‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ REVIEW: More Than a Wuxia Spectacle
‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ REVIEW: More Than a Wuxia Spectacle
Raymond Lam as Chan Lok-kwun | Still from Media Asia
In Soi Cheang’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, we follow Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a refugee and underground fighter who sells his bare knuckles for a bit of cash, hoping to secure an ID that will make him a citizen and reclaim some sense of control in a city that barely acknowledges his existence.
After being swindled by mob boss Mr. Big (Sammo Hung), Lok, in a desperate move, unknowingly steals a bag of dope from him, mistaking it for a bag of money — marking himself as a target. A frantic chase ensues, and in his bid to evade Mr. Big’s thugs, Lok stumbles and seeks refuge in the shadowy maze of the infamous Kowloon Walled City, where he becomes entangled in the affairs of Cyclone (Louis Koo), the local crime lord who rules the area.
And with that, we have the perfect recipe for a thrilling martial arts exhibition: a skilled and resourceful hero, a stolen MacGuffin, a labyrinthine setting that traps him inside and out, and hordes of enemies to defeat. One’s mind may wander to other films, from the electrifying The Raid: Redemption to the sluggish, elitist action exercise of Erik Matti’s BuyBust, when considering such a premise. Cheang, however, envisioned something richer that adds depth and soul to what could have been just another straightforward martial arts romp.
Louis Koo as Cyclone | Still from IMDb
Situated on a plot of land with a long and complicated history, Kowloon Walled City at its peak in the ’80s housed over 30,000 residents, making it the most densely populated place in the world at the time. Many of its inhabitants, like Lok-kwun, were refugees from various backgrounds, coming together to build an architectural marvel with their own hands.
Imagine concrete houses stacked atop one another in tight proximity, connected by narrow hallways and staircases that form a dizzying maze. Black electrical wires crisscross everywhere, as if wrapping around the city to hold it together—that is Kowloon Walled City, or as the locals call it, the “City of Darkness.”
Due to the land’s complex geopolitics, it remained ungoverned by any authority for much of its existence, lawless and anarchic until its eventual demolition in 1993. This lack of oversight turned it into a hotbed of crime, plagued by narcotics, prostitution, illegal gambling, and nearly every form of black market activity imaginable.
If we focus solely on crime statistics, it becomes easy to stigmatize the people living there. Given that this is an action film, you might expect our protagonist to be immediately confronted by gangsters and thugs as soon as he steps into the city’s narrow passageways. While he does face some hostility, it’s not from the city’s miscreants but from the laborers and shopkeepers he disrupts as they go about their daily lives in the bustling streets.
Cheang transforms the “City of Darkness” into more than just a backdrop for action; he breathes life into it, creating a vibrant community. With the help of Kwok-Keung Mak’s impeccable production design, he infuses the details in the surroundings with love and care, balancing the cold, oppressive environment with the warmth of the people who inhabit it. Rather than focusing on the city’s notorious reputation, he sheds light on the perseverance of its people, punching through the image projected by crime statistics to reveal a city of survivors living side by side in this dense urban labyrinth, scraping by and creating a fragile yet vibrant existence.
Cyclone (Louis Koo) and Mr. Big (Sammo Hung) in combat | Still from IMDb
The film does acknowledge the city’s dark side, but in Cheang’s eyes, Kowloon is far more than a lawless wasteland — it’s a home for thousands who find themselves on the fringes of a society that’s turned its back on them. He paints a community not defined by crime but by the bonds and resilience of its people. It’s this focus on the burning fire of humanity within the cold and dark that raises Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In above a typical martial arts film, turning it into a poignant reflection on survival and solidarity.
It’s in these bonds that the film’s melodrama becomes palpable and emotionally affecting. It’s no longer just a fight for survival — it’s a battle to save an entire community and a place they call home, adding spice to an already electrifying wuxia spectacle. And oh, how spectacular the fight scenes are!
What captivates me about the film is its unabashed embrace of the fantastical lore and whimsical absurdities of wuxia. Gone are the bamboo trees, grassy fields, towering trees, and grand temples as battlefields. In their place are concrete roofs, rusted steel structures, and grimy alleys, serving as new locations for a dance of martial arts prowess.
I expected the usual grittiness present in Cheang’s other movies, such as SPL 2 and Limbo, but discovering a wuxia set in contemporary times that takes its mythical storytelling and world seriously is a pleasant surprise. A character named King (Philip Ng) possesses the magical ability to block any attack from any weapon, and our heroes can only respond with mild confusion, throwing around phrases like “spirit powers” as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. It all seems absurd and outrageous in a setting so removed from the traditional wuxia of bygone eras, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t find it all exhilarating and entertaining.
Philip Ng as King | Still from IMDb
As of writing this review, Soi Cheang has announced that Twilight of the Warriors will become a trilogy, with Walled In leading into a prequel titled Dragon Throne and culminating in The Final Chapter. The prospect of further exploring the rich mythology and wildness of the world fills me with anticipation. Walled In is a satisfying appetizer, and if that’s a taste of what’s to come, then consider me ravenous for more.
‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ opened exclusively in SM Cinemas last September 25, 2024. It is Hong Kong’s Best International Feature Film submission to the 97th Academy Awards.
