Runaway Blues

Runaway Blues (Biao Cheng, Insaciable Venganza) Directed By David Lai Starring Andy Lau (1989).

There is one title in the Deep Red catalog that's so elusive, any attempt at a Google search or any other pedestrian methods of web surfing ends up totally dry. The film is called Insatiable Vengeance. Runaway Blues on the other hand may or may not be the coveted film in question, but it doesn't matter because both films will eventually get reviewed. By accident, I've discovered an incredible action packed cinematic time bomb with the Hong Kong film, one that gives Full Contact a run for its money. 
   That being said, I was alittle annoyed that I didn't hit paydirt and there are two culprits still left in the ball pit. The films are: A Rene Cardona III (the heir to the Bloody Apes throne), his 1999 selection is called Insaciable Venganza and Francisco Guerrero's Intrepidos Punks from 1980, which was featured in Destroy All Movies by Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly.   
   After some internet detective work of endlessly trolling around the subterranean market, trading prescription pills, dealing with scum and intergalactic villainy, it finally dawned on me, I had been looking for the wrong Insatiable Vengeance and this catalog title just led me nowhere!

   The film is described by Chas Balun as a hyperviolent revenge yarn that cranks up the usual exploitation wallowing to at least three notches. It was supposed to have Spanish dialogue and a biker chase ending in a blood soaked climax. Then it struck me I had to delve into the secluded world of Latin American VHS trading. 
I must thank terrorfantastico.com, for unwrapping this Moo shu Pork treat wrapped in a burrito shell. I also must give credit to William of The Video Junkies, who raided a site called Vomit Bag Video, which led me to believe, perhaps I hadn't found my Tintorera the bloody mouthed shark just yet! Ouch, I was slightly hurt. 
   For now, lets all plummet into the sleazy world of organized crime, empty gun clips, near fatal traffic accidents and hemorrhoids with Runaway Blues! 

gentlemen start your sphincters, I mean engines

 
    It all explodes into a Chinese New Year celebration with ruthless gangsters betting on a high speed bike race, where the stunts look skin scrapingly real. Two opponents ride with a deadly chain link connecting their wrists. They nearly collide and crash and burn within everything in their path.

   Kwong played by the dynamic Andy Lau, hangs his enemies girlfriend with the bike chain while careening off a ledge. And I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but it triggers a violent retaliation that brings forth catastrophic consequences. 

   While hiding out in a lighthouse, dudes with bats take revenge by murdering his girlfriend with bats!

You mean you don't enjoy Nips hard candies?

   Kwong's Uncle Nip, played by Chan Ging-Cheung, sets him up with a new identity. This film doesn't take even half a breath, before it unleashes a constant barrage of fury. Uncle Nip is a heartless gangster whose henchmen douce a narc named Wetback with gasoline and set him ablaze, it looked horrifically authentic.

I like to use crime scene evidence as a coaster

   Anti-triad agents start snooping around and find out about Uncle Nip and his devious Nephew. This is the first I've ever heard of a Gov. task force cracking down on gangsters in a Hong Kong film! The head agent honcho is named Ronnie Cambridge (Robert Zajac), he complains about his hemorrhoids and says "that means I'm not gay", he wants Kwong to rat on his Uncle. Through out the film, anytime we see Ronnie it's hilarious because he's either picking up Preparation H or getting Ass surgery! 

I like the HK version of Parks and Rec. better

 The main character comes to the aide of his new girlfriend played by Shirley Lui Sau-Ling, after he hears her screaming from a self induced abortion. Like a trooper, he stuffs a towel in her mouth and helps deliver the stillborn placenta (I'm assuming that's what I witnessed).

    Later on a dispute with sharp knives and fist flying, ends with a guy smashing through a window head first onto a bus, then as he falls into oncoming traffic, rolls over and brushes himself off without a scratch (he'll most likely internally bleed to death)!

Come and see the Banana Dolphin at any cost!

   The action takes a breather for awhile to build up some drama, don't get too agitated adrenaline junkies because the ending really delivers.

   A kung fu alley battle ensues, but it's done in a brotherly play fighting way and is some foreshadowing for a character that plummets from a high story window and lands on some laundry sticks that break their fall. 

   Andy Lau and "the abortion girl" (Sau-Ling) begin to connect on a romantic level, they have decent chemistry and a platonic bond also forms with a female room mate. It's just an all out love fest, that is until the finale, just wait-- because it gets really good.

   Ronnie constantly follows him around, he preaches what he calls "the superiority of capitalism". Director David Lai almost reaches the pinnacle of John Woo style action and pathos, but not quite. 

Madam you have to leave, visiting hours are over

   One gangster (Sunny Fang Kang) that battles in the final showdown is kicked thru a window and falls into an open sewer! The ending will knock your face off! There's a severed head used as bait on a dog racing track, a human body used as a shield in a shootout on an escalator, although I know I've seen Bruce Willis and Schwarzenegger use that same trick in their blockbusters. The director of this also made The Possessed series (which were pretty dull), Savior Of The Soul and recently produced The Transporter 1 and 2 with Jason Statham. Don't let some of these weak credits persuade you to not seek out Runaway Blues, it's an action packed firebomb that is worth your time.
Highly Recommended!  

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Futuristic extra large microwave that cooks while you wait inside