The Legend of Speed

2000

Director: Andrew Lau

Stars: Ekin Cheng, Kelly Lam, Moses Chan, Simon Yam, Blackie Ko, Cecilia Chung, Patrick Tam, Jerry Lamb

Ekin Cheng plays an underground racer named Sky who seems to be at the top of his game. After beating a young punk played by Moses Chan, Sky finds out he can't pay back the $1 million bet, so Sky busts Chan's leg. Turns out Chan is part of one of the top racing gangs in Hong Kong -- in fact, his brother is Tang Fung (Simon Yam), who was the best street racer in HK before getting sent to jail. Fung returns to take his revenge on Sky, and whips him like a red-headed stepkid, managing to kill Sky's girlfriend (Kelly Lam) in the process. Humiliated and on the run from the law, Sky heads to Thailand to search for his long-lost father, Black Tung (Blackie Ko), so that he can learn how to beat Fung.

If you've read a few of my reviews before, you'll know that I am not Ekin Cheng's biggest fan. In fact, I would go so far as to say that he's one of the worst -- if not the worst -- actors to come out of Hong Kong in recent years. And judging by newsgroup posters, this movie ranks as one of his worst -- and that's saying a lot. I can see why some people hate this movie. Let's run down the list, shall we?

• The acting is pretty horrible. Ekin is, of course, the worst culprit. His range of emotions...well, he really doesn't have any. He always has the exact same expression on his face no matter what's going on -- whether it's his girlfriend dying or finding his father -- that looks like he just lost his keys or is condsidering which conditioner to use on his mane or that he's got to take a poop.


• The script -- another Manfred Wong gem -- is underwhelming to say the least. Take for instance, Black Tung's advice to his son on racing: "Sometimes you have to use the accelerator, and sometimes you have to use the brake." Oooh. Gee, thanks, dad.


• The plot has enough holes to drive a Mack truck through. Black Tung teaches Sky about motorcycle racing, not car racing (which the race against Fung will be) -- and any redneck or casual racing fan will tell you that there's a big difference. Also, the fact that Sky would be able to return to Hong Kong to race Fung when he is wanted for manslaughter, and race in the exact same spot where his girlfriend died is more than a bit ridiculous.
• Let's not forget the climatic scene where Moses Chan attacks Ekin with an AIDS-filled syringe. Of course, our boy Ekin avoids it and manages to stick Moses in the process. Turns out this must be some kind of "super AIDS" or something becuse just a few days later Moses has sores and pus oozing all over his face like a leper. Real nice.

While I agree with the above points (and more), I still found The Legend of Speed enjoyable. Why? I don't exactly know. Andrew Lau's movies -- while certainly not masterpieces -- capture kind of a pop culture soap opera feel that's like the proverbial potato chip...you can't watch just one. I really can't defend this movie on any kind of critical or academic level. It's just one of those "guilty pleasure" movies, I guess. Now I know may people profess themselves to be film conisseurs and would not come anywhere close to a movie like this, but face it, you have to have a greasy cheeseburger once in a while to appreciate a good filet mignon when it comes around. The Legend of Speed offers up some nice eye candy (especially cutie Cecilia Chung), exciting racing sequences and more than a few (unintentional) laughs, all in an easy-to-digest package.

RATING: 7

A review of the VCD for this movie can be found here

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