Articles on Seoul Raiders

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Agent Lam's back!

By Sharon Wong
710 words
31 January 2005
New Straits Times
04
English
(c) 2005 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad.

AWARD-WINNING actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, although on a well-deserved break now, chats with the Press on his Chinese New Year blockbuster, Seoul Raiders. SHARON WONG writes.

THERE is just no rest for the popular, as Tony Leung Chiu Wai will attest. He is supposed to be on a well-deserved rest but was roped in nevertheless for a telephone interview with the Malaysian Press to promote his Chinese New Year blockbuster, Seoul Raiders.

Although he has not seen the movie in its entirety, Leung enjoyed working with director Jingle Ma and co-stars Richie Jen and Shu Qi.

"Ma is like a child at times," he revealed. "He gives me no pressure at all. It's definitely great working with him again.

"As for Richie, we had the opportunity to work together in the Jackie Chan movie, Gorgeous. He's really a nice chap. It was a very comfortable feeling to be working with him again.

"As for Shu Qi, it's also not the first time that I'm working with her.

I have always admired her work. She has much potential as an actress.

As a sequel to the successful 1999 blockbuster Tokyo Raiders, Seoul Raiders has a similar storyline. Leung reprising his role as special agent Lam, a character somewhat akin to a James Bond.

Filmed on location in Korea, Seoul Raiders had a production budget of over HK$40 million (RM19.49 million) and is the realisation of Ma's dream.

Apparently, when Tokyo Raiders became a sensation across Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, he wanted to turn it into a franchise. He even completed a script for Australia Raiders in 2001.

However, the project was put on hold as Leung was then busy filming Zhang Yimou's Hero.

In Seoul Raiders, Lam comes up against a cat burglar (Shu Qi) and a conman (Richie Jen).

"Although the movie is similar to Tokyo Raiders, this one has longer action sequences, which naturally makes them more difficult to execute," said Leung.

Since he insisted on doing his own stunts, it was inevitable that there would be injuries.

"That's to be expected in action movies," he said, matter-of-factly.

He cites the most difficult and memorable scene to be that of the battle scene with Jen in the hot springs.

"The weather was cold but the water was hot," he said.

"We had to jump in and out of the water and thus hitting the extreme temperatures constantly. It was really difficult to adapt." However, he stressed that it was worth it as the results would show.

Action aside, Leung is also pretty good at the comedic part of the movie as well. This comes as a surprise as Leung is often perceived as an introvert, low-profile and and a man of few words.

However, he wouldn't go as far as to say he is a comedian. He cites Michael Hui and Stephen Chow as people deserving of that title.

"I just like comedies," he said.

A multiple best actor award winner, Leung maintains a let-nature-take- its-course attitude whenever he is nominated.

"I always have full confidence in myself," he said.

"However, where judges are concerned... that is something I can't control." What is important for Leung at the moment is that he is finally taking some time off because he has not had a proper holiday for a long time.

So what are his plans for the new year? "I was scheduled to start filming Yat Doi Chung See (loosely translated as Master) but it has been postponed to the summer of 2006.

"In the meantime, I'm on holiday. However, I will be taking a trip to the United States in May or June when the movie 2046 premieres there.

After that, I will be studying wing chun (a type of martial arts) for his role in Yat Doi Chung See for half a year.

"I feel that time must be invested in order to execute the martial arts form well so that it will look authentic in the movie." * Seoul Raiders opens in cinemas on Feb 9.

* The writer can be contacted at sharonwkk@yahoo.com

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Suffering Seoul Raiders

By Chow Ee-Tan
944 words
29 January 2005
The Malay Mail
26
English
(c) 2005 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

TONY Leung Chiu Wai was on holiday. It was quite apparent from his laidback, stereotyped replies on the phone that he was not really in the mood to be interviewed.

Nevertheless, he was still pleasant and polite, albeit a little aloof.

The 15-minute phoner was in conjunction with his new movie Seoul Raiders, the sequel to blockbuster Tokyo Raiders (2000). Helmed by Hong Kong director Jingle Ma, the production was filmed almost entirely in Seoul and cost more than HK$40m (RM20m).

Reprising his role as the street-wise special agent Lam, Leung has a whole new team of co-stars taking on the cunning con-man Richie Jen and cat burglar Shu Qi.

Newcomer Meme Tian and several Korean and Japanese actresses round up the stellar cast.

Seoul Raiders will be greeting the audience during Chinese New Year.

The first question for Leung was: How different is this film from the original? "The style and direction is not much different except for the location that has changed from Tokyo to Seoul," came the reply in Cantonese.

"The only difference is that the action scenes here are a bit longer and hence more difficult to shoot." What does he think of his character Lam? "My role hasn't changed much. He is something like James Bond. After playing heavy roles, it's a nice change to take up something more light- hearted. I like the character. He is funny and quick witted. It's fun playing him." In his self-effacing manner, Leung said he didn't think he was a good comedy actor saying Michael Hui and Stephen Chow were far better.

On his working experience with his co-stars, Leung said Jen was an extremely friendly person and it was very comfortable working with him.

As for Shu Qi, Leung reckoned she had much potential.

Jen, who shed his usual Mr Nice Guy role this time, is a villain in this film.

He said he brought out the evil in his character more through facial expressions rather than through action - something he learnt from the director and other veteran actors.

Taiwan bombshell Shu Qi gives a sexy touch to the movie. As the cat burglar named JJ, she has added humour and boldness to her character.

As for director Ma, Leung said he was very happy to be able to work with him because the latter was like a child and his presence always cheered people up.

"So I felt no pressure at all working with him," Leung quipped. He added the movie was not easy to shoot as it was filled with many show-stopping action sequences.

The award-winning actor had insisted on performing almost all of the stunts. The toughest was the fight scene between Leung and Jen at a hot spring. As it was winter, the director raised the temperature of the water so much that the actors found it almost unbearable.

"My limbs were numb but we immediately felt the chill when we got out of the hot spring.

"It was a torturous shoot because we had to do the action sequences for two hours," said Leung, admitting that it was his toughest job in acting so far. Another exciting scene featured Leung and Jen chasing a single- engine aircraft in heavy traffic in downtown Seoul.

Leung had to pursue the aircraft in a convertible, then jump from the vehicle to the plane in order to capture the villains.

Jen, meanwhile, had to ride a motorbike and then jump onto the aircraft, and this proved to be a real challenge for him.

An accomplished actor with hundreds of film credits, Leung has won numerous film awards in Hong Kong and overseas.

So what genre does he like to work on most? "I like them all. You've seen me over the years acting in all types of films. I have starred in mainstream or art and alternative films, as well as comedies," he said.

"I believe if you really love to act, you would want to work with as many directors as you can. I've been lucky as I've acted with many of them." Leung has again been nominated for best actor in the 10th Golden Bauhinia Film Awards in early March. Other nominees include Stephen Chow, Andy Lau, Jackie Chan and Daniel Wu. Leung was nominated for his convincing performance in 2046.

What does he think of his chances? "I've never doubted my acting skills," said Leung. "I'm very satisfied and pleased with my performance in 2046 but the outcome is not within my control." His self-confidence shone through and he said he stood a very good chance of winning. At the moment, Leung is taking a well deserved break.

"I haven't taken leave for a long time. I'll be going to the US for the premiere of 2046 and then learn 'Wing Chun Fist' (a type of Chinese martial art) from a master there. This is in preparation for my new movie Yat Doi Chung Si (translated as Master of a Generation) that requires me to master that martial art." The filming of the movie, originally end of the year, has been postponed to spring and summer next year.

"I give myself half a year to learn the 'Wing Chun' fist because I want it to be very real," said Leung who obviously takes his career very seriously. "I also need some time off to refresh myself," he added.

* 'Seoul Raiders', a film by Media Asia Films and distributed by Golden Screen Cinema, will be released nationwide on Feb 9
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"Soon we must all face the choice between what is right...and what is easy"

[Looney Tune]

Ali the interviews seems identical. He must have been giving standard answers to all of them. No wonder he seems aloof, he must be bored!

He said that he'll be learning "wing chun" with a master in US. Wonder if it means he'll be spending some time there.