Lets reflect on SPL (2005)

[Iron_Leopard]

It's almost ten years old. Remember all the hype when this thing came out? The first time I saw it I was pretty engaged with it but a little disappointed that there really wasn't all that many fight scenes. I did love everything else about the movie though. The performances were good, the music was good, the grittiness was good, and yes I thought Donnie's acting was good.

Would you say this was the movie that put him on the international map or was it Ip Man?

Also I think it is kind of funny how Tony Jaa will be in the sequel to a movie that was pretty much made as an answer to his Ong Bak movies which was taking the world by storm.

So what are your memories and impressions looking back on this movie? Do you hold it in high regard or do you consider it just an average modern day gangster/cop movie?

[One Armed Boxer]

Good thread, I think 'SPL' easily stands up as one of the best HK movies of the last 10 years. Today when you put it side by side with the likes of 'Special ID' and even 'Flashpoint', it's clearly the much more engaging and entertaining movie.

Donnie Yen puts in a strong performance here, and Simon Yam compliments him perfectly as the weary veteran. Sammo Hung is genuinely intimidating, and looks powerful enough to punch through a wall (which I think is a great compliment to the way Wilson Yip filmed him), as that presence was somehow lacking in the movies he starred in immediately afterwards.

Throw in Wu Jing, who is ruthless from start to finish and threatens to steal the show at some points, and somehow with 'SPL' everything just works.

The balance of drama and action works perfectly for me, with the drama not just acting as a filler leading up to fight scenes, but being genuinely effective by itself. The only part which really descends into HK cheesiness is the part when the group of cops all receive calls from their loved ones at the same time, but even this isn't enough to detract in any significant way.

I think in many ways 'SPL' can be appreciated more now than when it was released, there's a lot of classic scenes in there and iconic moments. Addressing your question, I do think 'Ip Man' got more recognition than 'SPL', probably more in a case of timing than quality. As you mentioned when 'SPL' was released everyone was still riding the coat tails of Thai action cinema as the next big thing. 'Ip Man' served much like 'Ong Bak' did to fill a gap in the action market, only instead of people saying "You need to check out the scene when Jaa knees someone through the floor", they were saying "You need to check out the scene when Yen chain punches someone to the floor."

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Ip Man put him more on the map than SPL mainly because it was seen so much more. For quantification take a look at votes on IMDB: Ip Man has 107,000+ votes compared to SPL's 6,600+. It's not even close.

Anecdotal: people I talked to who were not even that knowledgable about action films, let along martial art films had heard of this movie (though many kept calling it I pee Man.) The good thing about this was it led me to lending Kill Zone (the DD R1) to several who got interested in Donnie after Ip Man.

SPL is certainly a good film that I hold in high regard. I don't quite put it up there with the Johnnie To films around that time such as Exiled or Mad Detective (or even Sparrow though that really isn't a triad film), but still it is going to remembered for a long time among HK fans. I think it's influence in martial arts choreography, especially with Yen's growing interest in grappling techniques, is also quite important and will be remembered for that as well.

I agree with One Armed Boxer's statement that when compared to some of the other recent Donnie Yen films it is the more engaging (and complete) movie (though I really do like Flashpoint.)

[ShaOW!linDude]

One of things I loved about SPL was the talent. There was old talent (Sammo), current talent (Donnie), and new talent (Wu Jing, and I say that because this was sort of a breakout role for him though he'd already done previous films that I enjoyed).

The drama and story were good, as was the acting. This film seemed to breath life and hope into the HK modern actioner for me. Hasn't quite panned out like I'd thought it would.

However, I think I actually prefer this to Flashpoint simply because there is less grappling. Donnie's a kicker, and that's what I love to see him do. And though I think his fight with Collin Chou is actually longer, I just really enjoy seeing him and Sammo throwing down.

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

Flashpoint and SPL are my favorite Donnie Yen movies so far.

[Keung]

I've completely ruined the end fight for myself due to constantly noticing that Donnie is mostly fighting a dude in a fat suit. It's so distracting!

[DiP]

It has aged incredibly well, thanks to its' production values and matured storytelling in the hands of Wilson Yip.

This was the film that made me realize that HK action films can be done with such visual style along with depth and soul if given the right treatment. Acting, cinematography/lighting, editing, music, sound design etc gave the film life in a way that was seldom seen in most HK action films before it. The action -- incorporating classic HK style fighting scenes along with fast-and-furious weapons fighting and MMA -- is still inspiring and a benchmark in HK action choreography to this day, also showing Donnie Yen's devotion to strive for improvement and bringing/refining new/old ideas for each project.

As for the OP's question, I'd rather separate this film and Ip Man from each other when it comes to the way Yen was exposed to audiences as well as the impact those films gave after their initial releases. SPL introduced Donnie's expertise in front and behind the camera as an on-screen fighter/martial arts actor whereas the latter film took Donnie's overall performance skills (along with doing action) to a new level showing his devotion in giving depth and range in acting out a character opposite his personality. Yen has since then been improving greatly evident in few recent films (Bodyguards & Assassins, Wu Xia, Monkey King).

[Gwai LO]

I've completely ruined the end fight for myself due to constantly noticing that Donnie is mostly fighting a dude in a fat suit. It's so distracting!

Wait.. What? Why wouldn't Samo do his own fights? Isn't that why he is a legend?

[Keung]

Even legends get old.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

When watching SPL I always feel like something is incomplete. It has great style, action, acting... It gave me everything I wanted and more when I first saw it. But I think it may be something with the storytelling that leaves me feeling like something is missing. But still I rate this a 9/10 and since it came out I can't think of another martial arts movie that has topped it.

[the moose]

]I'm proud to say I was one of the first westerners to watch this movie. I was browsing in my local Chinatown VCD store (Manchester,UK) when I came accross a new release (this was waaay before it was released in the UK on DVD as killzone)with Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung Locking horns on the cover. I immediately took it to the counter and my heart was racing, I thought 'this just has to be good'. I got home and stuck it on and was mesmerized for 90 minutes. Only the first Ip Man movie comes close to this quality of Donnie Yen films from this side of millenium.

I watched it just a few weeks ago again. Wu Jing seemed to have stood out more upon recent viewing.

[paimeifist]

Dear lord, this movie blew me away. Great movie, acting was solid all around, story was intriguing and very dark.. Donnie, Sammo, and Wu Jing had great fighting performances as expected. This movie deserves all the hype it has received... If I have one complaint, it is how dark it is, I was depressed like shit by the end!

[The Dragon]

Better late than never...

Glad you enjoyed it. Not your typical Hollywood ending, for a hero, eh?

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Great movie and definitely a dark feel to it. The darkness was one of my favorite things about SPL. There are lots of depressing martial arts movies and those are usually the ones that I find myself rewatching. I need movies that make me feel something.

[paimeifist]

I agree with you Morg, it is one of the things that make the movie great and stand out. It's just sad as shit! Lol. Just enough character development so you care when Wu Jing slaughters someone.

[the moose]

Great movie and definitely a dark feel to it. The darkness was one of my favorite things about SPL. There are lots of depressing martial arts movies and those are usually the ones that I find myself rewatching. I need movies that make me feel something.

In that case I highly recommend Angel Terminators 1 & 2, Angel Enforcers (Don't be put off by Godfrey Ho - it's actually pretty good) and Killers Romance (If you can overlook the ultra low budget and poor production design) - These are pretty depressing. Escape from the brothel too with the added bonus of having cat3 sleeze in it.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I'll have to check AT 2. I don't know why I never got around to it. I liked the first one. I was thinking about my favorite dark movies and it occurs to me that the wuxia genre has a lot of my favorites. I saw The Sword of Justice recently and it really hit the spot. This movie is pure evil.

[the moose]

I'll have to check AT 2. I don't know why I never got around to it. I liked the first one. I was thinking about my favorite dark movies and it occurs to me that the wuxia genre has a lot of my favorites. I saw The Sword of Justice recently and it really hit the spot. This movie is pure evil.

I'll check that one out. Also I found Tsui Harks the Blade to be really dark.

[AbeRudder]

SPL was the start of the Donnie Yen renaissance period but i definitely think it was Ip man that got him international exposure. I'd easily rate it as one of the best HK action films to come out in the last 15 years. His fight with Wu Jing in the alley way is still one of the best fights of all time imo. The end fight with Sammo started out really well with the kickboxing but got kind of over the top with the grappling towards the end, i think Flashpoint was a significant step up in that department.

[Iron_Leopard]

Just rewatched SPL and I still think it has one of the most surprise endings I've ever seen. I wonder if this was the only way they could have both stars "win" at the end. You know how egos get in action movies.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Iron_Leopard

[One Armed Boxer]

1 hour ago, Iron_Leopard said:

I wonder if this was the only way they could have both stars "win" at the end.

I don't think so, the title 'Sha Po Lang' is the collective term referring to three stars in Chinese astrology which, if they cross paths, it's said to end in disaster for all of them. So I think it's safe to say the ending sees the fruition of what the title refers to. 

Spoiler

Remember we also see the third 'star', played by Simon Yam, succumb to his brain tumour in the final scene, completing the cycle of all three of them dying. 

 

[legendarycurry]

The first version of SPL I saw was the mainland Chinese cut back in 2005 or 2006, which only shows Sammo losing. I was quite surprised a few  years later when I saw the original ending

[DiP]

I remember being unimpressed with the ending once I saw it in its' entirety but that was because of the buzz of it being cut out back then. Looking at it now, I think it's fitting for the overall contrived but yet poetic and emotional story. Moral of the whole thing is: Nobody gets a happy ending.

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

What cut versions were you people watching? I bought the HK DVD as soon as it came out and there were no cuts of any kind. Totally missed any of that happening.

[One Armed Boxer]

1 hour ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said:

What cut versions were you people watching?

If I recall correctly the first pressing of the Mainland DVD contained the cut Mainland version, which removed some of the bloodier scenes, and most significantly

Spoiler

completely cuts the scene were Sammo smashes Yen out of the window, killing him as well as his own wife and child. This was done due to China's censorship guidelines requiring the good guy to walk away victorious, so instead the scene in the Mainland version cuts once Yen pours himself a drink at the bar after flooring Sammo, and it goes straight to the final beach scene with Simon Yam.