The promising debut from Daniel Chan, Slow Fade made little ripples anywhere (1*) but this independent effort deserves a light as it's a thinking man's triad action piece. Despite it being designed towards that doesn't mean it's a rousing virgin entrance onto the movie scene and Daniel Chan certainly doesn't achieve confidence in the viewer with his sped up tunnel visuals accompanied by techno music during the opening. Less arthouse overall though, although his extreme colour statements leaves a lot to be desired (few directors know the usage of colours to ACTUAL effect), at its best moments Slow Fade manages to reach out enough to be regarded as interesting introduction by a new filmmaker.

Writer Kyle Davison surely can't be stupid enough (or can he?) to think the template is fresh material but for Ken Wong's Fin starting over only to fall into the same downward spiral again, you have elements to treat like new or at least with affecting, striking effect. This is achieved to some degree but the term sketchy could very much be applied here and it unfortunately is struck upon crucial characters. Knowing enough at times but also too little, Ken Wong's Fin in voice-over muses over the definition of past, present and future. However there is way too little substance dropped in for us to figure out if Fin is such a low-life that he's just easily persuaded to join the triad world or if choices are limited anyway. For his present and future story, the motivation is somewhat there but this past in need to be forgotten seems to have been by director Chan's as well.

At the same time when Davison and Chan begin portraying the recycled elements, Slow Fade reveals some honest strengths about the endless circle of triad life and violence. It speaks to a numbness not only apparent in this seedy way of life but for the ordinary man in the "clean" world as well. Drenching proceedings at times in angelic light and certainly open with his religious symbolism, why we even contemplate the potential place in the after life for a character like Fin is credit to Daniel achieving a simplistic but noble effect for this theme. As Fin opens up his minor streak of sweetness combined with irrational behaviour trying to kick his drug habit, there is minor engaging cinema on display for a reel or two here, especially when focus lies on both the broken Fin but also broken Kim.

Josie Ho's character does tend to be a forgotten inclusion by director Chan along the way but the acclaimed actress manages to do good work with what's written for her and to Kyle Davison's credit, he's given her meat to work with. A self proclaimed expert in figuring people out, there's a difficultly in interacting with them that is immediately apparent in Kim and perhaps Fin is the only one she's ever been able to do so with. One of those birds not so much wanting but in need to break free, Ho makes us feel for her but as said, she's also dropped from the narrative only to be quickly brought back in the film's destructive ways. By then Chan has made up his mind while we as well have figured it out so the effect is not unexpected. Problem is also that it feels like solutions figured out by the roll of the dice, connecting little to the character development of past reels.

Symbolism of rebirth thought of too late by higher beings is a poignant thought but Slow Fade doesn't in the end emerge with as much dramatic edge as it once had. No doubt we're treated to a more focused, stylish, bloody and even eccentric triad drama (eccentric being an element Chan isn't quite as good with compared to Johnnie To). Mentioned focus is one of those very welcome traits that should be allowed to work on but as of 2006, no Daniel Chan in directing capacity has turned up on the scene. Working decent effect out of his tragic spiral theme and getting a surprisingly well-honed dramatic performance out of usually over intense Ken Wong, Slow Fade not so much emerges fully but says "pick-a-boo look at me!". Those who will gladly look on are those with an interest in seeing Hong Kong cinema give new talent the spotlight they deserve. Focus Films and Andy Lau, do you know of Daniel Chan?

(1) It had a Hong Kong box office take of HK $32,625 during a six day run and thanks to its drug theme, not much promotion anywhere either. This included the refusal to give extended airplay to the theme song from Josie Ho due to it having, in the words of composer Daniel Lam, "too few lyrics and thus not suiting their typical canton pop programming format". Nice.

All in all a very moody, stylish movie, at times perhaps somewhat too selfconciously arty, but in general very effective. Daniel Chan has just joined the ranks of 'New Directors To Watch'.