Upon discovering that his estranged twin brother Lok has died, Joe's investigation of Lok's troubled past sends him to the world of underground boxing, where he suspects the opponent killed Lok during a bout. Sorely Joe finds himself unleashing his own animalistic instincts as he comes face to face with his brother's possible killer.
Acting
Daniel Wu's physical transformation from man to something feral.
Direction
Patrick Leung knows exactly when to let silence do the punching.
Practical Effects
Underground boxing scenes that actually look like they hurt.
Director
Patrick Leung Pak-Kin
Louis Koo
Tan
Daniel Wu
Tide Ho
Patrick Tam Yiu-Man
Mann
Jo Kok Cho-Lam
Sandy
Felix Lok Ying-Kwan
Brother Chu
Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai
Lao Wu
Chang Kuo-Chu
Ho Chuen
Phyllis Quek
Tan's Mother In Her Teens
Pai Ying
Mr Ying
Ron Smoorenburg
Mr Ying's White Boxer
Lawrence Cheng Tan-Shui
Sandy's Eye Doctor
Tony Cheung Shui-Chit
Marco
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Louis Koo and Daniel Wu were both rising heartthrobs at the time; this was their 'we can actually act' flex.
The film channels the 'beast within' trope popular in early 2000s HK cinema, reflecting anxieties about economic pressure crushing human dignity.
HK
