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古惑仔2之猛龍過江 (1996)
Young and Dangerous 2


Reviewed by: Gaijin84
Date: 06/07/2009
Summary: A slight step back...

After a nice start, Y&D 2 was a bit of a disappointment for me. Unfortunately, the film felt as rushed as its production was after the initial success of Y&D. Although he is a fun actor to watch, the initial 45 minutes about Chan's character Chicken felt too drawn out and started to get boring. In addition, Chingmy's character wasn't believable enough as a conniving gold digger looking to take control of the Taiwanese triad. Anthony Wong was excellent, but again I felt the twist with his character at the end had no basis given what had occurred leading up to that point in the film. Adding to that rushed production feeling was the final scene in the casino. It is supposed to be a grand opening of a new spot in Macau, but what was presented seemed to be a large, empty hotel foyer with one Baccarat (?) table and a medium sized buffet table. Was I missing something? Where was the multi-million dollar casino? Not a bad movie, but didn't live up to the first offering.

6/10

Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: dandan
Date: 06/12/2007
Summary: the chicken strikes daft...

a hastily assembled follow-up, rushed out to capitalise on the massive success of the first film, 'young and dangerous 2' is pretty much more of the same. still, it does manage to be both more serious and sillier than the first film.

after realising that jordan chan's chicken was by far the strongest character from the first film (well, him and francis ng's 'ugly kwan'), andrew lau does the decent thing and points his (slightly less) shakey camera at him for the majority of this film.

the film starts with nam (ekin cheng) sporting a new haircut and opening a new bar with chicken. whilst the two share a few drinks, conversation turns into chicken relaying the story of his time in taiwan, working for the boss lui kung (kelly lai). chicken is bemused by lui's behaviour, as he is running for political office and appears unlike any triad he has me before. still, he is more interested in gaining power for himself and getting his hooks into lui kung's ladyfriend, the mysterious siu-yiu (chingmy yau).

meanwhile, back in the present, there's trouble brewing in hung hing as nam and the nose-picking, scruff-bag, dai-fai (anthony wong) start battling to get control of causeway bay. the situation soon gets a little more intense, when hung hing nad the tiawanese triads both attempt to gain control of a new casino in macau.

so, most people seem to rate this as being superior to the first film; i'm not sure i agree. it was good to see the film focus on jordan chan's character, although i did miss his constantly changing hair colour of the first film, and anthony wong stepped up in to fill the francis ng void with the off-kilter gusto you'd expect. chingmy yau is glacial as siu-yiu, although gigi lai's, stuttering, smartie, a highlight of the first film, was relegated to a mere accessory on ekin cheng's arm.

narrative wise, i think, the film suffers a little from the fact it was made so quickly; despite finding time to film in hong kong, taiwan and macau, a couple of narrative twists seem to be ill-conceived; especially anthony wong's final revelation which, if you do actually think about what has happened, seems a little ludicrous.

still, despite its numerous short-comings, just like the first in the series, it is bloody entertaining and i look forward to the next installment.

good stuff...


Reviewed by: Chungking_Cash
Date: 05/11/2007

In the series' most lucrative installment (rushed into production after its predecessor proved the surprise hit of '96) "Young and Dangerous 2" picks up where the first film left off before shifting narratives and backtracking with Chicken (Jordan Chan, sporting his natural hair color for a change) to Taiwan one year earlier during his exile from Hung Hing.

The Hongkie rascal attempts to broker ties with the head of a local triad (veteran actor Lai Chen) who is trying in turn to broker his own political aspirations with Taiwanese Parliament.

Chingmy Yau is the would-be politician's lover who turns her dreamy-eyed gaze towards Chicken and into the soon-to-be great wide open.

Back home the series introduces audiences to the infamous Dai "Nose Picker" Fai (Anthony Wong Chau-sang, laying on the sleaze with both index fingers), a Hung Hing member with allegiance to the Taiwanese triad and an eye on Ho-nam's (eternal pretty boy Ekin Cheng) territory.

While a noticeable tonal shift has taken place in "Young and Dangerous 2," following the previous film's bloody climax the actors have tightened but nonetheless remain somewhat loose in this further adaptation of the Teddy Boy comic with a script by Manfred Wong that suffers from attention-deficit disorder compounded by Andrew Lau's meandering hand-held camera.

Still, the gaudy wardrobes, titillating violence, homoeroticism, and pretension romanticize the criminal life in a way that almost passes for entertainment.

Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: PAUL MARTINEZ
Date: 04/01/2007
Summary: Best Of The Series

Following the HUGELY sucessful Y&D1, the creators couldn't get a sequel out any sooner than they did. Despite that, they turned out a film superior to the original and to any subsequent installments as well.

Y&D2 continues the Hung Hing triad story in way more serious tone. Not there weren't some light-hearted moments, but overall this was more intense which gives it a more gritty feel which I always felt depicts a gangsters life better. While it's hard to see how Chicken didn't see the betrayal coming, to be honest Chingmy Yau is so captivatingly beautiful, many a man might be blind to her.

What makes this film as well as I feel the first was the superior acting. While even I surprise myself by saying this considering this is an Ekin Cheng film, part 2 showcases Jordan Chan's prowess more than the supposed lead's. Gigi Lai who I felt was the standout performance in the previos movie is grossly underused here but for what she was given she delivered well. Of course the standout here is Anthony Wong who has made it a habit throughout his career to steal the spotlight in any film he's in even if he's in a supporting role. There are very good performances throughout, notably Ms. Tam as K.K. for one. I have said of Chingmy Yau that while IMO she is the best looking actress in HK, her skills as an actress are very limited. Unfortunately this role just did not suit her well.

The use of other locales here also helped visually. Too many HK triad films all have that same feel because of the same backdrops being used. It was a nice change of pace especially the Macau scenes. The action scenes wer'e OK but you do get letdown waitng for the climatic battle that never comes. Although the overuse of violence in the following films in the series didn't really work for me either.

In a series that may have been over-hyped to some degree, this movie is the definative high point.

Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: mrblue
Date: 09/27/2005

The focus of the story switches from Ho Nam to Chicken in this installment as Hung Hing tries to forge ties with a powerful Taiwanese crime boss, who Chicken worked for (and whose girlfriend [Yau] he romanced) during his time of exile in Y&D1. Things get complicated at home in Hong Kong when a rival in the group (Wong) tries to push Ho Nam out of power.

The series takes a more serious turn in this installment. Since their experience in Macao, Ho Nam and his brothers are no longer wide-eyed young boys. They know being a Triad comes with its own set of special consequences. Chicken, in particular seems to have changed fairly dramatically; instead of laughing at a friendly priest's (Lam) advice, he begins to take it seriously, treating the "father" almost as a real father. The actors reflect this change in the lives of their characters. Cheng seems to have settled into the role of Ho Nam, taking the woodeness of the first movie and turning it into cool calculation, and Chan steals the show as the increasingly world-weary Chicken, who becomes torn between his two "families." And, of course, having Anthony Wong in a movie doesn't hurt either. Even though it's not a great performance, Wong creates a suitably sleazy villain that should please fans of his work. The only sore thumb in the bunch is Yau, who looks to be out of her element here, regulated to being nothing more than (very pretty) window dressing.

[review from www.hkfilm.net]


Reviewed by: Libretio
Date: 07/03/2004
Summary: Superior sequel features top-line cast

YOUNG AND DANGEROUS 2 (1996)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Sound format: Mono

Rushed into theaters mere months after its predecessor unexpectedly hit box-office gold, this superior sequel uses much the same cast and crew (including writer Manfred Wong and director-cinematographer Andrew Lau Wai-keung), to much better effect. Whilst hiding out in Taiwan following events in the previous film, Hung Hing triad member Jordan Chan Siu-chun worms his way into the rival San Luen group and endears himself to boss Kelly Lai Chen, who is currently running for high office in the country's parliament. However, Chan is forced to act as mediator between the San Luen and Hung Hing triads during fraught negotiations over some lucrative casino properties, while his old friend (Ekin Cheng Yee-kin) is distracted by a turf war with villainous rival Anthony Wong Chau-sang (THE UNTOLD STORY). Chan falls under the spell of Lai's beautiful mistress (Chingmy Yau Suk-ching), leading to a terrible betrayal which places Chan and Cheng in mortal danger...

Working with a much tighter script this time around, director Lau avoids many of the time-wasting fripperies and stylistic flourishes which almost sank the previous entry, and the tone is much more dramatic, as the characters are forced to deal with the fallout from an unexpected murder, and old loyalties are tested to breaking point. Chan dominates the film as a happy-go-lucky guy, loyal to his friends and masters but careless of triad etiquette, while sex-bomb Yau (NAKED KILLER) plays her signature role of the duplicitous beauty whose outward appearance masks depths of violence and depravity. Wong is obnoxious and colorful in the kind of role he was born to play, and he's involved in a climactic twist that will take most viewers quite by surprise. Like its predecessor, the film looks rushed and sloppy in places, but it's well-played by an engaging cast, and the pace is relentless. Spencer Lam Seung-yi, Jason Chu Wing-tong, Simon Yam Tat-wah and Moses Chan Ho appear in minor supporting roles. Hugely successful, the movie was followed by YOUNG AND DANGEROUS 3 (1996), which opened to similar box-office returns later the same year.

Reviewer Score: 5

Reviewed by: SteelwireMantis
Date: 12/03/2003
Summary: Just as enjoyable as the first

The Hung Hing boys are back again with a sequel just as enjoyable as the first, only it turns out to be set in a more darker shade.

Chan Ho-Nam (Ekin Cheng) is celebrating the grand opening of his nightclub with friends and girlfriend Smartie (Gigi Lai). Chicken (Jordan Chan) tells Ho-Nam of his time in Taiwan. As he arrived he worked for the San Luen triad - which, unlike the Hong Kong triads is infiltrating the political scene. Chicken falls for his boss Lui Kung's mistress (Chingmy Yau) but fails to realise her true intentions. While in Hong Kong Nam is challenged by Tai Fei (Anthony Wong) as they are both given the task of competing to run for Bee's old position. Chicken's boss tries to run in on Hung Hings' territory wich causes conflict between the two gangs and puts Chicken in an akward position to make a choice. After being framed by Lui Kung's mistress for the murder of Lui Kung, Ho-Nam and Chicken go for their enemy the Hung Hing way as Nam's girlfriend Smartie lies asleep in a coma after a car-crash.

Once again the usual flare of Y&D 1 is mixed with a darker theme and less humour to create a style and substance thriller. Ekin Cheng is on top form again but this time Jordan Chan is given the most screen time to show his acting skills as Chicken, which is played with pure and sheer class. But the show is stolen by Anthony Wong as Tai Fei, who convinces the audience that he is a dirty, sleazy, nose-picking dirtbag. Gigi Lai is also a treat to watch as in talent-wise and looks even though she isn't given much screen time. But Chingmy Yau sucked completely as the villain, she just wasn't good enough to be in the class of Anthony Wong, Fancis Ng or Roy Cheung as one of the best Y&D villains.

A good soundtrack with a good stylised technique of film making makes Y&D 2 an enjoyable sequel.

****/*****

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: Dyogenez
Date: 05/10/2002
Summary: Not as good as 1

After an assassination in Y&D 1, Chicken leaves Hong Kong for Taiwan to get away from the authorities. Being low on money, he joins a triad, although it's different than in Hong Kong. The Taiwanese triad is instead more politically based, competing with other candidates. Chicken becomes one of his left hand men with the triad. In a move to Taiwan, Chickens boss trys to invade on Nams boss, who Chicken followed for years. Chicken and Nam must clear their names from an assassination as well as stop others from invading their territory. During this time, Naam is also trying to lay claim to his own territory.

One of the things about this film I liked was Jordan Chan's acting as Chicken. This is definetely his largest part in the Y&D series. The scenes in Taiwan and Macau in this film are also colorful, and different then the usual HK night scenes, or inside shots. 7/10


Reviewed by: Inner Strength
Date: 01/23/2002
Summary: (YAWN)

Okay, I was hoping that the second installment might have improoved to it's original by cleaning up some of the problems that one had. But no, it's just as bad. To me, the Y&D series was probably one of the worst movie series to come out of HK, with numerous rip-offs being made since, and they are just nothing special. Glorifying triad lifestyles is morally wrong and shouldn't be done, and these films have caused a lot of trouble in HK over the last few years, and is one of the reasons for censorship in HK now. It's forcing people like John Woo to have to work outside of HK as his films will no longer be played unless the violence is stopped.

All of the Y&D films should only be watched if you enjoyed the original, as they get no better.

Rating: 2/5


Reviewed by: Sydneyguy
Date: 02/12/2001
Summary: what can i say?

I really don't see why this series is so popular? This episode shines Anthony Wong as Dai FAI, the nose picking triad boss!!

Nothing new or original here, just a average movie and DON'T expect a big fight at the end.

6/10


Reviewed by: poseur
Date: 07/31/2000
Summary: Tribute To Chicken

This installment rocks! For Chicken fans out there, his silver hair will be missed. The story concentrates more on Chicken and his time in Taiwan. I love this series. Even "Da Fei", although not so "young", his rude entrance into this series is more than welcome. The only complaints I have are the villainess and the ending scene. She shouldn't be casted into this movie or this series. And the ending.... What kind of crap is that ?! A bunch of unknown actors rush forward from hiding (where did they hide anyway ?!) to surround the bad guys and that's it ?! Besides that, I'll pick this series anytime over any western "Godfather" movies.


Reviewed by: hktopten
Date: 12/21/1999

The story seemed to be going to have the potential in thebeginning, but as the film goes on, it runs out of gas and got real dumb real quick. I like the premise of the Taiwan politician's background and its relationship to the underworld. Jordan's the main character in this one. Everyone else just plays along, even Anthony Wong seems kind of lost. Chingmy Yau is unconvincing as the villainess, and the friction between Anthony, Halina Tam and Micheal Chu is also pushing it. The best scene though is still Anthony crying to Halina about the life of a Wise Guy.


Reviewed by: shelly
Date: 12/09/1999

What an change from the first installment of Young and Dangerous. That movie was a glib exercise in style: this one weds style with substance, humour, rich detail, caustic wit, and a sensational performance by Jordan Chan. He dominates the movie: in addition to a fascinating and charismatic physical presence, Chan has added an ability to deliver rich, nuanced and quirky line readings. It's a pleasure to witness the arrival of a new A-level movie star. The movie is full of fine performances (and one seriously weak one: Chingmy Yau is way out of her depth as a gangster's Japanese moll). Y & D 2 has loads of attitude: it flaunts a black, savage mockery of Taiwanese politics -- ambitious Taipei gangsters fill the Taiwan Legislature (I guess HK triads are relatively less corrupt, since they haven't infiltrated HK politics, just the film industry). Extrapolate to other territories as far as you dare. With the commercial success of Young and Dangerous 1, Manfred Wong and Andrew Lau apparently felt free to experiment; and they've come up with an entirely original, smart and entertaining movie. The class of 1996, so far.

Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/08/1999

I actually liked YOUNG AND DANGEROUS 2 better than the first movie. While I enjoyed the boisterousness of Y&D 1, I thought the "tough triad punks flexing their muscles" theme was fairly typical. Y&D 2 showed these same punks discovering that their world is far more complicated than they imagined. The importance of loyalty and choosing the right side are truly matters of life and death. The focus shifts from Dior Cheng to Jordan Chan, who steals the movie with an excellent performance. Anthony Wong chews the scenery, but in an amusing way. Chingmy Yau is adequate as the power-hungry triad mistress. Dior Cheng repeats his intense performance as the good bad boy. Gigi Lai is as charming as she was in the first movie, but has less to do.

[Reviewed by Lori Saltis]