“Handsome Siblings” Chinese Theatrical Poster
Director: Eric Tsang
Producer: Stephen Shiu
Cast: Andy Lau, Brigitte Lin, Sharla Cheung, Anita Yuen, Deannie Yip, Francis Ng, Michael Miu, Fung Hak On, Peter Chan, Timothy Zao, Chan Chi Fai, John Chang, Chang Kin Ming, Chow Hong Chiu, Lam Suet, Richard Ng
Running Time: 102 min.
By Paul Bramhall
Back in the Shaw Brothers studios heyday, the writings of wuxia author Gu Long provided ample material for big screen adaptations. The tales of heroic swordsmen and dastardly villains that populated the martial world were frequently helmed by Chor Yuen, and on rare occasion in the years since, other directors have also had a crack at converting Long’s notoriously sprawling novels for the screen. Most recently Derek Yee directed Sword Master, a re-telling of the very movie he was the star of, in the form of 1977’s Death Duel. However it was the frantically paced wuxia new wave of the early 1990’s that provided the most fertile ground for such reinterpretations, with the likes of Butterfly and Sword taking its inspiration from Killer Clans, and A Warrior’s Tragedy providing a fresh take on Pursuit of Vengeance.
Handsome Siblings is another such production, putting a set of new wave threads on the 1979 Alexander Fu Sheng vehicle The Proud Twins, and stepping into Chor Yuen’s shoes is Eric Tsang. While Tsang will most likely be remembered for his roles in front of the camera, he’s also someone that’s proven himself to be a talented director behind it. Tsang helmed 2 of my all-time favorite kung fu movies, in the form of The Challenger (which marked his directorial debut) and The Loot, as well as being in the director’s chair for the initial entries in the Aces Go Places series. 1992 was a particularly busy year, as in addition to directing Handsome Siblings, he also co-directed and co-starred in Ghost Punting with Sammo Hung, along with acting roles in the likes of Once Upon a Time a Hero in China and The Days of Being Dumb.
As with any Gu Long adaptation, attempting even a concise version of the plot could easily threaten to take up the rest of the review, however the highly condensed in-a-nutshell version goes something like this. 8 out of the 10 Untouchable Villains are living in Villain Valley, a place where (you guessed it) villains go to repent for their sins. They used to be considered heroes, until 2 of them went rogue and ran off with a charity fund intended to help flood victims. So really, you’d be correct in thinking that the 8 left over aren’t actually villains at all, but stick with me. When the holder of the Warrants of Justice turns up, played by Sharla Cheung, to blow them to smithereens, her husband interrupts and demands she holds off until the truth comes out. Having none of it, she insists on slaying them, resulting in a lovers tiff that sees husband and wife facing off.
Not willing to admit defeat, Cheung eventually retreats, swearing to adopt and raise a child to return in 18 years, when the next tournament will take place that decides who’ll hold the Warrants of Justice. Unfortunately, after she leaves her husband reveals the injuries he sustained in the fight, and collapses into a vegetative state, leaving their baby son in the care of the 8 Untouchable (not really) Villains. As a thank you to him for sparing their lives, they decide to raise up his son themselves, teaching him everything they know about martial arts and tomfoolery. 18 years later, they consider the tournament as an opportunity to lure out the 2 rogues who stole the funds, and plan to use the now grown-up son to attend so that they can finally clear their name.
Considering the above 2 paragraphs make up just the first 10 minutes of Handsome Siblings, to delve into the story any deeper would be a fruitless exercise. The biggest selling point is not its highly convoluted plot, but rather the pairing of 2 of Hong Kong’s biggest stars of the era, Andy Lau and Brigitte Lin, as the fateful siblings in question. Thanks to roles in the likes of the God of Gamblers and Casino Raiders series, Lau was at the height of his popularity in the early 90’s, and during 1992 alone Handsome Siblings was just 1 of over 10 movies in which he’d feature, all in starring roles. No matter if you’re a fan of Lau or not (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), you can’t fault the man’s work ethic.
Of course when speaking about the new wave wuxia era, it’s only right that Brigitte Lin is mentioned in the same sentence. Despite becoming the face of the genre, her appearance in wuxia movies came at the tail end of her 20 year acting career, before she retired from the industry at the peak of her popularity in 1994. In a film industry which has become obsessed with youth, it’s difficult to believe that Lin was already 40 when she starred in the likes of Deadful Melody and Ashes of Time, a testament to an enduring beauty that saw her onscreen since the mid-70’s. While it was arguably her androgynous role in Swordsman 2 that made her a mainstay of the genre, it’s worth noting that Handsome Siblings was released the same year, and as a result doesn’t lean so heavily on her famous icy stare as many of its contemporaries soon would.
On top of Lau and Lin’s presence, Tsang fills his cast with a veritable who’s who of Hong Kong talent, both old and new. Frequent Stephen Chow collaborator Ng Man-Tat, and Pom Pom regular Deannie Yip, play a bickering couple within the Untouchables tasked with guiding Lau to the tournament. They make it worth clocking in based purely on their martial arts style – The Bitch and The Wolfs Sword stance. The always entertaining Francis Ng and legendary Fung Hak-On play the dastardly villain and traitorous monk respectively, while comedic genius Richard Ng and Wong Ching play the rogue Untouchables. Throw in small parts and cameos by the likes of Anita Yuen, Wong Yu, Josephine Koo, and Shing Fui-On, as a fan of Hong Kong cinema Handsome Siblings is an enjoyable experience just based on the amount of talent onscreen alone.
Tonally, Tsang opts for a madcap comedic approach rather than the whimsical musings that populate many a wuxia tale, and watching it over 25 years since its release, this approach comes across as a welcome breath of fresh air. The humor can often be as base as it comes, a not so gentle reminder of how un-politically correct the HK cinema of old was, with jokes about rotting dicks and rape thrown around like there’s no tomorrow. However, a surprising amount of the humor lands. When Ng Man-Tat accidentally inhales an aphrodisiac in a remote dwelling, Lau and Deannie Yip come to the rescue by hiring him a horse for the purpose of (according to the subtitle) “carry to town for hooking”. Man-Tat’s misunderstanding of the scenario results in one of the most grossly laugh out loud bestiality jokes in the history of cinema.
The action itself is handled by Venoms alumni Philip Kwok and Dang Tak-Wing. Kwok in particular had a lot on his plate in 1992, with Handsome Siblings being just 1 of 7 movies he action directed (including Hard Boiled and The Story of Ricky), and it was likely one of the productions in which he could take a breather. The action on display, while not frequent, displays all the prerequisites for a new wave wuxia – surprisingly graphic violence that always sounds worse on paper than it looks (a head explodes like a watermelon between one characters hand clap), billowing sheets of deadly silk capable of slicing people open, and plenty of airborne shenanigans. Of course, the blue tinted mist is a given.
As the finale looms, Lau and Lin realise they’re not technically siblings (well, the whole incestuous angle is never clearly addressed) so can fall in love, which allows them to combine their powers to master The Couples Sword (a technique that only couples truly in love can use!). The showdown pits them against the Iced Fire Palm of Francis Ng, and hilariously has Lau and Lin flying around in each other’s arms, while Lau frequently looks into her eyes and yells “Give me love!” If that doesn’t bring a smile to even the most jaded wuxia fan, then I don’t know what will. In many ways Tsang’s feature feels like a parody of the direction the genre was going in even by the time it hit cinema screens, and had it been made just a year later, I’m sure would be a very different movie. As it is though, Handsome Siblings stands as a reminder of just how much fun HK cinema used to be.
Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7/10
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