Reviews
“One of the greatest action directors working in the world… (Johnnie) To has built a dazzling brilliant career out of cinematic mayhem.”
—Manohla Dargis, NEW YORK TIMES, April 2008
“Lau is nicely cast as Bun, a shambling figure with wild hair, no socks and a manic gleam in his eye”
—Derek Elley, VARIETY Sept. 07
“the best acting in a To film to date, with Lau Ching-wan turning in a mesmerizing performance as the title character”
—Brian Hu, ASIA PACIFIC ARTS (UCLA) Nov 07
“If this were the sixties, Cahiers du cinéma would have put [Johnnie To’s] name up there with Hawks, Mann, or Walsh.”
“[To] is living proof that the best genre films are now made in Hong Kong.”
—Jason Sanders, BAM/PFA [Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive], April 2008
“Another sublime crime film from the master of the genre”
“Mad Detective confounds, challenges, enthralls, and simply begs for repeated viewings.”
“Lai Ching-Wan is terrific as the eponymous Mad Detective”
“…[Mad Detective] is a rarity: a multi-layered genre film that grows richer upon reflection or successive viewings.”
“wild, hilarious, and thoroughly disturbing entertainment.”
—VANCOUVER FILM FESTIVAL
“An amazing film… that has you rethinking the whole film by the time you get to the end, and thinking about it for days later.”
—Jonah Lee Walker, WHALE OF A TALE PRODUCTIONS
“an original concept… executed so flawlessly that it’s totally mindblowing and compelling to watch”
“the best HK film of the year”
“…an entertaining, surprising piece of work anchored by a powerhouse performance from Lau”
“the portrayal of a man lost in his own mind”
“a resounding success”
—Todd Brown,TWITCH FILM Sept. 07
“…as fine a piece of genre filmmaking as anyone has made in the last 10 years.”
—Charles Taylor, LOS ANGELES TIMES, Sept. 07
“To is a master of ratcheting up tension through small details”
—Kevin Crust, LOS ANGELES TIMES Sept. 07
“…always dark, always entertaining”
—Forman Howes, CBC News , Oct. 07
“concise and artful”
“It will appeal to movie-goers who like cop stories fast and furious but also complex and witty”
“Orson Welles would applaud!”
—Ray Bennett, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Sept. 07
“Maddeningly engaging!”
—Richard Lim Jr, MOVIEXCLUSIVE.COM, Nov. 07
“That was the best opening for a movie I’ve seen this year!”
“…don’t be surprised when the U.S. remake is announced.”
—Mike White, CASHIERS DU CINEMART, Sept 07
“Another very, very solid crime drama from Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai.”
—Sick-boy, toronto film festival blog, 2007
“A fun thriller that transcends the jarring violence of a typical Hong Kong cop film by mashing elements of Van Gogh, Hitchcock and Kurosawa’s Rashomon.”
—Wilis Wong, INTERMEDIASREVIEW, Oct. 07
“I love Lau Ching-wan… nobody does puffy-eyed aggression like he does. Spot on!”