PRISON OF FIRE (1987-HK)
review by Neo

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Chow Yun Fat at his most intense…
If there is anyone who queries about the credibility of Chow Yun Fat as an actor, one must look no further than Ringo Lam’s classic, Prison On Fire. The moment of Chow biting off the ear is not just a shock and gore piece of cinema, but an image that have defined Chow as not just an actor, but a superstar with actual quality.It is a shame that Chow didn’t end up with the Best Actor award in this symbolic role, but needless to be said, his performance adds extra layer to the movie and enhance what is already a very good movie from the master of prison life – Ringo Lam. So what the hell are you waiting for, get off your bum and get ready to witness the surreal Chow Yun Fat.

Without giving all the credit to the master Chow, one must also give some much deserved credit to Neo’s grandpa look-alike in the mould of Tony Leung Ka Fai. Leung underplays his character to the most elusive extend and in the process making himself extremely real and raw for the audience to relate towards. The journey of hell that Leung went through can be forseen from the change that he went through from beginning to end. The politics of internal tormoil is also well defined by the master of Prison stories, Ringo Lam. Lam recently remade something along the line of In Hell with the stoic Van Damme and if people reckon that was good, wait till you witness the one and only one – Prison on Fire.

Despite Neo having watched this flick years ago and not so long ago and today, the flick remains, every bit just as enjoyable and every bit just as entertaining to endure. Every shot seems extremely real and of course who can ever forget the most elusive and memorable scene of all time – the biting of the ear. It is perhaps, that moment which propelled this flick to legendary status, but in truth, this is really a good flick. Let’s wrap this up, before Neo starts boring the declining readership to death, by saying, I will be biting your ear, if you do not take a punt on this flick…

I rate it 9/10.

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Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Tommy Wong Kwong-Leung, Roy Cheung Yiu-Yeung, Victor Hon Kwan, Ho Ka-Kui, Shing Fui-On, Ng Chi-Hung
Directed by: Ringo Lam
Genre: Prison, Action

Trailer/Short Clip: