The box office failed miserably, "Drug Sweep 3" is not very good, and Hong Kong movies have no future
Is the title of powerful actor propaganda not good? "I Love You" is the second at the Dragon Boat Festival.
Action elements lose their freshness? "In the Octagon Cage" was released for three days and had a box office of 578 million.
Turning around again, "Don't Call Me God of Gamblers" starring many veteran Hong Kong stars was released for 18 days, and the total box office was only the same as the first invoice office of "I Love You". This is still the big screen work after five years since "Matchless" in 18.
Next door, "Fast and Furious" "Drug Sweep 3: People in the End of the World" was staged in the Golden Triangle, and the box office was only as good as Wang Baoqiang's second end.
It's good not to compare, put together the gap is miserable.
What's wrong with Hong Kong movies?
Contemporary wounds?
The slogan that Hong Kong films have ended has been shouted for more than ten years, and every year there are amazing films that come out to save the scene.
However, the rescue trend has gradually stalled since 2021.
"Murder", which was given a heavy responsibility in the first half of 2023, is not a big splash, and the reputation of other co-productions is even more overwhelming and rushing to the cliff, and the box office is basically not good.
"Drug Sweep 3", which is currently being released, is a double bottom of word-of-mouth box office.
Strange? Not really. After all, "Drug Sweep 3" is a continuation of the old routine that the public does not dislike to choke.
Since the success of "Bomb Disposal Expert" in 2017, Qiu Litao has fallen into the trap of a big scene loop, and the reproduction is smoother than ChatGPT. Even in the five years since 2018, a total of 9 works have been released, and the average score of Douban is not 7.
In the early days, Director Yau was not like this, growing up in the new wave of Hong Kong films, his personal aesthetic style was extremely strong, and he had the attitude of the originator of cult style.
As the person who filmed "Eight Immortals Hotel's Human Meat Char Siu Bun", "Ebola Virus" and "Capture of the House", it is very intriguing to suddenly turn to directing commercial action dramas, and perseverance in the wild road of abandoning word of mouth to ensure the box office is even more thought-provoking.
Looking at it again, Hong Kong film and television practitioners have been addicted to going north in recent years, and the path they have chosen is almost the same as that of Qiu Litao, resulting in few results in the local film and television environment in their hometown.
But interestingly, behind every rescue film, you can see the new generation supported by the older generation of Hong Kong stars.
Continue to sink into observation, every rescue film with a good reputation can only be seen by resources.
Of course, even if Hong Kong films play old tricks, they have to admit that they have deep roots and can withstand defeat, but how long can it last for this unprofitable model of raising new old people?
Next year's "Siege of Kowloon City Walled City", the following year's "Wind Forest Volcano", any one of them hitting the street will lead to a serious loss of confidence in Hong Kong films and further loss of audiences, at that time, the discussion will not be how to cultivate a new generation, but how to maintain the face of the Hong Kong circle.
In short, watching the Hong Kong mainland co-production at this stage, don't expect to get mental pleasure, just honestly immerse yourself in the sensory bombardment.
If you can't get by, just leave
According to Director Qiu's self-positioning, balancing the commerciality and artistry of his works is not a problem, obviously, he lacks understanding of the degree of mainland audiences' liking and disgust of watching movies and the speed of change of aesthetic needs.
In fact, it stands to reason that this situation should not occur, after all, since 2018, Qiu Dao's boss has been replaced by a silver capital institution.
Founded in 1982, Yindu Institution Co., Ltd. is a production state-owned enterprise that integrated the resources of left-wing film and television companies that moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong in the 50s.
Over the years, there have been excellent works ("Head Text D", "A Generation of Grandmasters", "Eavesdropping"), and there are many controversial movies ("Color Ring", "Wuji", "Old Port Zhengzhuan"), but when a director made the same type of film for five years, it was unprecedented.
That's not how money is made.
A movie, not only under the direction of the director, but also controlled by capital, unless the team is a big bull and can have no scruples, otherwise the workers have to bow their heads obediently.
Of course, sometimes compromises are for the sake of the general public, and there are occasional compromises that are not beneficial to art or business.
There is no compromise, it is difficult to evaluate, and you can analyze and dissect its occurrence from various angles, such as cost, system, duration, and even personal preferences. However, nothing can undo the damage caused to the work itself by such changes.
A dish is forced back to the pan and fried five times, which is useless compromise. No one wants to eat in front of them, the battle against poverty has been won for two years, everyone is rushing to a new life, and no one wants to go back to grazing.
"Drug Sweep 3" is obviously such a tasteless and discarded grass.
It's ugly, no, after all, the team and investment are obvious; But it is not too close to good-looking, sparse plots, and feelings that cannot be sold. Most of the tickets are tight this year, who will want to spend money as the big culprit.
And do not owe the director a movie ticket.
Some powerful people should straighten their waists and want to make "movies with Bay Area characteristics, elements, and imprint stories", then go and shoot, drag two more and finish playing collectively.
After all, this wave of old actors has almost exhausted the box office appeal, and two more movies of similar level should bear the stigma of "box office poison".
Be kind to the audience, treat the actors with friends, let the actor configuration of "2+×" go away at any time, dig a wave of powerful people who have not been on the screen in recent years and have no personal hidden dangers are better than familiar faces.
Then again, obviously neither is easy.
Rebirth in the form of a cheat
Some people are curious, can't you expect Hong Kong film newcomers?
This sentence was sent to the insiders of the Hong Kong circle, and they did not dare to answer.
Looking at Hong Kong's top stream, Miss Hong Kong, you can understand that Hong Kong star is not a problem of aesthetic degradation, but a disaster of no one to follow.
Even if he is photogenic, he never only looks at the face, but also at the strength of Reiki. But this point can also refer to the current situation of the top stream and Hong Kong sister, and the conclusion: no is nothing.
If there is, there is no need for Liu Qingyun, Koo Tianle, Andy Lau, Kwok Fucheng, who have an average age of 55 and can receive pensions in a few years, to continue to chase and kill.
Who wouldn't want to take a script with high quality and big prize hopes? I really can't walk away. Even literary artists such as Tony Leung have to take over "The Ferryman", "Shang Qi" and "When the Wind Rises Again", which are either vulgar or vulgar.
Otherwise, Hong Kong Film will lose its words, lose its vitality, and it will be more difficult to cultivate new forces.
The Hong Kong community has realized the urgency of the next generation of power, and there are also arrests and successors, and various selection activities are underway, but unfortunately they have not had much effect.
Zeng Zhiwei re-established a variety show and helped his son enter the mainland, and worked hard for three or four years, except for the short-lived "Young You", there was nothing else. Wang Zulan, who has made a world on the mainland, tried to pull Hong Kong friends ashore, but he has not recovered his vitality so far.
But the previous two years of "Hand Rolled Cigarettes", "Muddy Water Drifting", "Wisdom Teeth", and even "Furious Heavy Case" have always made people look forward to the return of Hong Kong films in the golden age.
After all, the behind-the-scenes production team of this batch of films is personally led and taught by Hong Kong film and television bigwigs.
I always believe that Hong Kong films that can give birth to "Galaxy Image" in the midst of storms will inevitably find a creative context that perfectly integrates the same source culture in the new generation.
Road obstruction, but not long, can not grow anymore.