Interesting to watch the Story of Chinese Immigrants in Japan, who once they get power start to turn into a Triad, becoming what they hated, those who pushed them down. Jackie Chan Sing Lung tries his hand at serious crime drama, where he does not do the action he is so well known, and the film mostly succeeds, with some failings in that Chan’s character Steelhead starts to turn bad, but then has to turn back to the light, because Jackie can never really be a villain (though I did love the moments when he is going that way here). And it is too bad they do draw back from it, because the film is at it’s best watching the darkening of Steelhead’s soul. He is a man who has given up everything to find the girl he loves, including the village he loves, and even the ability to return to his own country, and when he finds her married to a Japanese mobster, he gives up all his ideals, ready to kill for power. Sure he still wants to do it for his friends, but their is still that loss of his morality when he goes from never doing illegal acts or taking people’s money when he hasn’t worked, to willing to break the law. And it is when that gets pulled back from that the film starts to lose it’s charm, but it does end with a huge yakuza fight, so that does partially make up for it. And a great Chinese and Japanese cast and compelling story help to make this an enjoyable film, that could have been better, but is still very worth checking out.

Steelhead (Jackie Chan Sing Lung) is a Chinese farmer, who lived happily in his village, until the love of his life Xiu Xiu (Xu Jinglei) loses touch after her aunt dies in Japan, and he goes to find her, sneaking into Japan illegally. He sneaks into Tokyo, and finds his childhood friend Jie (Daniel Wu) and his friends, including Dai (the great Ken Lo, formerly Jackie’s personal Bodyguard) and Lao Gewi (the great Lam Suet), who all live together and do any work they can to survive. Steelhead and Jie do any work they can get, working in a dump, or wherever. When Steelhead saves Hong Kong Boy (Chin Kar-Lok) at the dump, he gives Steelhead a bunch of illegal calling cards, and Steelhead starts to see the underbelly of Japanese society. Meanwhile there is a bit of a power struggle going on within the Yakuza because of the death of a leader, and Mob bosses Taro Watagawa (Kurata Yasuaki) and Toshinari Eguchi (Kato Masaya) vie for power. Steelhead and his friends are working in the sewers when the cops show up, led by Inspector Kitano (the great Takenaka Naoto who I will never forget for his role in Shall We Dance). Kitano chases Steelhead, but when he falls into the water, Steelhead saves the cop, who cannot swim, and the cop looks for Steelhead to settle his debt.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…

Working on an odd job, Steelhead manages to save a club owner and hostess named Lily (Fan Bing Bing) but refuses to take her money as a reward, having done what he felt was right.

Steelhead is working at a club, when he sees his old girlfriend Xiu Xiu, now known as Yuko, and the wife of the Yakuza boss Eguchi. After this Ironhead goes out drinking with Jie, and they go and get hookers, as Steelhead has broken and his morals are now gone, as he has lost everything now. We learn he lost his papers on the way there, so he can never go back to China, and now he knows the whole reason for him coming is moot, as Xiu Xiu is married.

Steelhead’s attempt to be good is over, and he starts selling illegal calling cards, and stealing purses, and starts dating the hostess owner Lily, and introduces her to his friends. He decides they all need to start losing Chinese, and she promises to help them.

They know Jie does not want to do anything illegal, so they all buy him a cart so he can sell roasted chestnuts, and he goes out and flirts with a Chinese girl, whose father Uncle Tak (Paul Cun Pui) beats him up and steals his cart. Steelhead goes to get car, ripping down a Chinese forbidden sign, and smash up the club, and steals back the cart. Steelhead is almost caught, but he is let go by Inspector Kitano, who gives him his card, and lets him go.

Jie’s bad luck continues, when the Taiwanese Triad leader Gao Jie (Jack Kao) find a tampered with pachinko machine that the Chinese are making money with. Dai leaves it for a minute and has Jie watch it, he is caught, having his face badly cut, and his right hand cut off and cooked in his cart, before Steelhead and his men can get him back.

Steelhead goes with a sword for revenge to kill Gao Jie, but he sneaks him and hears them plotting to kill Eguchi with orders from the head of the Yakuza. Steelhead helps Eguchi escape, and agrees to kill Eguchi’s 2 main rivals in the Yakuza in exchange for Gao Jie’s territories in Shinjuki, and he gets them, and meets Xiu Xiu/Yuko who is happily married with a lovely daughter. Eguchi’s right hand is getting pissed that the Chinese are getting so much, and is doubting Eguchi because of his actions, though he is now the Yakuza boss.

Steelhead tells the Chinese that he does not want them to be illegal, and not do the illegal things that Gao’s gang did, and he does not want to take protection money, though Uncle Tak convinces him he must. Steelhead starts a construction business, gets his papers, and spends his time with Lily, but his gang does not agree, especially Jie who sells drug, and has all the punk newcomers join his gang.

Steelhead gets a visit by Inspector Kitano, who settles his life debt by telling Steelhead about his gang’s wrong doing’s, and telling him he is considered the biggest Triad leader in Japan. He wants evidence against Eguchi, and he knows who Steelhead killed. Lily wants Steelhead to leave with her for Brazil, but he refuses, and she leaves him, and gets Kitano to go with him, he wants to confront the gang.

Jie, now a punk with white hair, again hits on Uncle Tak’s daughter, beating the hell out of her boyfriend when he tries to stop him.

Eguchi gets questioned about the Chinese by one of the elder Yakuza bosses, but he finds them useless, and honors his promises.

Eguchi’s right hand betrays him, and goes to Gao.

Eguchi is meanwhile with Jie to hire his people to murder for him, and settle up the Yakuza.

Steelhead and Kitano go to the gang to confront them, and Eguchi and Jie are there. He says that Eguchi has betrayed them, and he was only trying to make them safe, not into a Triad.. Kitano’s gun ends up getting grabbed by Jie, and Hongkong boy gets killed, as Eguchi’s right hand and Gao’s gang attack with rocks, and then rush the building.

A huge bloody fight ensues. Eguchi gets killed, and gives Steelhead, all the info to take down the Yakuza who betrayed him. Steelhead and Kitano run, and cops come and Kitano is safe. Steelhead calls Xiu Xiu to try to get her to safety, but Eguchi’s men are there, and they betray him, and stealhead is shot, but Kitano and his men kill Eguchi’s betrayer as well.

Steelhead sneaks off bleading into the sewer, and Kitano follows him. Steelhead gives Kitano Eguchi’s info to bust the Triad, and then floats off into the sewer, having done right.

••••

This could have been much better and more interesting, perhaps without Chan, who seems to not allow his character to get as dark as it should since he does go bad, but then refuses to go too bad, even though he has already become a hired assassin. And maybe someone else could have pulled it off better, but then it would not have been as big as a Jackie Chan film. Still I think it is the fact that it is a Jackie Chan film that raised the expectations a bit too high. I mean look at this cast, and it does have a cool premise, so allot is expected, and it is enjoyable, just not as good as it could have been.

A must see for all Hong Kong movie fans.