Hak se wui
Tags: violence, comedy, murder

Plot synopsis:
The movie begins as the two-year term expires, and all the elders of the Wo Luen Shing are in the process of electing a new chairman, with some last-minute "campaigning" from both Lok and Big D just a few days prior to the election. Lok is calm, patient and even-tempered, while Big D, who attempts to buy the election, is boisterous, impatient and quick-tempered. After bitter arguments from supporters of both candidates in the likes of Uncle Cocky and Uncle Monk, Lok is elected as the new chairman. However, Big D is dismayed by the result and proceeds to punish two men responsible for his loss by kidnapping them and rolling them down a hill in boxes, prompting ex-chairman Whistle to ask his lieutenant Four-Eye to hide the dragon head baton, which is a symbol of power for the leader.
In an attempt to keep the peace and prevent infighting, the police, headed by Chief Superintendent Hui, arrest the key Triad figures, including Uncle Teng, Big D, Uncle Cocky, Uncle Monk and the newly elected chairman Lok of the Wo Luen Shing. However, during a negotiation attempt in a holding cell, Big D, in a fit of rage, threatens to break with the Triad and form his own society. The culture of the Triad emphasises brotherhood and unity; such a revolt would not be accepted by the Triad, and would lead to heavy violence. Both the heads of the Triad and the police want to avoid turf warfare.
Meanwhile, a pursuit of the baton ensues in which Kun (Blacky's henchman), who is recovering the baton for Big D catches up with Big Head (Tally's henchman), who holds the baton and is recovering it for Lok. During the confrontation, Kun severely beats Big Head with a giant log in order for him to hand out the baton when Kun's boss informs him that the plan has changed and that Kun is to recover the baton for Lok. The leaders are eventually released on bail and after hours of pursuit between Kun, Jimmy, and Jet on route, Lok eventually receives the baton from Jimmy thus making his election official.
Lok proposes a truce, which Big D accepts, on the terms that they will be partners and Big D will be the next chairman when Lok's term expires. Initially, this is a successful partnership; together they expand the Triad's turf. In contrast to his earlier behaviour, Big D becomes loyal to Lok, whom he now considers a good friend.
In the final scene, Lok and Big D are fishing on a sunny afternoon, accompanied by Lok's young son, Denny, and Big D's wife. While momentarily alone with Lok, Big D proposes that they share the power of chairman; it is not an uncommon practice to have more than one chairman. Lok agrees to support Big D. However, seconds later Lok attacks Big D from behind, using a small boulder to repeatedly smash in his head. Denny and Big D's wife return in time to see this. Lok orders his son to wait in the car, and proceeds to finish murdering Big D. He then runs after Big D's wife, attacking her with a shovel and then crushing her throat with a heavy branch. He buries both bodies, washes his hands in the water and goes to the car, where his visibly shaken son is waiting.

Review: In this sense, Election manages to bring out the very best in Eastern cinema, the rich culture (despite the notorious background of the Triad) steeped in tradition holding important virtues and values such as honour, which have all too often have been left behind in the Middle Ages.
Other plus points include the strength of the cinematography, typically shot in clean contrast with vivid colours and engaging compositions, while the acting is convincing with some slick performances from Tony Leung and Simon Yam.Election confronts the issue of the modern globalised world coming into conflict with the traditions of heritage of the triad which are seemingly being swamped by the sheer force of power the outside world, and in particular capitalism, possesses.
However The Godfather, for example was a film which had a relatively slow paced storyline, yet you were utterly immersed for nigh on three hours, with Election the 100 minutes, feels like three hours, and that is not a good thing.
Not enough actually takes place on screen to engage you, there are debates among elders about who should be the next Chairman, you see the candidates approach other members of the triad to ask for their support, you see more debating, you see various characters obviously being set up to be more important in volumes II and III, and you see some good acting go to waste with not much happening.
It's shot with style, the characters all feel unique and identifiable, the action scenes are really gruesome, violent and stylistic, the pacing is a bit slow yet it feels just right and in the end the story isn't half bad either.
It took me easily two thirds of the film to just start recognizing different faces from one another and the movie didn't exactly help, as the two main characters were quickly referenced by name, but it wasn't made clear just who they were on the screen.
Especially when one realized that the movie actually has a sequel.All in all, it's a good gangster film.
Election marks the 2nd trial society theme movie directed by Johnnie To.To marvellously casted Simon Yan and Tony Leung Kar Fai as Lok and Big D, as the two trial members who were chosen as candidates for the position of chairman for Ho Sing society, a 100 year old trial society.While Lok is a man who keeps his cool at all times, Big D is not only impatient, but also thinks that he is on top of everything.
Together with some of the veteran actors making their appearance in the film and the excellent script, it makes the only HK movie to represent Cannes Fil Festival 2005.Election has hardly failed any critics who wants an different trial society theme movie..
Even so, mafia chic has more or less been done to death, which is where (to a western audience) a Hong Kong gangster movie, like Johnny To's 'Election'; can be refreshing.
Lok may be an appealing family man in contrast to Big D., but although shocking, the ending lacks the surprise of the ending of 'The Godfather'; indeed, I personally think the 'The Godfather Part II', though a very skillful film, also suffered from the problem that the audience is unable to maintain the necessary illusions about its protagonist prior to the end.
Naturally, every such product gets an added buzz doing the rounds on its behalf, probably helping to generate bigger box office intakes.Surprisingly or not, there's nothing even remotely mature about Election, and to all intents and purposes it's almost identical in the gruesome department to every other crime flick done in Hong Kong over recent years, with the Infernal Affairs series coming to mind.
We went in there anticipating substantive violence, nudity, colorful language and the like, only to be sorely disappointed, leading us to conclude someone managed to convince the ratings board to stick a handily sensational label on Election, immediately putting it apart from the competition (most of which falls under tamer categories).
This type of cynical, conniving trickery does not win points with anyone gullible enough to build up expectations, and disappointment indeed featured prominently among members of the audience of which we were a part.But that aside, Election's in no way a bad triad movie.
However, once you're done appreciating the film's underworld history and politics lesson the flaws begin to surge.First among them is the pacing, slow and dry to the point of making it hard for non-enthusiasts to sit through Election wriggle or nod free.
Lam Ka Tung (infernal Affairs, World without Thieves) fares better as efficient soldier Kun, but most everyone else in supportive roles does not rise above average.Much of Election revolves around the two antagonists' search for a mythical baton, the Wo Sing's symbolic talisman without which no chairman can ever be accepted, and although this pursuit seems trivial it at least provides the film with an excellent panorama of HK as the search goes on, from rural border area Lo Wu to teeming night district Tsim Sha Tsui, so at least we have that.Not much else, though.
There was no drama at all except for some scenes where they kidnapped a few members of the enemy elective party for ransom and also don't forget the shock that happened in the end which I won't reveal for spoiler reasons.
The only that kept me moving in the film was some of the interesting facts they gave us about Triad street life in the movie.
This isn't as violent as I was expecting which makes the violent scenes appear all the more brutal and effective.There are a lot of twists and turns and back stabbing and double crossing all the way through the film making it hard to know who's side a particular character is on.The plot is pacey with some good dialogue and character development and gives an interesting view of the workings of the Triad gang it follows.The violence when it comes is brutal, no guns or martial art scenes with special effects, this is believable in your face violence and for all the dialogue you are never allowed forget that the Triad is a violent criminal organisation.The ending is surprising but thoroughly consistent and believable..
"Election" showcases all that are exceptional about the Hong Kong film industry in the past 20 years or so; old thespians, A-cast list and upcoming actors join hands to make this grim but entertaining movie.
It's talky, but the acting is first-rate: cool and collected Lok (Simon Yam), cocky and violent Big D (Tony Leung), the frustrated police superintendent (David Chiang).Many Western mainstream audience think that Mafia and Triad movies ought to be filled with killings, gunshots and bloodshed.
Johnnie To crime drama surrounding the hierarchy of Triad familyFollows the election process of two lead candidates: Big D - a veteran, tough, aggressive, power driven; and Lok - calm, respectable, more giving, family oriented.
I find it a quite serviceable gangster thriller that makes pretty good use of a very old storyline, about two rivals battling for control of a Triad gang.
Not Alexander's Payne Oscar nominated comedy, this Johnnie To drama of the same name focuses on division within Hong Kong's high profile gangs as they try to choose a new chairman for the local triad.
Cited by Quentin Tarantino as his favourite film of the year and selected to compete at the Cannes Film Festival, the film certainly has a lot of interest for its insight into ritualistic gangs where the most important decisions come in words rather than actions, but one's mileage with the film is likely to vary..
I had interest in watching Election (2005) because of all the excellent commentaries I had heard about it.Now,after watching this film,I can say it's not bad but it disappointed me.Let's see the bad points from this movie.I felt the story from this movie excessively confusing.I always appreciate narrative complexity on a movie but what I do not appreciate is when the narrative complexity becomes very confusing and that's what happened to this movie.I thought the story should have been told in a more clear way without losing the narrative complexity.I also felt this movie has some redundant moments which do not add too much to the story.In summary,I think a more clear story and more focus on the editing would have made a much better movie.Now,I have to mention some positive elements.With some exceptions,the film did not bore me and I found interesting the implicit comparison this movie makes between gangsters and politicians.But,in spite of that positive elements,this movie did not result too satisfactory in my case.Maybe,I was expecting too much,I do not know.I think I can recommend this movie but I do not think I can recommend it with much enthusiasm..
Every two years, a new movie comes to prove that Hong-Kong cinema is well alive and still has a word to say to the international world of cinema.
In 2001, "Time and Tide" reelected Tsui Hark as one most inventive director alive, in 2003, "Infernal Affairs" proved that HK thrillers are still better than American ones, and now, Johnny To wants to be elected as the new ambassador of HK cinema, as the selection of his two last movies at the international Cannes film Festival proves it.
But if "Election" is a good and entertaining movie, it doesn't really bring anything new to the genre.Every two years, one of the most important triad of Hong-Kong has to elect his boss, through a democratic way, where the older decides who can run and win the election.
The movie deals with one of this election, which soon becomes a death fight between the two main candidates : the calm and cold-hearted Lok (magistraly interpreted by Simon Yam) and the crazy and dangerous Big D (Tony Leung Ka Fai).
Everything that could help to win the election is now permitted : from corruption to torture, and nothing will be spared.So the film is quite enjoyable, for it's always nice to see a classical and well done HK triad movie.
The main influences are still Melville and Coppola, with maybe a new touch of Kitano here (for the character of Big D.) 1997 finally didn't affect too much the way Hong-Kong makes movies, and although we knew it for some time now, it's always a pleasure to have a confirmation.But the problem is that "Election" really lacks of originality, where Tsui Hark brought some crazy experimental elements and "Infernal Affairs" a more realist tone, "Election" didn't really bring anything new.
And if the movie is realist and even didactic (you learn a lot about the triad rituals and the way it works while you're watching it), it also lacks of action and tension.
And there almost no dramatic tension in it : a long scene shows a sort of relay to catch a scepter, which will decided the winner of the election, and as no real suspense in it (even if it's quite fun to watch).And one last thing I didn't really appreciate about the movie is its photography, which is very dark (and by dark I mean dark : you sometimes can't see anything but a black screen with a point of light somewhere very far).
This style, which is familiar to Johnny To - he uses it in PTU for instance - doesn't really help the narration, which is already a little complicated, especially in the beginning of the movie, when you're not well aware of all the relations between the characters and of the triad complex rituals.
The first of two films by Johnny To, this film won many awards, but none so prestigious as a Cannes Golden Palm nomination.The Triad elects their leader, but it is far from democratic with the behind the scenes machinations.Tony Leung Ka Fai (Zhou Yu's Train, Ashes of Time Redux) is Big D, who plans to take the baton no matter what it takes, even if it means a war.
Big D will change his tune or...Good performances by Simon Yam, Louis Koo and Ka Tung Lam (Infernal Affairs I & III), along with Tony Leung Ka Fai.Whether Masons, made men in the Mafia, or members of the Wo Sing Society, the ceremonies are the same; fascinating to watch.To be continued....
The election of the new Yakuza's boss is the beginning of a war inside the organization.In my opinion the violence is wise used in the context, making a very strong gangs film.
Is like Infernal affairs, but without the easy action-violence scenes, and the confused storyline.
The film uses numerous clever pieces of identification all the time playing with modernity yet sticking to tradition  a theme played with throughout the film Where John Woo's Hong Kong films are action packed and over the top in their explosive content as seen in Hard Boiled (1992) and when Hong Kong films do settle down into rhythms of telling the story from the 'bad' point of view, they can sometimes stutter and just become merely unmemorable, a good example being City on Fire (1987).Election is a film that is memorable for the sheer fact of its unpredictable scenes, spontaneous action and violence that are done in a realistic and tasteful (if that's the right word) manner as well as the clever little 'in pieces' of film-making.
Another fine piece of attention to detail is the way the Uncles toast using tea and not alcohol, elevating themselves above other head gangsters who'd use champagne (The Long Good Friday) and also referencing Chinese tradition of drinking tea to celebrate or commemorate.Election is a good film that is structured well enough to enjoy and a film that has fantastic mise-en-scene as you look at what's going on.
"Election" is a confusing gangster movie with a story that really shouldn't make so little sense.
The more even-tempered Lok is elected, much to the anger of his rival, the disrespectful and hot-headed Big D.The Triad chairman must own a dragon head-carved baton.
Hak Se Wui. Not to be confused with the Resse Witherspoon high school film of the same name, this is a stylised look at Hong Kong's triad gangs.
Either way this is a good start and if there are no sequels a great film in its own right..
Unquestionably the most prolific director in Hong Kong today, To brings something new to each movie he makes and yet maintains a consistent quality.
My personal favourite of his work will always be "The Mission" (1999), the pinnacle of a stylish "gun" movie surrounding an ensemble of fascinating characters."Election" (or "Hek she wui", the underworld) which competed in Cannes earlier this year is another good one from To, following his traditional crisp, no-nonsense and unpretentious direction.
In polarised contrast to the ageing, fate-beaten photographer he played in "Everlasting Regret" (which was actually shot AFTER "Election"), he portrayed Lok's nemesis "Big D" with such explosive intensity that not even the automatic choice for such characters, Francis Ng Chun-yu, could have done any better.Those who are disappointed because the supporting characters have no depth have entirely missed the point.
Basically there is an election for the new chairman of the Hong Kong Triads Wo Sing Society coming up, so you can imagine how much violence that is going to occur during this.
The struggle is between "candidates" Lam Lok (Simon Yam) and Big D (Tony Leung Ka Fai) for control of the oldest and most powerful Triad parts of the society.
Also starring Louis Koo as Jimmy Lee, Nick Cheung as Jet, Cheung Siu Fai as Mr. So, Lam Suet as Big Head and Lam Ka Tung as Kun. There are some good realistic corruption themes and moments, just about enough action, apart from maybe when the cops get involved, but a sequel followed, so it's a pretty worthwhile crime drama thriller.
This movie is great fun to watch if you love films of the organized crime variety.
I was somewhat disappointed by some of the choices made story-wise but overall a good crime film.
it's just not nearly as good as it's sequel.In the first Election installment, we are shown the two competitors for Chairman; Big D and Lok. After a few scenes of discussion amongst the "Uncle's" as to who should have the Chairman title, they (almost unanimously) decide That Lok (Simon Yam) will helm the Triads.
I wonder if this influenced director Johhnie To in any way while making the second Election, as he does deliver more of Jet's character in the sequel.While Nick Cheung gives a scene stealing performance, I must not fail to give due to the rest of the film's actors.
Simon Yam is his usually glorious self and the film also benefits from heavyweight HK actors like Louis Koo, Tony Leung Ka Fai, and the under-appreciated Suet Lam. There really aren't any weak links in the acting and one could easily believe that they're watching real gangsters.Although the performances are great, one of the most impressive things about Election is Johnnie To's eye for the camera.
It gets a bit hard to follow because the film is so full of characters that aren't integral to the plot.
Maybe the film would have worked better if it would have been a bit longer with more time dedicated to the inner workings of the Triad, or if Director Johnnie To would have funneled down the necessary elements and expounded on them more.
Election is a Chinese mob movie, or triads in this case.
Every two years an election is held to decide on a new leader, and at first it seems a toss up between Big D (Tony Leung Ka Fai, or as I know him, "The Other Tony Leung") and Lok (Simon Yam, who was Judge in Full Contact!).
Unlike any other Asian film I watch featuring gangsters, this one is not an action movie.
Simon Yam was my favorite character here and sort of anchors the picture.Election was quite the award winner at last year's Hong Kong Film Awards, winning for best actor (Tony Leung), best picture, best director (Johnny To, who did Heroic Trio!!), and best screenplay.