Unraveling the Forgotten Past: ‘The Siege of Kowloon Walled City’ Brings a Bygone Hong Kong to Life
The Siege of Kowloon Walled City: A Timeless Tale of Brotherhood and Resilience
A Still from “The Siege of Kowloon Walled City”
Speaking of Hong Kong’s topical movies in 2024, the most popular one is “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In”. This film has become the first Hong Kong film in the history of Hong Kong movies in terms of total admissions. The box office in Hong Kong exceeded 100 million Hong Kong dollars, becoming the second Hong Kong film to exceed 100 million Hong Kong dollars. It has also been well received when screened around the world.
The Story of a Young Man in Trouble
“The Siege of Kowloon Walled City” tells the story of a young man in trouble, Chen Luojun (played by Raymond Lam), who accidentally breaks into the Kowloon Walled City and meets a group of good brothers in the walled city: Xinyi (played by Liu Junqian), the Twelve Young Masters (played by Hu Tong), the Fourth Chai (played by Zhang Wenjie) etc. The brothers followed the lead of Tornado (played by Louis Koo) and fought against the invasion of the evil boss (Sammo Hung). They launched a series of vicious battles and defended the Walled City to the death.
The Kowloon Walled City: A Product of an Era
The Kowloon Walled City can be said to be a product of an era in Hong Kong. China and Britain signed the “Special Treaty on Expanding the Boundary Site of Hong Kong” in 1898, and the treaty specified that the Kowloon Walled City was not within the scope of the lease. Before it was demolished by the government, it was the most densely populated place in the world. According to the census taken by the British Hong Kong government in 1987 when it was demolished, 33,000 residents lived in the walled city, which was only the size of four football fields.
Highly Restored Real Scene of Kowloon Walled City
The most praised thing about the movie by the audience is the verisimilitude of the movie scenes, which is a very delicate interpretation of the real scene of the Kowloon Walled City. The Kowloon Walled City has now been demolished, but through the careful design of the set, the intricate paths, the patios wrapped with wires, and the daily necessities of urban life are all brought to life.
The Vibrant Cultural Atmosphere in the Walled City
What left a deep impression on the author was the vibrant cultural atmosphere in the walled city. The squares, barber shops, teahouses, restaurants, and corridors in the market, in addition to exquisite scenery, also represent the urban life in the ”slums.” When Chen Luojun came to Hong Kong from the mainland and first entered the walled city, he worked many jobs.
The Most Beautiful Scenery is the People
The gang leader “Tornado”, who tried his best to maintain the order of the Kowloon Walled City, was very fond of the people in the Walled City. Even the outsider, Chen Luojun, gave him warmth and care. When Chen Luojun stated that he had only had a good night’s sleep at the Walled City during his so many years of escape, and did not want to leave the Walled City again, “Tornado” revealed the reason: “You can sleep, not because of the Walled City, but because of the people of the Walled City.”
A Metaphor for the Wandering People
The character of Chen Luojun represents the epitome of the “escape wave” of an era. He smuggled himself to Hong Kong from the mainland empty-handed and had to work hard to make a living. The image of a kite (paper dove) that appears many times in the film, the author believes, is a metaphor for this group of wandering people.
The Importance of Brotherhood
I remember that on the day of the Battle of Bon Festival in the movie, the people in the walled city spread the word that they should not go out on that day, as something big would happen. It was whispered that it was only through mutual trust and mutual trust that they could save their lives. In the decisive battle, we also saw the importance of brotherhood between Xinyi, Twelve Young Masters, Si Zai, and Chen Luojun.
A Regretful Beauty
At the end of the movie, although the protagonists succeeded in revenge and eliminated the villain, the power of everyone was still unable to save the city from being demolished, and the story of the city became an unforgettable memory. The story ends abruptly here, leaving behind a regretful beauty. It also tells people that life is like a play, don’t get too immersed in it. When you wake up, whether you are in the walled city or not, the road will continue.