Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In Review

Hong Kong martial arts movies had a distinctive style in the '80s. The filmmakers typically started with a series of martial arts sequences that felt fresh and innovative to the rest of the world, then worked on plot elements to fit those action scenes. Of course, the plots were often predictable and sometimes downright pointless, with 90% of them revolving around revenge in some form - almost always involving gangs. Over time, however, these movies gradually ceased to be made.

Despite their silliness, Hong Kong movies were a guilty pleasure for many fans, and have influenced countless filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino. Twilight Of The Warriors serves as a kind of homage to the Hong Kong action masala - silly yet immensely entertaining. It's the first movie in the Hong Kong homage trilogy.

Set in the shadowy alleys of 1980s Hong Kong, Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In plunges into the tumultuous life of Chan Lok-kwan (Raymond Lam), a mainland refugee struggling to survive. Lok-kwan's desperate attempts to escape his grim reality lead him into underground fight clubs and the treacherous world of crime syndicates. Seeking help to obtain a citizen's ID, he turns to Mr Big (Sammo Hung), a ruthless crime boss. However, Mr Big double-crosses Lok-kwan, forcing him to flee into the infamous Kowloon Walled City - a maze-like heaven for misfits and outlaws within Hong Kong.

Inside the Walled City, Lok-kwan meets Cyclone (Louis Koo), the charismatic crime lord who governs this anarchic enclave with a delicate balance of authority and compassion. But just as Lok-kwan begins to find a sense of belonging and purpose in this tightly knit community, his troubled past resurfaces, threatening to upend everything. Cyclone's brother, Dik Chau (Richie Jen), who technically owns the Walled City, seeks revenge against Lok-kwan for the sins of the latter's father, who had wiped out Chau's family years ago. The film culminates in a chaotic clash as Lok-kwan and Cyclone's gang face off against Chau and Mr Big's forces in a high-stakes battle for survival.

This Soi Cheang directorial is more than a gritty action spectacle. It crafts a complex world that feels alive - where lawlessness and unity coexist, and where the lines between villain and hero blur. With an ambitious setup as the first entry in a planned trilogy, this film explores the intersections of survival, morality and identity in the criminal underbelly of Hong Kong, drawing parallels to larger-than-life sagas like Star Wars but with a uniquely grounded edge.

The narrative hinges on the film's richly textured world-building, bringing the chaotic beauty of Kowloon Walled City to life. The movie walks a tightrope between realism and absurdity, and offers fight sequences that defy the laws of physics while weaving moments of humour and camaraderie. The juxtaposition of high-stakes drama and wacky action sequences - like an improvised brawl involving unconscious bodies as weapons - ensures that the film never takes itself too seriously.

The script balances tension and levity well, but the sudden introduction of superpowers in the third act is jarring, testing even the most generous suspension of disbelief. While this twist sets up intriguing possibilities for future installments, it feels out of sync with the otherwise grounded narrative.

The film does falter in how its central protagonist, Chan Lok-kwan, adheres too closely to the "chosen one" archetype. While his physicality impresses in the action scenes, his character arc feels predictable. To add to that, he cannot emote either, making it even more easy for him to get overshadowed by the ensemble cast.

In contrast, Cyclone, portrayed with effortless charisma by Louis Koo, steals the show. His layered personality and commanding presence make him the emotional core of the story. Koo delivers a standout performance, oscillating between stoic authority and surprising vulnerability.

Sammo Hung as the menacing Mr Big is a delight, exuding a larger-than-life presence with every scene. For those who don't know who Hung is, he was a staple in Bruce Lee's early Hong Kong action movies.

Philip Ng, as Mr Big's unhinged right-hand man King, injects unrestrained energy into the villainy, chewing the scenery with relish. Unfortunately, Raymond Lam's Lok-kwan,

The action choreography is a visual spectacle, leaning heavily into the fantastical. Every fight brims with inventive set-pieces, from gravity-defying punches to machete tips being bitten off mid-brawl. And the cinematography captures the labyrinthine chaos of the Walled City brilliantly, immersing you in its gritty, neon-soaked aesthetic.

The music complements the frenetic energy, though it doesn't leave a lasting impression.

Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In is a must-watch for fans of over-the-top action films like RRR or Kung Fu Hustle. While not perfect, the movie is a thrilling ride brimming with ambition, humour and jaw-dropping combat, and its world-building and ensemble cast compensate for its predictable protagonist and occasional tonal inconsistencies. It's a worthy entry into the pantheon of martial arts cinema, and for those craving a deeper dive into the Walled City's lore, the planned prequel and sequel promise to enrich this gritty universe further, especially given how many threads the movie leaves open-ended.