Fulltime killer

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Movie
German title Fulltime killer
Original title Chuen jik sat sau
Country of production Hong Kong
original language Cantonese , Standard Chinese , Japanese , English
Publishing year 2001
length 102 minutes
Age rating FSK 18
Rod
Director Johnnie To ,
Wai Ka-Fai
script Wai Ka-Fai,
Joey O'Bryan
production Wai Ka-Fai,
Andy Lau ,
Johnnie To
music Alex Khaskin ,
Guy Zerafa
camera Siu-keung Cheng
cut David M. Richardson
occupation

Fulltime Killer ( Chinese  全職殺手  /  全职杀手 , Pinyin Quánzhí Shāshǒu , Cantonese  Chuen Jik Sat Sau ) is a Hong Kong action film by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai from 2001.

action

Asia's undisputed number one professional killer, the Japanese “Fulltime Killer”, also known as “O”, works precisely, stoically and discreetly. He plans every fatal attack extremely meticulously, thus reducing any unnecessary risk, which is also appreciated by his wealthy clients. The experienced Japanese therefore live largely withdrawn, lonely and hidden. Due to his shyness, he only maintains superficial contacts with the outside world, such as with his housekeeper Chin, an attractive Taiwanese who cleans his apartment rented as a cover, and his bizarre middleman, a former Chinese marksman. O is in love with Chin, but keeps his distance due to his introversion.

One day the current number two, the Chinese Lok Tok-Wah, tries to challenge the long-established O with spectacular and sensational actions. Compared to his opponent, Tok stages the murders in public according to brutal action films, which he loves very much, and even willingly has his bloody goings-on filmed. Via O's mysterious middleman, who turns out to be Tok's older brother in the course of the plot, he gets to his housekeeper Chin, with whom he also falls in love. He even reveals to her that he is a contract killer. Furthermore, the newcomer tries to challenge O directly by interfering with his orders and thus hindering him from carrying out the killings.

For several months, Interpol agent Lee has been following O's bloody tracks in various locations across the continent. But he is initially groping in the dark. However, when O sends him a photo of his arrogant opponent Tok, which he can also locate at different times, Lee identifies him as a Chinese Olympian Lok Tok-Wah, a seriously ill marksman. Nevertheless, he does not ignore O's traces and also pursues him. Both professional killers can still successfully evade possible arrest.

When O notices who his allegedly loyal middleman really is, who regularly denounces him, he plans to withdraw from the business. To this end, he wants to flee with his adored Chin, who does not seem to be as clueless as he suspects. She knows about his dark past. Therefore, before attempting to escape together, he gives them the choice: Either leave their previous life behind and flee with him or continue their rather bleak life. She decides to follow O; a dangerous situation for both of them, as the residential complex has now been surrounded by armed police units. Nevertheless, in a confusing exchange of fire, with the help of the suddenly appearing Tok, the couple manages to survive the delicate situation and to evade the grip of the state authority. Interpol investigator Lee is unable to overcome his well-planned failure, which kills several of his subordinates, and then quits the service. His social decline seems to be sealed, only the story of the duel between the two professional killers and their outcome still keeps him alive.

At the end of the film, Chin visits the visibly neglected Lee, who meanwhile put the story on paper and wrote an open book without end. She helps him to find a fictional ending and pretends to be O's death. In one of the last scenes of the film, she drives away happily with O in a vehicle. Whether there was a final and fatal duel between the two killers remains to be seen in the film.

Reviews

“Postmodern genre history with numerous references to film history, which opens a window to the pan-Asian space of thought and at the same time self-reflectively explores the boundaries of the genre. For fans a visual as well as intellectual pleasure. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

21st Hong Kong Film Awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Fulltime killer in the lexicon of international filmsTemplate: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used