"The Delinquent" is an above average action movie set in a dirty, working class Hong Kong and focused on the intense emotions and intense violence of a teenager growing up with his single-parent father. Set in the 70's in Hong Kong, this film has a gritty, realistic feel to it. Scenes are shot on location instead of a cleaned up sound stage and at times the camera work reminds me of a documentary. John, played by Wong Chung, is the main character. His mother left his father when he was young, so he has been raised solely by his father, and the neighborhood youth know this and also know that teasing him about it is a sure way to get him angry enough to fight. John's desire to please his father and to be the independent, successful man that his father wants him to be creates a weakness in his character that the seedy criminals surrounding him use to their advantage.
Seeing John struggle with his emotions and watching his fiery temper spark and explode creates a lot of the power of this movie. The intense emotions create an intense viewing experience. The fight scenes, full of action, brutal and energetic, are the other source of power and intensity in the film. Both John and his father explode into frantic violence against the criminals and street scum that they meet on the Hong Kong streets.
One actor worth watching in this film is Dean Shek Tien, an actor whose over-the-top comic characters have enlivened many Hong Kong films, including some Jackie Chan films. His flamboyant characters can be hard for an American viewer to enjoy, but watch how easily he creates his character in this film. In just his first few seconds on screen, he gives his character, Cripple, false teeth and a pronounced limp which clearly make him physically subordinate to John, who is proficient in martial arts. When he teases John and chases him from table to table, he adds a psychological strength and cruelty to his character. His brassy stance leading his little gang contrasts well with his crawling, toady behavior in front of his boss in the brothel. Although he has only a supporting role, Dean Shek Tien uses his screen time to effectively create one of his memorable characters.
Watch this film and enjoy a Hong Kong classic.
Seeing John struggle with his emotions and watching his fiery temper spark and explode creates a lot of the power of this movie. The intense emotions create an intense viewing experience. The fight scenes, full of action, brutal and energetic, are the other source of power and intensity in the film. Both John and his father explode into frantic violence against the criminals and street scum that they meet on the Hong Kong streets.
One actor worth watching in this film is Dean Shek Tien, an actor whose over-the-top comic characters have enlivened many Hong Kong films, including some Jackie Chan films. His flamboyant characters can be hard for an American viewer to enjoy, but watch how easily he creates his character in this film. In just his first few seconds on screen, he gives his character, Cripple, false teeth and a pronounced limp which clearly make him physically subordinate to John, who is proficient in martial arts. When he teases John and chases him from table to table, he adds a psychological strength and cruelty to his character. His brassy stance leading his little gang contrasts well with his crawling, toady behavior in front of his boss in the brothel. Although he has only a supporting role, Dean Shek Tien uses his screen time to effectively create one of his memorable characters.
Watch this film and enjoy a Hong Kong classic.