9413 (1998)

In his debut as director, Francis Ng Chun-yu plays Smash-head, a cop bailed out by a senior officer after killing a hostage. Indebted, the once-promising cop assists his corrupt superior in his dealings and descends to the state of madness during which we meet him. Distanced from duties and relationships in general, he travels through Hong Kong's seedier side, haunted by the past and gradually crushed by the present. Along the way, he finds help in Carmen (Christine Ng), a hypnotist specialising in finding the sources of phobias, and distant thrills with a nightclub dancer (?) (Amanda Lee) in his night-time hangout.

9413 (named after Smash-head's partner's not-so-lucky gun) has an overseas art-house look to it. Too much so, for my liking. But it's laudable for so clearly covering social issues in the SAR. Nothing's veiled when a destroyed Smash-head cries that the territory is founded on garbage. The people are distant, while pollution abounds -- from the constant thud of a piledriver to styrofoam in the harbour (particularly disliked by our protagonist). Set into this, Francis Ng puts in another impressive performance a la Naughty Couple and Too Many Ways To Be Number 1, offset by Christine Ng's more soothing presence. A good support cast of characters adds to the already shady backdrop. While I'm not as entirely thrilled by the film as other viewers are, 9413 is a solid first film, and I look forward to Ng's next film as director.

Credits:

Directed by Francis Ng
Cinematography by Herman Yau
Starring: Francis Ng, Christine Ng, Fredric Mao Chun-fai and Amanda Lee