Synopsis

The story begins in 1985. Chan Ho Nam (Ekin Cheng) and his friends Pao Pan(Jerry Lam) Chicken(Jordan Chan) and Yee( Michael Tse) have cut classes and are playing soccer. A stray ball falls foul of Ugly Kwan (Francis Ng) which earns the boys a beating by the triad leader. Ho Nam stands up to Kwan and is getting beaten to a pulp when Uncle Bee (Frankie Ng) turns up and breaks up the fighting. Admiring Uncle Bee, Ho Nam and his friends decide to follow him.

Ten years later, they are still working for Uncle Bee. They commit a murder to begin their evening, ending up in Uncle Bee's bar to have a good time. Unfortunately, the deceased owes Kwan a lot of money and he is upset at his premature death.

Meanwhile, Smartie ( Gigi Lai) has stolen Ho Nam's car. Getting it back is not a problem for Ho Nam and his buddies, and they torment Smartie by forcing her to eat pork buns up on the Peak.

Shortly after this episode, Smartie's boss takes her to Kwan for a screen test to become a porn star. Ho Nam happens to be present and extricates her from the scene, telling them that she is his girlfriend, an apology for the treatment of her at the Peak. Smartie is grateful and intends the statement to become the truth.

Chiang sends Ho Nam and his boys to Macau on a mission. Kwan works in the porn industry, and is making a lot of cash. He aspires to be the head of the Hung Hing Triad Group, a position currently held by Chiang ( Simon Yam). In order not to be opposed by the righteous Uncle Bee and Ho Nam, he carefully orchestrates a takeover using them as scapegoats.

This gives Kwan the opportunity he needs to discredit Ho Nam, by tricking him into sleeping with his buddy Chicken's girl, and video taping him doing it. This is just not done in the tradition of Jiang Hu which Ho Nam upholds. Chicken, understandably, is very upset and leaves in disgust, heading to stay with his family in Taiwan.

Back in Hong Kong, Kwan makes his move, pausing long enough to cause Chiang to order Family punishment for Ho Nam. Once in power Kwan needs to get rid of Uncle Bee. He callously eliminates not only Bee but also his family.

This is the last staw for Ho Nam, who until now has been living in seclusion with Smartie. He seeks a return to avenge Bee. it is not so easy as he is no longer a member of the Triad.

Fortunately, at this moment Chicken reappears having risen to a Triad Branch leader in Taiwan. Chicken's money is all that is needed to buy the boys needed to take Kwan down. Although Ho Nam intends to take Kwan out himself, he is saved the trouble by a young cop who seeing a hostage situation kills Kwan. Chiang returns from Holland to head the Hung Hing boys and Ho Nam is reinstated as a full triad member.

Review

Young and Dangerous is the first film in a long series based on a comic book. It is a complicated tale featuring dozens of characters. Basically though, it is the story of a group of boys who grow up, love and die as triad members.

Triad life of course isn't all roses and Ho Nam gets so beat up at times that he needs his girlfriend's help to go to the bathroom. Their discussion on how a good tattoo can help you be identified if you get your head blown off, keeps the whole thing in persepective.

This is the film that made Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin a star. Ekin Cheng is great in this role and makes the righteous Ho Nam completely believable. His acting is fresh and cool and he exhibits a considerable range. Making us cry with him at Uncle Bee's funeral, and cheer as he exacts his revenge on Kwan.

Gigi Lai stammers wonderfully in the role of Smartie. She makes a good partnership with Ekin and they look good together.

Jordan Chan, sporting dyed blond hair and a passion for women also was propelled to stardom by this film. Funnily enough there is more on screen charisma between Ho Nam and Chicken than there is between either of them and their respective girlfriends.

The movie is available on VCD and on DVD. The DVD is distributed by Mei Ah. It has a Cantonese and Mandarin track. There are subtitles in English and Chinese.

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