The Last Tycoon (2012/Well Go USA Blu-ray)

 

Picture: A-     Sound: B     Extras: C     Film: A-

 

 

Superstar Chow Yun-fat is gangster Cheng Daqi, one of the head mob bosses in all of Hong Kong.  His rise toward power has made him one of the most powerful and respected men in the criminal underworld, but it has separated him from his dreams and his childhood sweet heart.  When Japanese Army takes over he becomes a crucial role to the resistance, he maybe a criminal, but he's no traitor to his country in Wong Ling's The Last Tycoon (2012).

 

Daqi was once a good man with those dreams however, but the ugly world before him has forced him to recognize how cruel and unfair life is.  The only way for him to fight corruption was by joining it and that is how be becomes a kingpin, to control the corruption.  Under his rule, he protects the weak from the strong, and believes loyalty to the family and those under him, and wins the respect of all the people.  His rise to power was not without sacrifice, not only does he lose the love of his life, but he must deal with a corrupt military general that turned traitor to the country.  Secretly, Daqi also uses his power and connections to protect his people and fight back the Japanese army occupation.  He maybe a gangster and too late to win back the love of his life, but not to late to still be her hero and a revolutionary for his country.

 

Another epic Chow Yun-fat movie delivers in this story of a mobster who became a hero in a film that keeps going back and forth in time from how he rises from a young mobster to becoming the King Pin of Hong Kong.  The main character is the symbol of redemption, clad in a white suit with guns, it symbolizes the irony when a mob boss becomes a champion of justice, in times of evil where good is evil, evil becomes good.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer was shot on an Arri Alexa HD camera at 2.8K and this transfer is really impressive throughout and the changes in image and style are just right, never under or overdone.  The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is nice, smooth, warm and full throughout, making for a decent sonic experience.  Extra include making of the movie and trailers.

 

 

-   Ricky Chiang