Runaway (2001) | Hong Kong Movie World review

Runaway (2001)

Universe Entertainment Limited | Dream Art Production Co. Ltd.

Cast: Nick Cheung, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, Samuel Pang,

Ruby Wong, Kenneth Low, Anya Wu, Joe Lee

                                                                  Music: Tommy Wai      Cinematographer: Cheung Tung Leung (HKSC)
                                                      Editor: Chan Ki Hop (HKEC)      Story: Dante Lam     Writer: Jack Ng, Lau Ho Leung
                                                 Presenter: Daneil Lam      Producer: Joe Cheung, Dante Lam      Director: Dante Lam

Genre: Comedy | Triad | Action Length: 97 minutes

Anya, Kenneth Low, Samuel Pang, Nick Cheung, Anthony Wong and Ruby Wong in RUNAWAY

There's lots of fruit throwing and bungee jumping in this fun action-comedy from Dante

Lam, the director who previously brought you Beast Cops, Option Zero, and

Jiang Hu- the Triad Zone.

Dan (Nick Cheung Ka-Fai) and King (Samuel Pang King-Chi) are a couple of triad members

who flee Hong Kong after having jipped two gang bosses of their gambling winnings.

Their own dai-lo Kwan (played by Joe Lee) as well as the grizzly gangster Ray (Anthony

Wong Chau-Sang) are in hot pursuit of the pair, who have hidden out on the beautiful

beaches of Phuket, Thailand.
It just so happens that Ray has a chippie he's visiting there (Ruby Wong), and Kwan has

discovered their hideaway, and sent his man (Kenneth Lo Wai-Kuang) to nab them and

get back the money.
Along the way, King falls for a mysterious mute island girl (in a wordless performance

from Anya Wu), while Dan explores the charms of another native- Ruby Wong again.

Runaway's intial plot could have formed the framework of a serious gangster movie, but

it's nothing of the sort. This is light hearted comedy that happens to deal with triads.

Anthony Wong's character turns out to be a softie who's fallen hard for the beautiful

Ruby Wong and dreams of being able to leave the gang life and bake cakes for a living.

Former pro Thai boxer Ken Lo plays a filial son who is more absorbed with visiting his

friends and family than knocking sense into Nick and Samuel.

Gay subtexts (involving she-males, a gay parade and black leather) are strangely

abundant, but then Thailand is a haven for transvestites, or "ladyboys". The famous Thai

movie "The Iron Ladies", which was about the country's champion volleyball team whose

players are transvestites, was a hit in Hong Kong. Well guess who Nick and Samuel

unknowingly play beach volleyball with? Some sexy ladyboys in bikinis!

The bungee jumping portions, which seem to ritualize the activity as a motivational

and spiritual exercise, are particularly interesting. In fact several of the main cast

members take the leap for real.

Nick Cheung and Anthony Wong in particular are very funny in this, and Ruby Wong

has never looked sexier. Runaway is cool, see it.

Related viewing: Looking For Mister Perfect (2003) Shu Qi, Simon Yam, Ruby Wong

Jiang Hu~ The Triad Zone- (2000) Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Samuel Pang

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