Kelvin Tong is the Singaporean filmmaker who’s best known for his award-winning horror thriller “The Maid,” which also was hailed as the first Singaporean horror film. After the film, he’s got involved with other titles like “1942” and “Men In White,” but these projects were unable to repeated his achievement with the maid’s horrific encounters that had broke Singapore’s box office record on its opening weekend. Now, Tong has become the first Singaporean director to make a feature film in Hong Kong with his favorite genre – a horror thriller. With title “Rule #1,” this time Tong’s film is revolving around supernatural crime drama. Being a Singaporean making a film in Hong Kong and using actors and crew from both countries, Tong has made somewhat of a hybrid film, with locations and settings shot entirely in Hong Kong, two of the most popular Hong Kong’s actors Shawn Yue (“Shamo”, “In Love With The Dead”) and Ekin Cheng are in the lead roles, also with Singaporean actress Fiona Xie. Tong said that he wrote the story back in 2003, but in Singapore cop movies where actors have to don police uniforms require police approval. “The answer I got was “no” because the police force doesn’t believe that ghosts exist. So, I had to look elsewhere.” Hong Kong’s Iconic landmarks such as Lingnan University, Hong Kong Plaza in Causeway Bay, a romantic beach-side bar in Repulse Bay and a disused water-filtration plant in Stanley which was featured in many Johnnie To films, then had served as the US$ 2 million movie’s locales. Now you are able to watch this polished latest work of Kevin Tong in Hong Kong version all region DVD that will release on this October 24th.
For rookie Sergeant Lee (Shawn Yue), being a cop means running down crooks and upholding the law. Injured in a shoot-out, he finds out to his horror that he is reassigned to the dubious-sounding Miscellaneous Affairs Department (MAD). There, he is paired up with Inspector Wong (Ekin Cheng), a jaded and alcoholic veteran who explains that MAD’s role is to answer supernatural calls. A swimming pool caretaker calls the Police about strange noises at his workplace. Lee and Wong are dispatched to the scene. Lee seems to be on the brink of uncovering something sinister when Wong traces the source of the ghastly noise–a clogged-up water pump. Putting Lee down, Wong explains MAD’s rule number one–There are no ghosts. For every seemingly-inexplicable phenomenon, there is a corresponding scientific and rational explanation. When Lee and Wong arrive at a nursing home to investigate a bizarre TV that keeps turning itself on and off, the veteran cop immediately uncovers the culprit. A man in the opposite apartment is channel-surfing with a remote control that is of the same brand as the TV in the nursing home. Unconvinced by Wong’s easy explanations, Lee investigates on his own and finds himself confronted by the impossible. At the swimming pool, he is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who had drowned there. At the nursing home, he encounters the spirit of an old woman who enjoyed watching TV before she passed away. Confronted by Lee, Wong reveals the true mission of MAD. When members of the public call the Police about strange noises or ghostly shadows, MAD shows up and reassures the complainants with scientific and rational explanations. The truth must never be known or else society will descend into chaos. A firm believer of truth and justice, Lee cannot reconcile himself to MAD’s shady practices. As he rebels against the system, the young cop realizes that there is a grain of truth in Wong’s advice. Slowly, Lee is sucked into a world of deceit and cover-ups. His relationship with his girlfriend May (Fiona Xie) suffers as MAD begins investigating a string of bizarre teenage suicides. A girl is found to have hung herself from a height of five feet. Another girl is discovered to have drowned herself in a fish tank. Impossible suicides. Unless, the victims were possessed. As Lee and Wong follow the clues, they realize that something sinister is heading their way. A serial killer who was shot by Lee before his reassignment to MAD is back–as a ghost. He is moving from girl to girl, leaving a grisly trail of carnage in his wake. While Lee doggedly pursues this ancient feud, Wong has second thoughts about his flagging career at MAD. The veteran hooks up with his former wife Esther (Stephanie Che) and makes plans to quit the force. On Wong’s last day, Lee tracks the serial killer’s ghost down to a warehouse. A showdown ensues–in which nobody is let off. (Synopsis from kelvintong.wordpress.com)
Starts off very interestingly, “Rule #1” become one very well executed film of Kelvin Tong. There are some truly scary and disturbing images that will make you grab the edge of your seats. The sound effects and creepy music that help to thick the eerie atmosphere also perfectly executed. The thrilling ride is harmonized by proficient camera work. Filmed skillfully at several run-down but noticeably eye-catching locations in Hong Kong, this is definitely one of the better horror movies which allow its stunning visuals do the storytelling. Shawn Yue and Ekin Cheng, who play their roles of a rookie and a veteran cop were very comfortably with their act. Yue’s dynamism comes through adequately and Cheng’s world-weariness attaches a good human touch to the supernatural story. To say that this 95-minute is a straightforward horror thriller would be somewhat incorrect - this film is a human drama at heart as well.
Product Specifications:
Product Title: Rule#1 (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Release Date: October 24, 2008 (Save Your Copy)
Language: Mandarin, Cantonese
Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese
Picture Format: NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78 : 1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
Sounds: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround
Disc Format(s): DVD-9, DVD All Region
Duration: 93 Minutes
Publisher: Joy Sales (HK)
For rookie Sergeant Lee (Shawn Yue), being a cop means running down crooks and upholding the law. Injured in a shoot-out, he finds out to his horror that he is reassigned to the dubious-sounding Miscellaneous Affairs Department (MAD). There, he is paired up with Inspector Wong (Ekin Cheng), a jaded and alcoholic veteran who explains that MAD’s role is to answer supernatural calls. A swimming pool caretaker calls the Police about strange noises at his workplace. Lee and Wong are dispatched to the scene. Lee seems to be on the brink of uncovering something sinister when Wong traces the source of the ghastly noise–a clogged-up water pump. Putting Lee down, Wong explains MAD’s rule number one–There are no ghosts. For every seemingly-inexplicable phenomenon, there is a corresponding scientific and rational explanation. When Lee and Wong arrive at a nursing home to investigate a bizarre TV that keeps turning itself on and off, the veteran cop immediately uncovers the culprit. A man in the opposite apartment is channel-surfing with a remote control that is of the same brand as the TV in the nursing home. Unconvinced by Wong’s easy explanations, Lee investigates on his own and finds himself confronted by the impossible. At the swimming pool, he is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who had drowned there. At the nursing home, he encounters the spirit of an old woman who enjoyed watching TV before she passed away. Confronted by Lee, Wong reveals the true mission of MAD. When members of the public call the Police about strange noises or ghostly shadows, MAD shows up and reassures the complainants with scientific and rational explanations. The truth must never be known or else society will descend into chaos. A firm believer of truth and justice, Lee cannot reconcile himself to MAD’s shady practices. As he rebels against the system, the young cop realizes that there is a grain of truth in Wong’s advice. Slowly, Lee is sucked into a world of deceit and cover-ups. His relationship with his girlfriend May (Fiona Xie) suffers as MAD begins investigating a string of bizarre teenage suicides. A girl is found to have hung herself from a height of five feet. Another girl is discovered to have drowned herself in a fish tank. Impossible suicides. Unless, the victims were possessed. As Lee and Wong follow the clues, they realize that something sinister is heading their way. A serial killer who was shot by Lee before his reassignment to MAD is back–as a ghost. He is moving from girl to girl, leaving a grisly trail of carnage in his wake. While Lee doggedly pursues this ancient feud, Wong has second thoughts about his flagging career at MAD. The veteran hooks up with his former wife Esther (Stephanie Che) and makes plans to quit the force. On Wong’s last day, Lee tracks the serial killer’s ghost down to a warehouse. A showdown ensues–in which nobody is let off. (Synopsis from kelvintong.wordpress.com)
Starts off very interestingly, “Rule #1” become one very well executed film of Kelvin Tong. There are some truly scary and disturbing images that will make you grab the edge of your seats. The sound effects and creepy music that help to thick the eerie atmosphere also perfectly executed. The thrilling ride is harmonized by proficient camera work. Filmed skillfully at several run-down but noticeably eye-catching locations in Hong Kong, this is definitely one of the better horror movies which allow its stunning visuals do the storytelling. Shawn Yue and Ekin Cheng, who play their roles of a rookie and a veteran cop were very comfortably with their act. Yue’s dynamism comes through adequately and Cheng’s world-weariness attaches a good human touch to the supernatural story. To say that this 95-minute is a straightforward horror thriller would be somewhat incorrect - this film is a human drama at heart as well.
Product Specifications:
Product Title: Rule#1 (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Release Date: October 24, 2008 (Save Your Copy)
Language: Mandarin, Cantonese
Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese
Picture Format: NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78 : 1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
Sounds: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround
Disc Format(s): DVD-9, DVD All Region
Duration: 93 Minutes
Publisher: Joy Sales (HK)
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