Reviewed by: j.crawford Date: 04/29/2010 Summary: this was compelling. Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: ewaffle Date: 04/18/2010 “Mad Detective” is Johnny To’s very dark look at a mentally ill police officer whose illness allows him to solve murders that stymie the rest of the force and the social and personal effects of his actions. We watch Lau Ching-Wan becoming increasingly outrageous and out of control—for example he “solves” the killing of a student whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase by folding himself into a soft-sided piece of luggage and having his new assistant kick it down several flights of stairs. When he gets to the ground floor, bruised and bloodied, he blurts out the name of the killer. His behavior becomes too much though when at a retirement ceremony for a senior officer he slices off a large chunk of his ear and gives it to the captain as a personal going away gift. We next see him five years later, unemployed and unemployable, accompanied by his long-suffering wife. Who, as it turns out, has left him years before and now is his companion only in his fevered imagination. Detective Bun is a very sad case. He is approached by Inspector Ho (Andy On, in a role that doesn’t stretch his limited acting ability) who has been tasked with solving an odd crime from years before. Wong, a uniformed police officer and Chi-Wai are in a car staking out a desolate area one dark night. The criminal they are waiting for shows up and they go after him, chasing him into a dense forest. Wong and Chi-Wai neither trust nor respect each other—Wong thinks that Chi-Wai is a thief (which he is) and Chi-Wai knows that Wong doesn’t have the fortitude to turn him in. They are not a good pair to run into a dark wood chasing a desperate and possibly armed criminal. But they do. Chi-Wai is wounded, Wong and his gun go missing and the criminal escapes. Wong’s sidearm is used in a series of brutal armed robberies in which several of the victims are shot and killed. They range from very small time such as $6,000 at a convenience store to audacious—almost $2 million from an armored car. By now the viewer is confused—Bun has shown both the manic glee that overtakes him as well as the hellish depth of despair. He has mutilated himself—his prosthetic ear keeps falling off—and resolutely refuses to live in what the rest of the world considers reality. I think that Johnny To and Wai Ka-Fai are too good at what they do for this confusion not to be deliberate. They are not only showing us the outside of Bun’s insanity but giving us a harrowing glimpse inside as well. We are confused by the extravagant incoherence on the screen as characters disappear then reappear as different actors, police officers stand around while their office is trashed and characters who should be dead show up to take part in the action. This is just a bit of former officer Bun’s daily life though—even when called on to help solve a murder—given responsibility and structure in his life—he must still live with his demons. Lau Ching-Wan is masterful as a man who is both gifted and damned with the ability to see the true personalities of others. Of the supporting cast, Lam Suet impersonates himself as one of Wong’s seven personalities; Jo Kuk Cho-Lam’s angular looks are perfect for the controlling, super-ego cool personality and Chiu Chi-Shing is the shoot first, think later aspect. Kelly Lin isn’t challenged as Bun’s ex-wife while Flora Chan makes the most of her few scenes as the wife that Bun thinks he still has. Wang Wa-Wo is intriguing as the restaurant manager who sets a table for four including one there in spirit only but who refuses to judge the sanity either of his long-time patron Bun or his most recent guest Inspector Ho who tries talking to the empty chair where Bun’s wife would be sitting “just to see if would work.” A real sense of claustrophobia is present throughout due not only to the two different scenes of live burial. Everything is contained but not controlled; close-ups and extreme close-ups bring us as nearer than we want to be to the characters; much of the movie takes place at night and several daytime scenes are filtered and foggy. “Mad Detective” has a lot of very talented artists who don’t quite bring things off.

Reviewed by: Libretio Date: 11/05/2008 Summary: Lacks substance, despite fine central performance MAD DETECTIVE (2007) Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (Technovision) Soundtrack: Dolby Digital Hard to believe this low-key offering was co-directed by high-octane auteur Johnnie To Kei-fung (ONE NITE IN MONGKOK, ELECTION), or that it's received so many positive reviews by fans and practitioners of Hong Kong cinema. Most of the plaudits have been reserved for the central performance of veteran actor Lau Ching-wan, here playing a schizophrenic cop whose descent into total insanity begins with him slicing off an ear and presenting it to his commanding officer as a retirement gift! Some time later, his brilliant but unorthodox (to say the least!) methods are called into action by young buck Andy On Chi-kit, currently investigating the motives of a fellow cop (Gordon Lam Ka-tung) who may - or may not - be involved in the disappearance of a fellow detective. The central mystery takes a back-seat to the depiction of Lau's extraordinary sense of intuition, which allows him to 'see' other people's various personalities, visualized by To and co-director Wai Ka-fai (FULLTIME KILLER) as groups of separate 'characters' who swarm around the primary personality and take turns speaking for him/her, depending on the circumstances. It's a neat trick, but it's the film's only other trump card. Sadly, the supporting characters (including On, usually reliable as a hunky man of action) play second-fiddle to Lau's increasingly bizarre behavior: You'll either warm to the tragedy of a brilliant man laid low by mental illness, or you'll balk at the film's lack of genuine substance beyond the confines of Lau's star turn. Is it a great film? Not at all. Is it watchable? In places, certainly: The climax in a room full of mirrors is top-drawer stuff, and the outcome is never certain (you can't always rely on a happy ending in HK cinema!), but the narrative isn't strong enough to warrant sustained attention, and the overall production is a disappointment. Reviewer Score: 3

Reviewed by: cal42 Date: 04/18/2008 Eccentric but brilliant police detective Bun (Lau Ching-Wan) is expelled from the force when, upon his chief’s retirement, he impassively cuts off his own ear as a leaving present. But when a series of murders and robberies involving a stolen police handgun becomes too difficult to solve, Inspector Ho (Andy On) persuades Bun to return and give his insight into the case. What Bun finds is that the crimes are related, and that the killer has seven personalities that Bun can see as separate individuals. The English language title hints at a madcap comedy, especially given the track record of Lau Ching-Wan. I haven’t really seen any of the Johnnie To/Wai Ka-Fai collaborations (I switched off MY LEFT EYE SEES GHOSTS after about twenty minutes of “comic” screaming) but MAD DETECTIVE is definitely not a comedy and Lau Ching Wan is definitely not comic in this role. Indeed, at times, he looks like he’s never done comedy in his life. MAD DETECTIVE is at the outset another detective story, albeit one that feels less noir-ish than has become fashionable. We see Bun solve a case by being thrown down a series of staircases while locked in a suitcase, then his apparent breakdown at his superior’s retirement party. Then we see two police officers trying to capture a thief. After that, it starts to get a little difficult. Well, to be honest, things simply stop making sense. I don’t want to give too much away and spoil the “gimmick” of the film too much, but Bun has a couple of really remarkable and original abilities. The foremost is the ability to see facets of people’s personalities as separate entities, all with their own appearance (and not necessarily the same sex as the host). This is extremely confusing at first, but when the penny drops, it’s quite an exciting idea. Bun comes into contact with Chi-Wai, who has no less than seven different “facets” of his personality, and watching some of them interact with the host is interesting – for example his decision making is a bossy, confident woman, while his cowardice is a fat, nervous man (Lam Suet – Hong Kong’s Mr Prolific!). The avatar Bun sees depends on what the host is feeling. Bun also seems to be able to gain supernatural insights into the case through near-death experiences, which further clarifies what’s going on. Mystery thrillers can so often be a one-shot deal, but MAD DETECTIVE has so much more going for it that I’m sure it will stand the test of time. Indeed, it’s one of those films you want to watch again straight away so you can watch out for things you might have missed first time and with the benefit of knowledge you didn’t have on the first viewing. MAD DETECTIVE is accessible and unpretentious, exciting and fresh. The roles are all very well acted, but Lau in particular is outstanding as the titular detective. I have to say I’ve not seen him in anything other than comedy (and usually pretty broad comedy at that), and so was a little surprised at how well he pulled it off. The direction is great and Johnny To in particular seems to be on fire at the moment. If you’re after something unusual and a little challenging, this is a must-see – and a great example, along with To’s last (complete) film, EXILED, of what Hong Kong is capable of. I’m pretty excited right now... Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: mrblue Date: 03/06/2008 There are many famous pairings of directors and actors over the history of cinema. Teams such as Martin Scorsese/Robert Deniro and John Woo/Chow Yun-Fat have produced some of the most unforgettable films ever. And for a while starting in the mid-1990's, the duo of Johnnie To and Lau Ching-Wan was one of the most consistent in Hong Kong cinema. Movies like Too Many Ways to be No. 1, A Hero Never Dies, and The Longest Nite not only proved that there was still life left in the world of Hong Kong film-making in the post-handover world, but the industry could still produce some of the most exciting and vital pictures in the world. But in 2002, Lau stopped working with To, instead mostly concentrating on comedies, much to the chagrin of many fans. Well, kids, breathe a sigh of relief, because Lau Ching-Wan has once again joined up with Johnnie To with Mad Detective, and the result is one of the best Hong Kong movies of 2007. In the film, Lau plays Bun, a detective whose unorthodox methods puzzle his fellow cops, but always seem to get results, so they tolerate his antics. But after Bun gives his chief (Eddy Ko Hung) a slice of his ear as a present, Bun is shown the door. Two years later, Bun's former protege Ho (Andy On) shows up to ask for his help in the investigation of a murdered cop. It turns out Bun's odd behavior is caused by his ability to see people's true personalities, and it is through this that he is able to discern that the main suspect in the case (Gordon Lam) actually has seven personalities that have worked together to hatch a plan to cover up the crime. Ho begins to fully believe in Bun's "powers", but as things go on, it becomes apparent that Bun is just crazy and has been leading Ho on a wild goose chase... or has he? Mad Detective offers everything one would expect from a To/Lau collaboration. It's quirky yet serious, whimsical yet given to bouts of extreme violence, giving the viewer one those experiences that could only truly be gotten from a Hong Kong movie. So why doesn't this film warrant a higher rating? That can be put squarely at the feet of Andy On. On is good enough as a lead in fluffy pictures like Looking for Mr. Perfect and Dragon Squad, but he doesn't have enough weight as an actor to carry the role of Ho. The character should (and is made out to be) multi-dimensional and conflicted, but On's flat performance doesn't add any life to it. Thankfully, especially when offset with Lau Ching-Wan's incredible work here, it's not bad enough to totally derail the movie. But it does keep it from becoming a truly great film instead of "merely" a very good one. [review from www.hkfilm.net] Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: dandan Date: 03/04/2008 Summary: do you see what i see? inspector ho (andy on) is currently investigating the case of a missing person and a string of robberies. the missing person is a cop, wong (lee gwok-lun), who went missing when he and his partner, chi wai (gordon lam), were investigating a case and they were separated in the middle of some woods. it has been eighteen months since this event and the string of robberies have included some where wong's police pistol has been used. ho is at a complete loss; he simply cannot get any leads on either front. with nowhere else to turn, he turns to bun (lau ching-wan); a former cop, who despite having an amazing record of solving complex crimes, lost his job due to his bizarre methodology and questions about his mental health. bun can see the inner personalities of people and has a gift for seeing what others don't. ho hopes that he can apply these talents to his current cases... now, the concept of the film sounds as if it could be an absolute disaster: it's a pretty out-there premise. still, in the steady hands of johnnie to and wai ka-fai and with a great performance from lau ching-wan, i didn't find myself questioning or struggling to suspend my disbelief at any time. next to andy oh's fine turn, as a straight cop who's willing to take a chance when all other avenues seem closed, lau puts in a great performance which skirts ever so well around sanity and madness, by cultivating an almost understated, off the wall, quality. to and wai craft a relatively simple tale, with the style that you'd expect from them shining through. i also found myself being quite amazed at just how much of the milkyway building they managed to utilise during the production; both staircases, the goods lift, the street outside, and different floors of the building, decked out accordingly. when i visited the building, the second floor was still kitted out as the police station where chi wai was based: complete with signs, posters and the cell. funny... great stuff...

Reviewed by: MrBooth Date: 02/26/2008 Summary: 8/10 - stylish, unique and entertaining A young cop is getting nowhere with the case of a police officer who disappeared on duty 18 months earlier, so he seeks out former Detective Bun to ask for his case. Bun had a formidable record of solving difficult cases, but was dismissed from the force because he was - or appeared to be - completely mad. He claimed to be able to see people's inner personalities - walking and talking around instead of the 'real' person that everybody else saw. The star of the film is unquestionably Lau Ching-Wan, who creates a really interesting character and plays him with enthusiastic fervour. The role recalls to some degree his part in Ringo Lam's VICTIM, in that we are invited to question whether he is mad or can really see something others can't... except in MD there's really no doubt about the mad part, so it's "and" rather than "or" :-p Scenes are often played out flipping between 'reality' and Bun's perspective, with the 'inner personalities' he sees - often a quite different cast of characters. This stylistic device is interesting and effective, and makes the film unique. The other star is Andy On, who does a good job - he's come a long way since his debut in Black Mask 2, a film that could have killed anybody's career. Clearly he's worked hard to develop his skills as an actor, and might just turn out to be a watchable talent. Mad Detective is the first time Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai have shared the director's chair in nearly 5 years, and it's good to have them back together - the two clearly inspire each other to better things, though To has proven that he needs Wai a lot less than Wai needs him. The film is something of a spiritual successor to 2003's RUNNING ON KARMA, and will probably polarise viewers to a similar degree. MD spares the viewer from some of the excesses of ROK though, and doesn't play the same kind of games with genre - it's a more accessible movie (if less profound), and doesn't absolutely require a second viewing... though I'm sure it will be getting one! Another winner from Milkyway Productions :-) Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: Sydneyguy Date: 02/23/2008 Summary: Something different....... Lau Ching Wan plays possibily a mentally disturbed former detective who helps Andy On on a case. His ability to see inner personailities of people helps him solve cases or is this more of a mentally ill person who has visual and auditory hallucinations? Lau Ching Wan plays one of the most interesting and unorthodoxed characters ever. His character goes far and beyond to delve into the minds of the people he is after and his obsessiveness makes it impossible for him to not continue with the case. Unfortauntely i did not enjoy this movie as much as i should of. I'm not too sure why either, maybe because i had a feeling of the direction of the movie. STill i am sure others will love this movie, its worth watching jsut for Lau ching wan's character alone Reviewer Score: 7

Reviewed by: Beat TG Date: 01/26/2008 Summary: Sean Lau's finest performance to date Anyone with prior experience of Wai Ka Fai's earlier works, like TOO MANY WAYS TO BE NO. 1, will be familiar with the direction and style of MAD DETECTIVE. There are themes here that are pretty much evident in all of his work but of course, it's handled differently this time. Instead of showing two different takes on one and the same situation, Wai Ka Fai simply treated the themes the same way but relies on emphasis on characteristics in the characters; their actions and consequences shown in two different angles, with Sean Lau (his point of view anyway) as the main storyteller as he shows these differences from a normal perspective to a different perspective where certain things are left in and out depending on how it's shown. Still, there was some things a bit confusing for me but I got everything otherwise. The story was simple and plain but the presentation required alot of attention because, due to the style, even the slightest mis-thought led to many different thoughts that was spinning around in my head. But simply put, the double-perspective storytelling was lovely stuff, not only technically but visually as well (Wai Ka Fai on biz!) As said, it's simplistic but realizing that some things can at times have more to them is always fascinating to know more about. The acting was tops. The cast was the usual greatness (Gordon Lam, Lam Suet, the minor regulars, and even Andy On doing their thing) but this is Sean Lau's moment. Nobody else came close. It's probably the best I've seen from him to date. He's been there, done that, got recognition but not enough but just nailed it with this as if he walked on the set with usual acting instructions yet worked very hard with all the skills he had for the role and brought himself to another level. Total dedication there! Reviewer Score: 10