SYNOPSIS:
Mountain Leopard returns to Hong Kong, after being exiled to Brazil for 30 years, in search of the woman who has forever been on his mind. He teams up with a young, but good-natured, street punk named Smokey. The two begin to search for Leopard's old rival, Nine Dragons, and help each other figure out their lives in the process.

REVIEW:
Metade Fumaca - A film that has been recommended to me by countless amounts of people for so long and yet it has taken forever for me to see it. Was it worth the wait? Most definitely. This film is really special in that while it is basically a triad drama, it does things with the genre I've seen done before, but it does them so well that you can't help but love it.

Right off the top, I have to mention the cinematography and direction. It's beautiful. With Peter Pau behind the lens though, would you expect anything less than perfection? There's a lot of beauty to be seen in many frames of the film, be it a cigarette in an ashtray, or a gang fight in a rainy alley. It all looks stunning, to say the least. I've never heard of writer/director Ip Kam Hung, and I don't know why I haven't. This guy's got some major talent and he's crafted one of HK's dramatic gems in Metade Fumaca.

The next thing that needs to be mentioned is the acting. WOW. Much like the huge ensemble cast for the recent Infernal Affairs, Metade Fumaca throws a ton of Hong Kong's best actors into the mix. The film's primary focus is on the relationship between Eric Tsang's Mountain Leopard and Nic Tse's Smokey. Their relationship is much like that of a father and son. In a way, they need each other to find their paths in life. Eric Tsang does an amazing job conveying the emotion that's been pent up in his character for all those years. I have never seen him do a better job than he does here. Same goes for Nic Tse. Sure, the guy can do fluffy dramas (Tiramisu) and action flicks (Gen X Cops), but as seen here, Nic can ACT. His character is a really likeable hooligan, which makes Nic perfect for the role, and the interplay between him and Tsang is fantastic.

The supporting cast is huge (including numerous cameos). First off is a brief cameo by the always enjoyable Anthony Wong. He doesn't do a lot, but his presence makes the film that much better. Next is Sandra Ng, who seems to be really underused in HK lately. I like her a lot and she plays the tough female triad boss roles splendidly. As the young Mountain Leopard and Nine Dragons (respectively), Stephen Fung and Sam Lee (you know where I stand on this guy) make small cameos in a hilarious flashback sequence and it's great to see the Gen X Cops all appearing in movies together. Rounding out the Gen Xers is Terrence Yin as a triad punk who just got back from LA, and his slang shows it. Terrence is usually hit or miss, and he is a little annoying here, but a welcome addition to the cast nonetheless. Shu Qi appears as the object of Mountain Leopard's affection and Kelly Chen is likewise for Nic Tse.

For the most part, Hong Kong films have forgetable musical scores, but Metade Fumaca's music is something special. Taking a cue from Mountain Leopard's 30 year stretch in Brazil, the score is filled with Brazilian tunes that are a joy to listen to. Occasionally, the Brazilian tunes will change depending on what is going on in the movie, becoming slower paced for brooding scenes, or adapting a techno beat for chase sequences. There is also an old Chinese song used prominently in the film that is very good as well.

I've heard from some that the movie's first half hour drags, but I don't feel that this is the case. The first half hour is used to set up our main characters and thus, doesn't drag at all. In fact, the whole movie goes by at a quick pace because the story is great and all the characters are likeable and interesting. The flashback is used at just the right time, and the mix of drama and light comedy works wonders.

DVD SPECS:
Universe Laser & Video
Region 0
Letterbox
Languages: Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1, Mandarin DD 5.1
Subtitles: Chinese Traditional/Simplified, English
Extras: Trailers (Metade Fumaca x2, Gen X Cops, Purple Storm), Stars' Files

TRANSFER:
For an older DVD (1999, which doesn't seem old, but for HK it is, considering how much they've advanced in the DVD producing department lately), I'd say the transfer is very nice. It is letterbox of course, but the print is clean with absolutely zero dirt and grain. In saying this though, it is a little bit soft for my tastes, and it took a little while to get used to. After settling down, I found the transfer to be very pleasing to the eyes.

SOUND:
The soundtrack is good enough, with the best parts being any scenes playing music. Where it does trip up, is that sometimes the dialogue seems a bit muffled. Other than those rare instances, this is a nice Dolby Digital soundtrack.

EXTRAS:
Sadly, nothing worth noting here. I'd have loved to see some making-of features or interviews, even if they would be unsubtitled. All we get are two trailers for the film, trailers for Gen X Cops and Purple Storm, and cast filmographies.

OVERALL:
A fantastic drama with a gigantic cast of HK greats. Excellent performances from both Eric Tsang and Nic Tse help to flesh out the storyline, with a little help from the supporting cast. Brilliant cinematography, music, and direction make this not only a good movie for the mind, but the eyes and ears as well. I wish I had seen it sooner, so I could have gotten the word out a lot faster.

Metade Fumaca is another of those Asian films that reminded me that Hong Kong has far more to offer than Johnnie To-helmed gangster flicks. It is humorous, touching, superbly acted and intelligently written -- a rare combination in Hong Kong film nowadays.

There's plenty to like about Metade Fumaca. The cast is superb, including a stellar performance by veteran character actor Eric Tsang and a surprisingly convincing turn by Nic Tse (Time and Tide). Sam Lee (Bio Zombie) and Stephen Fung (Gen-X Cops) are featured briefly in a very funny fantasy sequence and Shu Qi (The Transporter) is perfectly suited for her role as a mysterious bar patron. Kelly Chen (Tokyo Raiders) is mostly seen, not heard, but she too is well-suited for her role as a gorgeous policewoman. Terrence Yin rounds out the cast as a flamboyant small-time hood just back from L.A. There are also a couple of amusing cameos by Sandra Ng (Portland Street Blues) and Anthony Wong (Beast Cops).

Metade Fumaca, while pretty predictable, is fantastically filmed. It reminded me in a lot of ways of Chungking Express. The plot unfolds fairly slowly but the dialogue is so interesting and well-written and the scenes so creatively shot that I never lost interest in the story or the characters. I was enthralled by Tse's and Tsang's Smokey and Mountain Leopard and the relationship they develop as both search for loved ones based on murky, fading images. But while the film's themes are weighty, there is plenty of humor throughout.

Metade Fumaca is worth checking out. Recommended.