Chasing the Dragon (film) explained

Chasing the Dragon
Native Name:
Child:yes
T:追龍
S:追龙
P:Zhuī Lóng
Director:Wong Jing
Jason Kwan
Producer:Wong Jing
Donnie Yen
Andy Lau
Connie Wong
Screenplay:Wong Jing
Philip Lui
Howard Yip
Starring:Donnie Yen
Andy Lau
Music:Chan Kwong-wing
Patrick Lui
Cinematography:Jason Kwan
Editing:Li Ka-wing
Studio:Mega-Vision Project Workshop
Bona Film Group
Infinitus Entertainment
Super Bullet
Distributor:Mega-Vision Project Workshop Limited
Runtime:128 minutes
Country:Hong Kong
China
Language:Cantonese
Mandarin
Teochew
English
Thai
Gross:

Chasing the Dragon, previously known as King of Drug Dealers, is a Hong Kong-Chinese action crime drama film directed by Wong Jing and Jason Kwan. The film stars Donnie Yen as Crippled Ho, based on real life gangster Ng Sik-ho and Andy Lau reprising his role as Lee Rock from the film series of the same name.[1] The film is about an illegal immigrant from China who sneaks into British-colonized Hong Kong in 1963 and transforms himself into a ruthless and emerging drug lord.[2] [3] The film is a remake of the 1991 film To Be Number One.[4]

, a sequel-in-name-only featuring new characters and a new storyline, was released in June 2019.

Cast

Production and release

Director Wong Jing personally flew to Canada in 2016 to persuade Yen to star in his film Chasing the Dragon, while Yen was filming at that time. Yen was convinced by Wong's sincerity, playing a non-traditional role of a villain with limited fighting scenes and the opportunity to work alongside Andy Lau. Yen flew back to Asia to take part in the film after filming Return of Xander Cage in 2016.

In September 2017, Chasing the Dragon was released to mixed reviews from critics.[5] It was a huge hit with audiences in most Mandarin-speaking parts of Asia (including China and Singapore), beating Hollywood blockbuster Blade Runner 2049 and Jackie Chan's The Foreigner, despite being marketed less heavily. In Hong Kong, Chasing the Dragon earned more than 10 times the box office gross of The Foreigner. In China, it earned .[6]

Chasing the Dragon was released as a digital, Blu-ray and DVD combo pack on January 23, 2018.[7]

Awards and nominations

AwardCategoryRecipientsResult
37th Hong Kong Film Awards[8] [9] Best FilmWong Jing, Donnie Yen, Andy Lau, Connie Wong
Best Cinematography
Li Ka-wing
James Cheung
Yee Chung-man, Bruce Yu, Kwok Suk-man
Yu Kang, Yuen Bun, Yan Hua

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 《追龍》開鏡劉德華澄清太太沒秘密生娃 - 香港新聞網. 2016-11-06. 2020-02-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206030006/http://www.hkcna.hk/content/2016/0929/501293.shtml. dead.
  2. Web site: 娛樂名人- 逆齡做雷洛前傳包庇子丹華仔聞添丁:冇!.
  3. Web site: King Of Drug Dealers. The Film Catalogue. 4 February 2015. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150204081712/http://www.thefilmcatalogue.com/catalog/FilmDetail.php?id=18036. dead.
  4. http://cityonfire.com/donnie-yen-wants-to-be-number-one-in-jason-kwans-remake New groovy photos of Donnie Yen in ‘Chasing the Dragon’
  5. Web site: Edmund Lee . Film review: Chasing the Dragon – Donnie Yen, Andy Lau play notorious criminals Crippled Ho, Lee Rock in slanted biopic . 28 September 2017 . 26 November 2017.
  6. Web site: Sina . Film review: Chasing the Dragon beating The Foreigner as Runner Up for China's National Holiday releases . 19 October 2017 . 26 November 2017.
  7. News: Exclusive: Chasing the Dragon Trailer Starring Donnie Yen. Raymond. Nicholas. 2017-12-11. Screen Rant. 2018-01-09. en-US.
  8. Web site: Hong Kong Film Awards nominations 2018: Ann Hui's Our Time Will Come leads race with 11 nods. February 6, 2018. South China Morning Post.
  9. Web site: Our Time Will Come wins five awards, including best film, at star-studded Hong Kong Film Awards. April 15, 2018 . South China Morning Post.