Johnnie To’s EXILED with an All-Star Cast

[Berri]

An action movie about triads, Exiled has already begun filming.



Director Johnnie To and Executive Producer John Chong were joined by stars Richie Ren, Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Francis Ng Chun-yu, Nick Cheung Ka-fai, Roy Cheung Yiu-yeung, Lam Suet and Josie Ho, for a prayer ceremony to launch the HK$35 million film.

It was a full-cast star-studded turnout when Johnnie To’s new film, Exiled, went into production in Macau.

Exiled is a story of two gunmen from Hong Kong who are sent to execute a renegade member trying to turn over a new leaf in Macau. They are thrown into a dilemma when two of their former comrades also show up, intent on thwarting their mission.

It turns out the five of them used to be buddies-under-fire in another mission years ago. When the mission appeared to be accomplished, one of them was discovered to have betrayed their boss and the others were asked to eliminate him. They let him escape in the end.

While the four former comrades are reminiscing and negotiating what to do with the buddy whose life they have spared once before, a fifth gunmen suddenly appears out of nowhere and takes the renegade out instead.

A final showdown ensues amongst the five gunmen.

Director Johnnie To chose Macau as the setting for the film because of its strong European flavour. “The alleys, the streets and the architecture have retained their Portuguese and Spanish influences,” he said.

With the exception of Josie Ho, the majority of the cast of Exiled are To’s long-time collaborators. Richie Ren and Nick Cheung just recently worked with the director for Breaking News; Cheung also starred in Election. Director To was also looking forward to renewing his collaboration with Francis Ng and Anthony Wong, who he last worked with on The Mission about five or six years ago.

Ng, who won a Golden Horse best actor award for his role in The Mission, plays a triad member in the new film. Does he feel any pressure working with To again? “I’m not going to let myself dwell on that. The last film was an ensemble. There was no conscious effort to make myself stand out,” said the actor.

In the new film, Nick Cheung and Josie Ho play a couple. He wants to leave the triads to start a new life with his pregnant wife but finds it isn’t so easy. “I think the director cast me because he knows I am about to be a father in real life,” he said.

Last edited by Berri on Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:27 pm; edited 1 time in total

[Berri]

The story is set several years after with the quiet life of one of the five bodyguards is distorted by the unexpected visit of his former comrades.

Two of them are assigned to silence him and the other two intend to stop the mission. The cast also include Richie Ren, Nick Cheung and Josie Ho.

[Berri]

what did i say, WHAT DID I SAY!! A post from JANUARY and here it is....


this is going to be sooo hot, sooo hot..




Renowned Hong Kong director Johnnie To's stylish new action film "Exile (放逐)" hit Hong Kong cinemas on Tuesday.

Cast members, including Anthony Wong, Francis Wu, Simon Yam and Richie Jen, attended the press conference in Hong Kong yesterday. However, Anthony Wong's name was missing from the huge poster on the stage, which made him feel very embarrassed.

The 40 million yuan project is a loosely related sequel to To's earlier film "The Mission: Exiled." The new film was shown at this year's Venice Film Festival at the end of August.

"Exile" may not be screened in Chinese mainland because it contains too much bloody and violent scenes.
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