''Young and Dangerous'' () is a 1996 Hong Kong

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

about a group of

triad Triad or triade may refer to: * a group of three Businesses and organisations * Triad (American fraternities), certain historic groupings of seminal college fraternities in North America * Triad (organized crime), a Chinese transnational orga ...

members, detailing their adventures and dangers in a Hong Kong

Triad society A triad ( zh , t=三合會 , s=三合会 , cy=sāam hahp wúi , j=saam1 hap6 wui6‑2 , hp=sān hé huì , first=t,j ) is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China and has outposts in various countries with signific ...

. Directed by the film's

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

Andrew Lau Andrew Lau Wai-keung ( zh, t=劉偉強, born 4 April 1960) is a Hong Kong film director, producer, and cinematographer. Lau began his career in the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a cinematographer to filmmakers such as Ringo Lam, Wong Jing and W ...

, the film features a large

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast t ...

, which includes

Ekin Cheng Ekin Cheng is a Hong Kong actor and singer. Early in his career, he used the name Dior as a first name (because that was what it sounded like when his younger sister tried to call him 二哥 in Cantonese). He has also been referred to as Noodl ...

, Jordan Chan,

Gigi Lai Gigi Lai (born 1 October 1971) is a Hong Kong actress and singer. Entering the entertainment industry in 1985, Lai was under a contract with the television station TVB from 1991 until she retired in 2008. Nicknamed by the Hong Kong media as the ...

, Jason Chu,

Jerry Lamb Jerry Lamb Hiu-Fung ( Chinese: 林曉峰) (born 28 September 1970) is a Hong Kong actor, singer, television presenter and DJ. Career In 1993, Jerry joined Wharf Cable Television. In 1994, he appeared in the film '' He's a Woman, She's a Man ...

Michael Tse Michael Tse Tin-wah (born 15 July 1967) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. Background Michael Tse graduated from TVB's Dance Training Class and worked with TVB as a dancer for five years. He then left TVB and formed a boy band group called 風� ...

Francis Ng Francis Ng Chun-yu (; born 21 December 1961) is a Hong Kong actor and director. He is known for his roles in the TVB series ''Triumph in the Skies'' and in films such as ''Young and Dangerous'', '' Once Upon a Time in Triad Society'', '' A ...

and Simon Yam. Based on a popular

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

series named "Guwak tsai" or "Teddy Boy" in English. This film contributed a lot to the public image of triads and was condemned by certain quarters as glorifying secret triad societies. However, it was immensely popular in Hong Kong and spun a long list of sequels and spin-offs. Its main actors and actresses have also become major stars in their own right.

Plot

Beginning in 1985, teenagers Chan Ho Nam (Ekin Cheng), his best friends "Chicken" Chiu (Jordan Chan), Dai Tin-Yee (Michael Tse), Pou Pan (Jerry Lam) and older brother Chow Pan (Jason Chu) idolise the local "Hung Hing" Society and one of its leaders, "Uncle Bee" (Ng Chi Hung). When Ho Nam and his friends are beaten by Hung Hing's "Ugly Kwan" (Francis Ng) and his men following a misunderstanding, they decide to join the society, following Bee. Ten years later, in 1995, Ho Nam and his buddies have established themselves as Bee's enforcers, performing their first successful

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

on Kwan's associate "Ba Bai" (Joe Chen). At the same time, Brother Fai Hung has the stuttering Smartie (

) carjack Ho Nam's

Toyota MR2 The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (2000–2007). It ...

and demand payment, but unfortunately she gets caught by Ho Nam and his friends and is punished by eating dozens of Chinese barbecue pork buns. Seeing Ho Nam is making a name for himself in the society, Kwan attempts to buy him out and have Ho Nam work for him instead of Bee, but the gangster refuses. When he finds Smartie about to be forced into an

adult film Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include erotic ...

produced by Kwan's studio, Ho Nam takes her aside, claiming she is his woman. The indebted Smartie follows him, even beginning to fall for him. One day, Bee is tasked with an assignment by Hung Hing chairman Chiang Tin Sung (Simon Yam) to head to

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

and perform another hit. Bee orders Ho Nam and his men to execute the plan. Sadly, this was all a ploy on Kwan's doing: by using Chicken's fidelity to separate him from Ho Nam and falsifying information to chairman Chiang, Ho Nam and his remaining friends are ambushed by other triad members under Kwan. Chow Pan is brutally killed and Ho Nam is blamed for the failed hit. Friendships begin to tear apart when Chicken's girlfriend and Ho Nam are kidnapped and drugged by Kwan's men into sex, videotaping their actions as proof of violating orders. With nearly all of Hung Hing looking for them for explanations, Chicken heads to

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...

in exile. At a Hung Hing summit, Kwan accuses Bee of failing the hit and Ho Nam for breaking the "code" of sleeping with his best friend's woman, with the videotape as evidence. Kwan also takes the opportunity of blaming chairman Chiang for not inducing better protocols within the society and nominates himself as the new chairman. Other branch leaders are in agreement, thus Chiang steps down and Kwan takes the head position, with only Bee opposing him. To settle things, Ho Nam is punished and banned from rejoining Hung Hing. Ten months later, Kwan orders Bee killed alongside his entire family. With most of Hung Hing siding with Kwan, and no evidence to support Kwan killing Bee, Ho Nam can do next to nothing, until Chicken returns from Taiwan, now a branch leader in a local triad and re-establishes relations with his friends. Deciding to get rid of Kwan and bring back the morally inclined Chiang, Ho Nam and Chicken bribe other branch leaders into assassinating Kwan. Working indirectly with local law enforcement, who have discovered Kwan has been smuggling

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...

using his film studio, Ho Nam and his allies manage to corner Kwan, who admits to everything, until he tries to escape using Pou Pan as a hostage. He is eventually shot and killed by a police officer for wielding a firearm and pointing at him. Chiang returns and retakes the position of Hung Hing chairman, congratulating Ho Nam for his efforts, ensuring his name will be well known throughout the society. This movie glorifies the value in being virtuous even in a life of crime. In a world in which loyalties do not exist, these group of young gangsters stood by their friends and followed the code of friendship even to the end.

Cast and roles

- Chan Ho Nam * Jordan Chan - Chicken *

- Smartie * Jason Chu - Chow Pan *

- Pou Pan *

- Dai Tin-Yee *

- Ugly Kwan * Simon Yam - Chiang Tin-Sung * Suki Chan - Ho Yan * Ng Chi Hung - Uncle Bee *

Joe Chen Joe Chen Chiao-en (; born 4 April 1979) is a Taiwanese actress, singer and television host. Known as the "Queen of Idol Dramas", Chen is known for her roles in ''The Prince Who Turns into a Frog'' (2005), ''Fated to Love You'' (2008) and '' The Qu ...

- Ba-Bai *

Ha Ping Teresa Ha () (October 6, 1937 – August 5, 2019) was a former Chinese television and film actress from Hong Kong. Ha is credited with over 260 films. Career In 1956, Ha started her acting career in Hong Kong films. Ha first appeared in The Soul ...

- Mrs. Lee * Dion Lam - Silly Keung *

Spencer Lam Spencer Lam Sheung Yee (; 14 December 1934 – 23 April 2009) was a football defender, coach and announcer, as well as an actor. Spencer was a graduate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong with an economics major. He was once a secondar ...

- Father Lam * Lee Siu-kei - Kei *

Shing Fui-On Shing Fui-On (成奎安; 1 February 1955 – 27 August 2009) was a Hong Kong actor, best known for his supporting roles in Hong Kong cinema. He had only one leading role in his entire career. Biography Shing Fui-On was the fourth of five ...

- Brother Sau *

Wang Lung-wei Wang Lung Wei () (born 1949), also known as Johnny Wang, is Hong Kong martial artist, actor, director, producer, and action choreographer, who has starred in over 80 kung fu films, mainly for Shaw Brothers Studios. Wang's first Shaw Brothers film ...

- Master Wai *

Wai-Man Chan Michael Chan Wai-man (; born 10 July 1943) is a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. A Hakka of Wuhua ancestry born in New Territories, Chan was well known for various triad roles, when in actuality he had been involved with triads in real life. ...

- Camel Head

References

External links

* {{Andrew Lau Triad films 1996 action thriller films 1996 crime thriller films Hong Kong crime films Hong Kong action thriller films 1990s Cantonese-language films Films set in Hong Kong Films set in Macau Films set in 1985 Films set in 1995 1996 films Golden Harvest films Films directed by Andrew Lau 1990s Hong Kong films

Plot

Cast and roles

See also

References

External links