It is very hard to believe that a man so reputed in the world of filmmaking and loved by eminent film critics and films buffs alike is never mentioned in discussions featuring the current crop of Directors whose films have been studied worldwide for their storytelling prowess as well as their directorial features involving technical marksmanship. Hong Kong cinema has been wrongly branded as an industry manufacturing low budget Kung-Fu flicks and as a result has remained largely confined within the nation. Dubbed Hong Kong films get a delayed release in the United States but again people prefer watching films which feature laborious doses of Kung Fu,not to mention stale humor alongwith some very artificial acting. In the late 1980s One of Hong Kong's better known directors John Woo (who is best known worldwide as the director of Face/Off Mission Impossible 2) started directing films which focused on the realities of Hong kong crime syndicate. With the concept of "Heroic Bloodshed" (something which went down very well with the American audiences) being the principal theme of his three back to back feature films (The two installments of A Better Tomorrow and The Killer with the latter now regarded as a classic tale about the moral implications of a Hitman) the world finally started taking notice of Asian cinema with Hong Kong films becoming the primary point of interest.
It is a mystery as to why Johnnie To is not very well known outside the Hong Kong film fraternity. His film do the regular awards round and have featured in prestigious film festivals such as the ones held in Cannes,Berlin and Venice to name a few. Yet barring some prominent American critics, very few people know about him. And it is highly ironic since most of the critics acquainted with his works have hailed him as one of the best film directors of recent times with almost every work of his rated highly from a storyteller's point of view as well as being a technical marvel. A reason why I like Johnnie To as a director is because he brings on celluloid the perfect balance of human emotions. Not melodramatic by an inch, his work most often features characters in a situation where they might have to compromise with their moral principles. So To can successfully show a Jimmy (a character from Johnnie To's 2006 feature film Triad Election) being extremely ruthless, almost becoming a killing machine in order to survive the mob election and its dangerous consequences, To can also show a Costello, with a couple of other hitmen roaming around the streets of Hong Kong to avenge his daughter's dishonor. Character development is a major part of Johnnie To's direction with most of them being untrustworthy, having severe moral dilemma and a shady background. The characters never become larger than life, something directors nowadays tend to forget, at times deliberately. This move might be undertaken to encourage the concept of escapism generally associated with Cinema. But To's works are those which acquaint us with the world as it is and hence is hardly disliked by critics and moviegoers alike.
With the release of The Mission in 1999 Johnnie To's works started getting worldwide recognition. Today the mission is highly respected in the world of film criticism due to its engaging story,stunning cinematography and camerawork and near perfect direction. Technically The Mission still is one of Johnnie To's best works. Featuring long shots of combat sequences and tense character close ups The Mission successfully engages the viewer from start to finish giving him an unforgettable experience. The Mission also has a brilliant story, where a group of hitmen are hired to protect a mob boss. What follows is a cat and mouse tale, where the hitmen will go to any extent in order to protect the mentioned person but their personal differences might have a fatal impact and everyone involved. At the time of release The Mission received highly positive reviews and till date remains one of To's best known works worldwide. The terrifically framed fight sequences are a treat to the eyes and makes The Mission a must watch for every film lover. Two of To's best known works, namely Election and Election 2 must also be mentioned. Quentin Tarantino was not at all wrong when he said that Election was one of the best films of 2005. The story is set in the Hong Kong underworld where once in every two years an Election is held amongst the Triad (the Hong Kong equivalent to Cosa Nostra) to elect a Chairman who will preside over the Triad activities for the next two years. The story focuses on the competition between the two frontrunners for the post of Chairman and how their dangerous struggle will prove morally and physically fatal for their friends,family and the whole Hong Kong crime scenario. The film is brilliantly filmed with dim lights being allegorical for the characters' inner darkness. The climactic moment is shocking and leaves us with many unanswered questions regarding the use and abuse of power. No wonder To had to follow up with an equally disturbing yet mesmerizing sequel where there are more killings, more struggle and more unforgettable moments. Saying this is not exaggerating a bit but Election and Election 2 are equal to The Godfather Trilogy in terms of filmmaking and storytelling. And with Hong Kong film veterans Simon Yam and Lam Suet playing prominent roles with arresting screen presence and ease these two films are surely the best Asian Crime dramas to come out in the last five years.
With To's films gradually getting global recognition and a more needed global fan base it is time the director comes out of the atmospheric Hong Kong setting (a primary character in every film of his) and direct something on a larger scale. As a fan who has watched most of his works i will be waiting for that day. And so will be thousand others who have learnt to appreciate cinema not in terms of its budget or star cast but its story and characterization. This should be enough for now. Have a great weekend and a lovely Republic Day. Goodnight fellas :D
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