the illegal distribution over the Internet of intimate and private photographs of Hong Kong actor Edison Chen with various women, including actresses Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Rachel Ngan and Cecilia Cheung. The scandal shook the Hong Kong entertainment...
.
Release
The first local premiere showing was available at the Hong Kong International Film FestivalHong Kong International Film Festival
The Hong Kong International Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch and experience new film work. There are seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and parties celebrating the festival community...
on 24 March 2009, a year after the scandal. Edison Chen did not appear at the HK premiere due to the death threat letter, but was able to participate in the Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an promotions.
Prior to the promotion of the film in Singapore, fellow actor Richie Ren
Richie Ren
Richie Jen is a Taiwanese singer and actor. He has become extremely popular throughout Asia, particularly in the Chinese-speaking countries. He graduated from the Chinese Culture University's physical education department.-Films:...
was asked by the media as to whether he believed that the rumor of Chen wanting to commit suicide was true. He said he did not believe it, and that if he was to do it, he would have done it earlier. Ren also said it did not fit Chen's personality to kill himself, and that him getting shot is more believable. Regarding the death threat, Ren said this is the second time he has been to a film promotion where reality closely resembles a film. While he was at a Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese promotion for the film Breaking News, a real cops-and-robber shootout had occurred and was broadcasted live. Anthony Wong
Anthony Wong Chau Sang
Anthony Wong Chau-sang is a Hong Kong Film Award-winning Hong Kong actor, screenwriter and film director. He is regarded as one of the most notable actors in Hong Kong.-Biography:...
also responded to the media, saying that it was pointless for Chen to wear a bulletproof vest during the promotions as they can just aim for the head.
