PTU
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Film description
During a street fight with gang thugs sergeant Lo Sa loses his service firearm, which might spell the end of his career in law enforcement. Enter male solidarity. His friends from the Police Tactical Unit promise to find his lost gun and embark on a hypnotic quest through the neon-lit streets of night-time Hong Kong. They must act decisively, because their time will run out come morning. It soon becomes clear that the officers are not so different from the criminals they are fighting. Will the dark shadows of the empty streets conceal their moral shortcomings?
PTU is a noir masterpiece by Johnnie To, made during his most prolific period. It features his favorite actors, including the single most recognizable supporting actor in Hong Kong cinema, Lam Suet, in his biggest role. The movie also features To’s favorite motifs and themes. This nocturnal cinematic ballad was made over the period of two years, and it premiered right at the start of the SARS pandemic. Because of this coincidence, the shots of Hong Kong’s empty streets resonated with audiences in a unique way. Today, PTU remains a thrilling movie experience, crafted by the last great master of international genre cinema.
text:
Marcin Krasnowolski
Johnnie To
Born in 1955. Hong Kong director, screenwriter, producer. His work spans a wide array of genres and styles, but he is mostly known for his masterful gangster movies, such as The Mission, Election and PTU among many others. A legendary artist with countless awards to his name, towards the end of the 1990s he embarked on a mission of safeguarding the high quality of HK cinema, and he worked on this for over ten years. As a director, he is renowned for his skill in combining sharp social commentary with dynamic visuals and unconventional narrative styles. Currently, he often helms projects in co-production with China.
1980 Bik seoi hon saan dyut meng gam / The Enigmatic Case
1989 Ah-long dik gu si / All About Ah-long
1995 Mou mei san taam / Loving You
1998 Bohater nie umiera nigdy / Chan sam ying hung / A Hero Never Dies
2001 Miłość na diecie / Sau sun nam nui / Love on a Diet
2003 Daai zek lou / Running on Karma
2005 Wybór mafii / Hak se wui / Election
2007 Psychodetektyw / San taam / Mad Detective
2012 Kartel / Du zhan / Drug War
2016 Trójka / San ren xing / Three
