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2021 Hong Kong film

Raging Fire
Official film poster

Directed by	Benny Chan
Screenplay by	Benny Chan Ryan Ling Tong Yiu-ling
Produced by	Benny Chan Donnie Yen
Starring	Donnie Yen Nicholas Tse Qin Lan
Cinematography	Edmond Fung
Edited by	Curran Pang
Music by	Nicolas Errèra
Production companies	Emperor Film Production Company Tencent Pictures Sil-Metropole Organisation Maoyan Pictures Super Bullet Pictures One Cool Film Production Central Motion Pictures BC Films Production
Distributed by	Emperor Motion Pictures (Hong Kong, Worldwide) Intercontinental Film Distribution (HK) (Hong Kong)
Release dates	30 July 2021 (2021-07-30) (China) 19 August 2021 (2021-08-19) (Hong Kong)
Running time	126 minutes
Countries	Hong Kong China
Language	Cantonese
Box office	US$224.9 million

Raging Fire is a 2021 Hong Kong-Chinese action film written, produced and directed by Benny Chan in his final directorial effort before his death on 23 August 2020. The film stars Donnie Yen as a righteous cop who crosses path with his former protege, played by Nicholas Tse, who is out for revenge on his former mentor for putting him in prison in the past.

The film was released on 30 July 2021 in Mainland China and on 19 August 2021 in Hong Kong.

Plot

Cheung Sung-bong is an officer of the Regional Crime Unit who worked in the front line for many years and cracked many major cases. However, he is seen as an outcast due to his extremely righteous character which affected his career, but his protege, Yau Kong-ngo, respects him as a good officer although Yau does not completely agree with Cheung's overly hard-boiled style and believes in taking shortcuts. Yau manage to reach up to Cheung's level. However, fate unexpectedly brings them to different paths and pits them against one another.

Cast

Donnie Yen as Cheung Sung-bong (張崇邦), senior inspector of the Regional Crime Unit who is extremely righteous and dedicated.
Nicholas Tse as Yau Kong-ngo (邱剛敖), Cheung's former protege who goes rogue and swears revenge on his mentor when the latter testified against him, leading him to be imprisoned for beating suspect Coke to death.
Qin Lan as Anna Lam (藍可盈), Cheung's pregnant wife.
Simon Yam as Lok Chi-fai (駱智輝), Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Cheung's hearing for Cheung's internal investigation.
Ray Lui as Yiu Yeuk-sing (姚若成), superintendent of the Regional Crime Unit and Cheung's superior officer and mentor.
Ben Yuen as Seto Kit (司徒傑), former Commissioner of Police and Cheung's and Yau's former superior who instructed the latter to use any means necessary to rescue Fok and later testified against Yau in court.
Ben Lam as Au Man-kwai (區萬貴), a drug dealer who hires Yau to rob crystal meth from Wong Kwun.
Ken Lo as Ma Kau-wing (馬交榮), a robber who intended to collaborate with Yau to rob Fok's bank.
Carlos Chan
Patrick Tam as Yuen Ka-po (袁家寶), Cheung's superior officer and friend.
Kenny Wong as Tai Cheuk-yin (戴卓賢), sergeant of the Regional Crime Unit and Cheung's most trusted subordinate.
Deep Ng as Chow Chi-chun (周子俊), a Regional Crime Unit officer and Cheung's subordinate who is an alcoholic, but is dedicated to his job.
Jeana Ho as Turbo Lui (呂慧思), a Regional Crime Unit officer and Cheung's subordinate.
Angus Yeung as Cho Ning (曹寧), a Regional Crime Unit and Cheung's subordinate.
Bruce Tong as Kwan Chung-him (關頌謙), a Regional Crime Unit officer and Cheung's subordinate.
Henry Mak as Chiu Chi-keung (招志強), Yau's underling and former police officer.
Yu Kang as Mok Yik-chuen (莫亦荃), Yau's underling and former police officer.
German Cheung as Chu Yuk-ming (朱旭明), Yau's underling and former police officer.
Tony Wu as Law Kim-wah (羅劍華), Yau's underling and a former police officer who is a father to a six year old daughter.
Derek Koka officer in Yau's squad who threw himself off the police headquarters building after feeling betrayed by the police when they testified against the squad.
Matt Chow
Fire Lee
Mak Cheung-ching as a police officer present at Cheung's internal investigation hearing.
Cheung Kwok-keung as the chief of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Bureau.
Kwok Fung as Fok Siu-tong (霍兆堂), a bank tycoon who was kidnapped five years ago where Seto instructed Yau to use any means to find Fok.
Julius Brian Siswojo

Music

The film's theme song, titled Confrontation (對峙), is composed and performed by Nicholas Tse, with lyrics written by Kenny So. A promotional song for the song was also released as a tribute to director Benny Chan, which is a cover of the song A Real Man (真的漢子), which was originally composed and performed by George Lam, with lyrics written by Cheng Kwok-kong. The new version is performed by Andy Lau, Donnie Yen, Wu Jing, Nick Cheung and Jordan Chan, with slightly altered lyrics written by Keith Chan.

Production

The film was first announced at the 2019 Hong Kong Film & TV Market (FILMART). Producer and star Donnie Yen revealed that the film had originally been planned to be filmed in a foreign country, but he persuaded co-producer and director Benny Chan to stay in Hong Kong for filming. Production began in April of the same year. On 6 May 2019, a scene was filmed involving Yen jumping from a balcony for which he was suspended on wires for two hours. The film held its blessing ceremony on 23 July 2019 at a constructed set on Peking Road in Quarry Bay Film Studio that was attended by Emperor Group head Albert Yeung, Chan, Yen and the rest of the cast and crew. Production for the film wrapped up in September 2019.

On 23 August 2020, director Chan died from nasopharyngeal cancer. It was reported that he had fallen ill during the film's production and had later been diagnosed with the illness. Chan completed his directing duties for the film but was unable to take part in post-production due to his illness.

Release

Raging Fire was theatrically released in China on 30 July 2021, followed by a limited release in the United States on 13 August 2021, and in Hong Kong on 19 August 2021.

Reception

Box office

As of 10 October 2021, Raging Fire has grossed US$224.9 million worldwide, combining its gross from Hong Kong (US$3.3 million), China (US$221.2 million), North America (US$368,301), Australia (US$54,211) and New Zealand (US$2,417).

In Hong Kong, the film debuted at No. 2 during its opening weekend, grossing HK$7,592,576 (US$974,544) during its first four days of release. On its second weekend, the film grossed HK$8,775,780, coming in at No. 1, and have grossed a total of HK$16,368,356 (US$2,101,717) by then. During the its third week, the film grossed HK$5,271,353, coming in at No. 2, and have grossed a total of HK$21,636,628 (US$2,783,956) by then. On its fourth weekend, the film remained at No. 2 where it grossed HK$2,749,226 and have grossed a total of HK24,385,854 (US$3,135,396) so by then. During its fifth weekend, the film grossed HK$1,049,458, coming in No. 5, and have accumulated a total gross of HK$25,435,312 (US$3,268,144) so far.

In China, the film debuted at No. 1 during its opening weekend, grossing US$40.5 million during its first three days of release. On its second weekend, the film grossed US$49.2 million, remaining at No. 1, and have grossed a total of US$89.7 million by then. The film remained at first place during its third weekend, grossing US$42.5 million, and have accumulated a total gross of US$132.3 million so far. The film stayed at No. 1 again for four consecutive weeks, grossing US$25.1 million during its fourth weekend and have grossed a total of US$157.9 million by then. During its fifth weekend, the film grossed US$19.2, coming in at No. 2 behind new release Free Guy, and have grossed a total of US$177.1 million by then. On its sixth week, the film grossed US$13.1 million, remaining at No. 2, and have grossed a total of US$190.2 million by then. During its seventh week, the film grossed US$10.7 million, coming in at No. 3, and have accumulated a total gross of US$200.9 million by then. On its eighth week, the film grossed US$8.8 million, remaining at No. 3, and have grossed a total of US$209.7 million so far.

Critical reception

Matthew Monagle of the Austin Chronicle gave the film 4/5 stars and praises the characterizations and action set pieces Lim Lian-yu of Yahoo! Singapore gave the film a score of 3.5/5 stars, describing the film as "126 minutes worth of explosive action that is bound to entertain and keep your eyes busy." Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film a score of 3/5 stars, praising it as "the best that Hong Kong action-film making has to offer", but criticizing its illogical story and crude script.

G. Allen Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle praises the film's action scenes but criticizes the exposition scenes which drags the film. Cary Darling of the Houston Chronicle praises director Chan's execution of a basic premise and the action choreography as "breathlessly exhilarating." Anna Smith of Deadline Hollywood describes the film as "an accomplished visual feat with detailed fight choreography and strong physical performances", while also noting its underdeveloped characterizations and overuse of flashbacks.

Marc Zirogiannis of Taekwondo Life Magazine wrote, "In Raging Fire, Benny Chan’s final directorial work, Yen combines the elements of his persona as an action star and dramatic actor for a successful result. His dramatic engagement equals his action prowess, and these elements combine to make this film superior."

The director Benny Chan, wrote The TeddyBare, also utilised Tse’s talents superbly. To his credit, Tse is also superb as a complex villain, with an understandable, almost sympathetic, transition from valued colleague to nemesis to the protagonist. This is not often the case in these types of films lately. This all makes Raging Fire or Nou fo eligible for the tag semi-classic of the genre. Technically, it sets a great example for the upcoming filmmakers who aspire to rule this genre.

Notes

See Box office

References

External links

v t e Films by Benny Chan Muk-sing
Films directed	Let's Rage the Gangland (1988) A Moment of Romance (1990) Son on the Run (1991) What a Hero! (1992) A Moment of Romance II (1993) The Magic Crane (1993) Wounded Tracks (1994) Happy Hour (1995) Man Wanted (1995, also produced) Big Bullet (1996, also writer and produced) Who Am I? (1998) Gen-X Cops (1999, also writer and produced) Gen-Y Cops (2000, also produced) Heroic Duo (2003, also produced) New Police Story (2004, also produced) Divergence (2005, also produced) Rob-B-Hood (2006, also writer and produced) Invisible Target (2007, also writer and produced) Connected (2008, also writer and produced) City Under Siege (2010, writer, produced and editor) Shaolin (2011, also produced) The White Storm (2013, also writer and produced) Call of Heroes (2016, also writer and produced) Meow (2017, also produced) Raging Fire (2021, also writer and produced)
Films produced only	They Don't Care About Us (1996) Final Romance (2001) If U Care... (2002) Little Big Master (2015) The Trier of Fact (TBD)
Other credits	The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (1985) (series and assistant director) New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre (1986) (series and assistant director) Goodbye Darling (1987) (executive producer) Fatal Love (1989) (executive producer) Happy Hour (1995) (cameo) Fist of Fury (1995) (series director)

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