Main Cast: Simon Yam, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Cheung Siu Fai
Release Year: 2005
Country: HK
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
A crime family flirts with democracy, leading to a fierce gangland battle in this stylish crime drama from Hong Kong director Johnnie To. With over 50,000 members, the Wo Shing Society is one of the largest and most powerful Triads in Hong Kong, and when the leadership committee needs a new head man, they decide to put the matter to a vote of their underlings. The two candidates are Lok (Simon Yam), a cool leader who doesn't rattle easily, and Big D (Tony Leung Kar-Fai), who has a short temper and is prone to violence. After Uncle Weng (Wong Tin-lam), an elderly and well-regarded member of the Triad, gives Lok his endorsement, he wins by a landslide, which does not sit well with Big D's uncertain temper. A ceremonial walking stick which is given to the Wo Shing Society's elected leader has disappeared, and Big D will stop at nothing to make sure it stays out of Lok's hands; meanwhile, the Hong Kong police are determined to bring down the Triad, and Big D ends up behind bars. The Wo Shing Society falls into chaos as in-fighting threatens to tear the Triad apart before the walking stick can be returned and Lok can be inaugurated as their new chief. Election (aka Hak Sewui) was a major box office success in Asia, and the story continued the following year in Election 2 (aka Hak se wui yi wo wai kwai). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Lam Suet - Big Head; Lam Ka-tung - Kun; Wong Tin-lam - Uncle Teng; Tam Ping-man - Uncle Cocky; Maggie Shiu - Big D's Wife; John Chiang - Insp. Hiu
Credit
Tony Yu - Art Director, Stanley Cheung - Costume Designer, Chan Wai-hung - First Assistant Director, Johnny To - Director, Patrick Tam - Editor, Johnny To - Executive Producer, Dennis Law - Executive Producer, Catherine Chan - Executive Producer, Lo Ta-yu - Composer (Music Score), Cheng Siu-keung - Cinematographer, Cheng Su Keung - Cinematographer, Jackson Ha - Production Manager, Charles Heung - Producer, Dennis Law - Producer, May Mok - Sound/Sound Designer, Charlie Lo - Sound/Sound Designer, Yau Nai-hoi - Screenwriter, Yip Tin-sing - Screenwriter, Ding Yuin-shan - Supervising Producer, Law Wing-cheung - Associate Director
The movie begins as the two-year term expires, and all the elders of the Wo Shing society are in the process of electing a new chairman, with some last-minute "campaigning" from both Lok (Simon Yam) and Big D (Leung) a few days prior to the election. After bitter arguments from supporters of both candidates in the likes of Uncle Cocky (played by veteran TV actor Tam Ping Man) 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 the meantime, Chief Superintendent Hui and the police, as well as the police in China arrests all the key figures that include Uncle Teng, Big D, Cocky, Monk and the newly-elected chairman Lok of the Wo Shing in an attempt to avoid infighting within the society. However, during a negotiation attempt in a holding cell, Big D's plans of organizing a new triad society are uncovered, which infuriates both Teng & Hui. 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 never-ending pursuit between Kun, Jimmy, and Jet on route, Lok eventually receives the baton from Jimmy thus making his election official.
Despite negotiations with Big D after his bail, Lok murders his nemesis with a boulder during a fishing trip with his son, Denny, Big D and D's wife after Big D insisted on proposing the idea of two chairmans and the sharing of power between them. As Lok is killing D, D's wife witnesses Lok and makes a run for it causing Lok to murder her too by strangling her against a tree with a log. D and his wife are then buried before Lok drives away with Denny, who becomes petrified after witnessing his dad's brutality as the movie comes to an end.
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino loved the film so much that his quote stating that Election was "The Best Film Of The Year" was used on the film's United States DVD cover.[2]
Box office
At the end of its box-office run in Hong Kong, Election grossed about HK$15.59 million in Hong Kong, which is considered to be quite high for a film that received a Category III rating (18+ restriction) in Hong Kong.
The movie is notable in being nominated for 14 Golden Horse Awards in Hong Kong cinema. The film was named best film of 2005 in the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, with To also clinching Best Director honors for the movie.
The Enigmatic Case (1989) ·Happy Ghost III (1986) ·Seven Years Itch (1987) ·The Eighth Happiness (1988) ·All About Ah-Long (1989) ·The Fun, the Luck and the Tycoon (1989)
Beyond Hypothermia (1996) •Final Justice (1996) •Too Many Ways to Be No. 1 (1996) •The Odd One Dies (1997) •The Intruder (1997) •The Longest Nite (1998) •Expect the Unexpected (1998) •A Hero Never Dies (1998) •Sealed with a Kiss (1999) •Where a Good Man Goes (1998) •Running Out of Time (1999) •The Mission (1999)
