Which Is
A bonding kinda series,all drama with some lighthearted moments.Imagine John Woo's good cop,bad criminal,became friends and only to discover that they're on opposite two ends,what should the good cop do?What should a criminal with a conscience do?
Most Interesting Aspect
All set in a small town/island in Lei Dou,or the Lei Island or something like that.In HK by the way.Hey!This is NOT some sort of a travelogue you know,though you'll get to see some sceneries of Lei Island.And it is NOT La Ma Island!
How Long
20 epsiodes/10 tapes
Who
Jackie Lui ~ Yeung Ga Chung
Roger Kwok ~ Wong On Seun
Jessica Hsuan ~ Wong On Sum
Pun Ji Lei ~ Gong Jing Ji
Gabriel Hoi ~ Wong On Chuen
Yuen Choi Wan ~ Lui Jan Kam
Lee Kwok Leun ~ Koo Wai Foo
The Plot
How shall I start without worrying the fact that I will somehow be sracastic
eventhough I may like this serial whilst at the same time keep reminding myself to check my spelling,check my grammar?Ahhhh!Too difficult!
Anyway,the plot.Nice plot,something like John Woo,only smaller guns and lesser shootouts,AND more women!Jackie is your very successful SDU(or Special Task Force Unit) member,having made a mistake(or was it not a mistake but because his identity was revealed during an earlier shootout?) and sent to Lei Island as a chief of the police station.Now for any other less ambitious cop,this would be great but for a guy that pumps iron everyday,this would be like a really long vacation equivalent to being almost fired from his dream job.He was miserable there and made enemies with the villagers becaus eof his "I must follow the rules" attitude and not being able to blend in to the customs at all.His collegues and subordinates hated him,the villagers disrespects him and he made an instant enemy out of Jessica,the daughter of a very chauvinistic shop owner who prefers son more than daughter.
The in comes Roger,who was released from, prison after being framed many years ago of drug trafficking when he was still a naive young man looking for quick bucks in HK.He actually met Jackie in an earlier showdown in the first scene where again he was duped into joining a gang of robbers to rob some stores.Jackie did not see his face as it was covered,and Roger (I can't remember but it should be) also didn't see his face as his face was also covered.Roger went back to Island Lei to avoid the attention of cops,and crime bosses,and he came back like some sort of a prodigal son,th favourite son of Jessica's father,who also has another son with a second wife,that everybody call Ah Yee(auntie).A timid woman hated by Roger for obvious reasons.In that island,these two men of diverse background and deep dark secrets became best of friends,fell in love with the girls' there,ready for a new life when all of a sudden,one day,the crime boss that coerced Roger into the bank robbery earlier also came to Island Lei to hide from the police.Then things went downhill when Jackie recognises Roger as the robber runing away from him.Should he turn him in,risking his blossoming love affair with his sister,Jessica and the irk of the entire vilage of Lei Island?
SD What?!
Maybe it's not called SDU in Hk,maybe Special Task Force or something like that.Either way it refers to a group of specially trained cops to handle tricky and dangerous situations like kidnapping,terrorism,activities that includes a lot of gun powder so to speak.Their faces are always covered.Why?Good question.they are against usually triads or organised crime,people with really good connections to kill these police and their family.The secrecy of their identities are a must.
Best Scenes
Every scene of roger's father being really rude to his wife.You see,Roger blamed the father for marrying this woman and blamed the woman for being his step mother,which would explain why he was extremely rude to her.But actually this woman is actually a very good mother,but a misunderstood mother.She was a young China girl who came to HK and met his very married father and was raped by him.She had no choice but to be his mistress and tolerated his behaviour for years.She was actually suffering.Now,the father can scream at anybody and nobody can tell him off and tell him to shut up.But at one time,when Roger finally realised that this Auntie actually cares for him,and when his father screamed at her thinking she was unfaithful,Roger was the one who told his father to just stop and from there on,the step mother's status is a bit secured since even the eldest son is on her side now.A very touching scene.
The relationship between Roger and his little brother,Gabriel,useless son of the step mother and his father.He belongs to the so called Heavenly Kings who terrorises the village,and he almost became a criminal himslef when suddenly this young man realised his greater purpose and became an informer for the cops instead,something that nobody knew.And when he was shot trying to save Roger,a brother that he hated for years because his father loved Roger more eventhough Roger lied about his imprisonment,he asked for forgiveness from Roger and died in his arms.I cried.This was so similiar to DIF III,same young brother but Michael Dao as older brother,and he was murdered and he questioned his brother's love for him in a secret tape recording that Michale found.I cried also.Very very touching and you'll end up asking,why must this young boy die?
Every scene with Roger in it and his worried looks.
The Ultimate Classic Scenes
This serial has one common thing.everytime a criminal did something wrong,to escape from the cops or other crime bosses,they would all run into Lei Island to hide,like the Lei SIland became likea criminal's haven towards the end.It's just so funny that all the enemies are all there at one time for the final showdown.I would call that the Ultimate Classic Scenes,collectively.
Most Compatible Couple(s) as in the serial
Jessica and Jackie?No chemistry at all!Jackie and that Miss Hk that i do not know her anme but the one that has a really big mouth,literally?No chemistry at all.I mean not their faults but Jackie's because this is one actor that is not compatible with any actresses.
Roger and that Miss Hk towards the end?No chemistry also but a bit touching you know.Nooo!Not touch-ing but very sentimental,very romantic kinda love story.Ok,maybe not romantic,what's the word for..oh yes,touching.
The Most Hated Character
Roger's father for being a total jerk to his wife,children.But he was from the old school of husband-hood and parent-hood.Can't blame him.
The Most Irritating Character
I am sorry to say this but it would have to be On Sum,that is Jessica's character.Don't like her,because she was such an unreasonable pest.Not that she intended to be as such but I just don't like her character.
Also Yuen Choi Wan's character for all her lies and deceptions.
Best Performances
Without a doubt,Roger Kwok Chun Onn.He was one of my most favourite actors when he first appeared on TVB and then he disappeared and reappeared.I like this character and especially his performance.Notice how he would try to attract little attention to himself,because he was hiding from the police,how he would talk and look away from Jackie so as not to let Jackie see his lies and his deception.How hurt and worried his eyes are.I tell you,the best performance of this serial.Worthed the watch just to look at his worried looks trying to not look worried.
All the old actors and actresses,I do not know their names but they're very good.Those that are watching Moonlight,look out for the character of Man CHu Sa Wah.That same woman played the step mom,no make up,with a wig and not glamarous at all.A timid woman.Very good performance and a welcomed change from her usually glamarous roles.
The Not So Good Performance
Jackie Lui.He has got THE body,the healthy tanned looks,very believable as a SDU person but as an actor,any more emotional scene you could see he can't go anymore beyond what he is capable of.
Jessica.Yes,she was ok in here but when I was watching this serial,Iw as kidna bored with her image,short haired and tomboyish.Very boring acting,and then came a much more feminine role in DIF IV which was a welcomed change BUT then back to such tom boyish roles again vene if her hair is longer.I am getting very bored with her looks,acting and her works.Not an actress I would look out for in this serial.
The guy that plays the younger brother of Roger.One really good looking man but unfortunately,he is too short for a guy.He was ok.
The Most Disappointing Performance
That former Miss Hk,that first plays Jackie's GF,then the widow of Jackie's best friend and then the GF of Roger.Wowo,all in 10 tapes!She isn't pretty,but she was Miss HK.Anyway,she can't act,so lucky for us,she retired from entertainment world and became a secretary insetad.Good for all of us.
Is it worth Renting
Actually ,YESSSSS!One of the sleeper hits when it came out in Hk,it is a very strong family drama,with a nice touch about loyalty,trust and what a good man should do to redeem his past wrong.GEt this one.
Interesting Observation
Roger went to jail at last for a crime he supposedly do.Now perhaps in HK plea bargaining is a foreign concept.I mean 10 out of 10 serials,thsoe guys that are forced to do crimes goes to jail,happily though of course.But let me ask you this,as with the same problem in The Sky Is The Limit.
Your brother was forced to do a crime that he did not know about until he held the guna nd was told that he is now a bona fide robber.Reluctantly you went along because you would be killed if you didn't.You didn;'t hurt anybody,in fact you tried to stop them without being killed.And then later you're caught and YOU GO TO JAIL??What crime has he committed?Isn't there a defence or are lawyers all dead in HK?Everybody must go to jail as an ending.I do not like this.Though a guy's way to redeem himself is to face punishment for his wrongs,but I personally feel that it is time that the TVB gives us a serial which shows the much more compassionate side of the HK judiciary.I mean law is not THAT blind is it?Perhaps one that shows no jail term since he became a witness for the prosecution.It's like the prosecuiton has to charge everybody.So why then must I confess and testify for the prosecution if at the end,I'll go to jail and in realities of life,going against the triads could mean death in/out of the prison?
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