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Cast:
Kent
Cheng
Michael
Wong
Jerry
Lamb
Cher
Yeung
Frederic
Mao
Stephen
Fung
Action:
Wu
Chi-Lung
Producer:
Tommy
Wong
Director:
Derek
Chiu
Score:
  
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THE
LOG
AKA:
N/A
Year:
1996 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
On
New Year's Eve 1996, three policeman find their fairly routine
lives shattered by a series of events. Over-confident and
arrogant Dixon (Wong) is involved in a situation where he
shoots an innocent hostage dead. The following investigation
into the incident finds Dixon accused of manslaughter and
given the same treatment he'd been using on his own suspects.
With his position turned upside down, the cocky officer now
finds himself re-evaluating his attitude towards others. The
second event sees inexperienced cop Longwaist (Lamb) kill a
young triad who was surrendering his weapon; the death haunts
the rookie, especially when he meets the father and sister of
the deceased. Work-obsessed and haggard police officer Gump
(Cheng) is directly affected by the final twist of the day
when his wife leaves him. Citing her husbands lack of respect
for her and single-minded devotion to his job, Gump's wife
seeks comfort with one of the department's superiors. Slowly
allowing matters to eat away at his mind, Gump finds himself
sinking further into desperation until he finally snaps.
Seeing Koo - the man who has admitted to a short affair with
his wife - at a New Year's Eve banquet, Gump seizes the
opportunity to get the answers he wants. Therefore the
formerly dedicated law enforcer takes the guests of the meal
hostage and demands that his wife be found. Inevitably all
three events culminate in this tension-filled situation with
each character given one more chance to change things.
Recent
films by Derek Chiu have proved the director is someone who is
capable of being branded an auteur in the true definition of
the term. His past few efforts have shown how Chiu takes a
simple narrative and layers it with his own vision and a charm
that remains hard to pinpoint. With this in mind, it is good
to look back at an earlier film of Chiu's that began to show
the critics what this talent was able to do. Interestingly
though, 'The Log' lacks the directorial touches that are now
associated with Chiu. The narrative is strong and the
construction of it has much to commend it, but there's too
much missing from the finished product to highly commend it.
The direction is rough around the edges to say the least as clichéd
cinematography and execution is apparent throughout. Whereas
now Chiu would happily allow characters or situations to
gradually develop, here he squanders opportunities and relies
on some heavy-handed imagery to make his points. It's also sad
that the most intriguing section of the film - the actions of
Longwaist and the effect it has on him - is the shortest and
the real inner-torment he feels is barely touched on.
Nonetheless, 'The Log' is competent and well-acted; Kent Cheng
is particularly memorable in the role of Gump. Even Michael
Wong and Jerry Lamb give good performances which is something
that couldn't always be said of them in the past. There's no
doubt then that 'The Log' has qualities that recommend it,
though it never reaches the heights that Chiu's admirers would
demand.
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