On August 3rd, the crime drama "Chasing Shadows" held its premiere in Beijing. Screenwriter and director Yang Zi, along with actors Jackie Chan, Zhang Zifeng, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Ci Sha, Wang Ziyi, Lang Yueting, Lin Qiunan, Wang Zhenwei, and Li Zhekun, shared highlights and interesting stories from the film's creation. The film will be released nationwide on August 16th.
"Chasing Shadows" breaks the inherent pattern of traditional crime films where you chase me and I escape, and focuses the camera on a mysterious police force - the tracking team, focusing on the detective perspective of "tracking" and "anti-tracking": the cunning thief king Fu Longsheng (played by Tony Leung) and a group of disciples challenge the Macau Judiciary Police in multiple dimensions. The Judiciary Police, which is in a tough battle, has to invite back the tracking expert Huang Dezhong (played by Jackie Chan) who has been retired for many years, and join hands with the young elite of the Criminal Investigation Department He Qiuguo (played by Zhang Zifeng) to stage a thrilling cat-and-mouse game of high-tech and high-IQ confrontation.
movie posters
At the premiere, director Yang Zi admitted that the film is a remake of the 2007 Hong Kong film "Tracking," directed by You Nai-hai. "When I was writing the script, I felt that story couldn't unfold in today's technological context. But what if a group of villains using old-school technology were to face off against new-age technology like the internet and the Sky Eye system? How would this story unfold?"
"As you can see in the film, in addition to the Sky Eye system, the police already have AI assistance such as SPAIS, but in the first confrontation, the cunning criminal still escaped with hacking methods. I personally firmly believe that no matter how advanced the artificial intelligence means, it cannot replace the professional instincts formed by human intuition and experience, let alone the warmth of human nature. How to use old-school methods to fight against high technology? This is not only a major highlight of the film, but also a major reason why I persuaded Jackie Chan to star in it. This time, not only is his fighting power online, but he also managed to convince people with his 'brain'." Yang Zi said.
At the premiere, the main cast appeared together, and Tony Leung Ka Fai posed like a boss in front of the camera.
"Chasing Shadows" marks director Yang Zi's second collaboration with Jackie Chan and his debut as a crime-thriller. It boasts a surprising plot and dazzling action choreography. Not only does the young cast showcase sharp moves reminiscent of parkour and kickboxing, but the film also features a brutal hand-to-hand combat between 71-year-old Jackie Chan and 67-year-old Tony Leung Ka-fai in a cramped space. As Jackie Chan's line, a playful interplay between his character and the real actor, "Let's see if I, Huang Dezhong, can still eat?", delighted the audience.
Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka Fai have intense fighting scenes in the film
Notably, this film marks the return of Tony Leung Ka-fai, the "Actor of Many Faces," to a ruthless thief king after his role in "The Tracking." It also marks his first big-screen collaboration with Jackie Chan in 20 years since their 2005 film "The Myth." Fu Longsheng, the film's protagonist, wields a folding dagger, a weapon often seen in gangster films. His three brutal, blood-soaked fight scenes are even more intense than those featuring Jackie Chan himself. The premiere featured a video of the two supporting each other on set as they finished get off work. The phrase "I'm waiting for you!" (Tony Leung Ka-fai to Jackie Chan) evoked endless nostalgia for their nearly half-century of ups and downs in the film industry.
Film stills: Tony Leung Ka Fai as Fu Longsheng
At the scene, Tony Leung Ka Fai glanced back at the video, then slowly turned around and sang a cappella a section of Danny Chan's Cantonese classic "Waiting." "Waiting, lonely until the night is deep..." His deep voice immediately drew Jackie Chan to sing the second half of the verse, "The night is getting desolate, the night is getting dark."
"I've finally waited for this. He is a world hero whom I respect very much. We are old friends, but we haven't worked together for 20 years. This time, every day on the set, I was waiting for everyone to enter and exit together. Moreover, I saw and learned more this time than I did 20 years ago. I saw Jackie Chan's progress, and also found room for improvement in my own martial arts," said Tony Leung.
Movie stills
Jackie Chan said: "Ka Fai has over 40 years of experience in filming. Although he's not an action star, he's been exposed to a lot of action scenes. This time, our Cheng family team taught him a few moves on the spot, and he got them all. I felt quite comfortable fighting him. Privately, we are very good friends."
"It is the honor of my life to receive the recognition and affirmation from the kung fu superstar today. Thank you Jackie Chan." Tony Leung could not hide his excitement after hearing this, "I am an 'old wolf' in the film, I never kiss, I never lick, I only bite." After saying this, he stood up and gave Jackie Chan a deep "bite" without saying a word, to the astonished look on his face.
In the film, Zhang Zifeng, who teams up with Jackie Chan as a "tracking partner," makes her debut as a dashing policewoman. Previously, netizens captured the pair filming in Macau, and their image together reminded many of Uncle Lung and Xiaoyu from the animated series "Jackie Chan Adventures" (the first season of which aired on Shanghai Xuandong Cartoon TV in 2004). Speaking of working with Jackie Chan, Zhang Zifeng described it as a "dream come true." Speaking of her contrasting new role, she said, "He Qiuguo is a cool, sassy girl, tough and reserved."
Movie stills Zhang Zifeng (front right) plays He Qiuguo
Zhang Zifeng also recreated the famous scene between "Uncle Long" and "Xiao Yu" at the event: "Uncle Long, will you continue acting for the rest of your life?" undoubtedly reflects the audience's expectations and concerns about Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan then took the microphone and said, "I will act for the rest of my life, until you stop watching. Thank you."
It is also worth mentioning that actor Ci Sha, who quickly became famous with the movie "Fengshen", plays three roles this time, challenging two characters with extremely contrasting temperaments - the almighty killer brother Xiwang, the genius hacker brother Ximeng, and the "mysterious man" who is expected to appear in the sequel in the post-credits easter egg. The identity setting of the triplets is quite intriguing.
Movie stills Cisha plays Xiwang
Ci Sha said, "From a physical perspective, the styling and costumes were a huge help. Playing the older brother involved a lot of action scenes, like expertly changing magazines. I wouldn't say I practiced a thousand times, but I do remember my older brother (Jackie Chan) standing right behind me during practice. The pressure was overwhelming. Playing the younger brother, I felt, was aloof and a bit childish, so I designed a habit for him where he never puts his hands in his trouser pockets, but in his jacket pockets like a student."
At the end of the live exchange session, at the unanimous request of the audience, Jackie Chan sang "A Clear Conscience," the heartfelt song from the movie "Rumble in the Bronx." "No matter who you are, you only live once. Be true to yourself, and never worry about whether it hurts or you're tired..."
