Director and Casts Producer/ Director: Benny Chan Action Director: Sammo Hung Cast: Eddie Peng Yuan Sean Lau Louis Koo Wu Jing Review This martial art action film takes on the theme of the good prevailing over the evil, set in the chaotic warring periods of warlords after the Qing Dynasty collapsed giving way to the founding of the Chinese republic in 1911. It is a tale, as with many in a similar genre, in which justice finally triumphed, with huge loss of lives, when heroes rose to the call of the occasion. The film is supported by a cast of award-winning stars.
I usually avoid martial art films because of their trite story lines, often told with exaggeration of incredible human spirit and unconvincing martial art flicks. This martial art film, however, actually held me spellbound, continuously engaging me emotionally and visually from one scene to another, enhanced by the rousing music and some spectacular scenes, epic and inspiring at times. I particularly like the memorable scene of the crumbling mountain of jars on which two martial art adversaries fought ferociously, though I found the outcome of the life-and-death duel ludicrously weird when the winning adversary sacrificed himself to save his opponent in the avalanche of falling jars.
The story was set in the remote village of Puchung, with the upright and stubborn Sheriff, played by Sean Lau (刘青云), in charge. The psychopathic son of the warlord Cao, played by Louis Koo (古天乐), dropped by at the village and killed a villager, a teacher and a child. The Sheriff pronounced a death sentence on Cao’s son to be carried out the next day. Cao’s men and soldiers, led by Wu Jing (吴京) came to rescue Cao’s son, who preferred to sit through the night in the prison cell to see how his ‘game’ would play out. The village’s officials and ordinary folks pleaded with the Sheriff to release Cao’s son to spare them and the village to live another day. The Sheriff rather resigned then to violate his principle, and Cao’s son was released. However, the village was not spared and hell broke loose. The heroes of the village responded rose to the occasion, assisted by a wandering vagabond played by Eddie Peng (彭于晏).
Do note that the film is coded NC 16 owing to the violent and sometimes gory contents. However, you need not be 16 to close your eyes to many of these vividly gory scenes if they are disturbing to watch. Produced and directed by Benny Chan with action direction by Sammo Hung, I will rate this film 3.5 out of 5 on the whole. Showing in cinema from 18 Aug 2016.
The event was well received. Many fans of Siwon Choi came screaming
out loud when he appeared together with Director Dante Lam. Two ladies were
selected from the audience to participate in the cycling games with both Siwon
Choi and Dante Lam cheering them on.
This is my first time seeing Siwon Choi in person. I find
him friendly, jovial and has the ability to bond with the audience. That makes
this event a fun one. Thanks to Clover Films Singapore, I was invited for
the cocktail reception and watch from the front of the VIP stand. Siwon Choi can actually converse in limited Mandarin. His spoken English
is excellent.
My Photos taken at the Event
Gala Premiere Stage located at the outdoor area of Plaza Singapura Shopping Centre.
The compere choosing two person from the audience to participate in the cycling game with Siwon Choi. In front is the VIP stand where media personnel were located.
I was facing Siwon Choi as he gave encouragement to the participating lady.
Siwon Choi charmed his fan and audience. Naturally his female fans screamed.
Siwon Choi and Director Dante Lam taking a wefie together with the audience.
Siwon Choi offering his jacket to cover the participant legs when she does the cycling game. She was wearing a skirt.
A painting presented to Director and Siwon Choi
Take photo with the two lady participants in the cycling game.
A nice hug from Siwon Choi.
My Video recorded during the Gala Premiere Event
Casts
From award-winning Hong Kong director, Dante Lam 林超贤, featuring Pan-Asian cast Eddie Peng 彭于晏
from Taiwan, Shawn Dou 窦骁 and Wang Luodan 王珞丹 from China,
Siwon Choi 崔始源 from South Korea, and Carlos Chan 陈家乐
from Hong Kong, the movie opens in Singapore theaters on 6th August!
Synopsis
The domestique forces an opening. The escort and support
cover. The sprinter seizes the advantage - strikes To The Fore. A professional
cycling team moves with the speed and power of military Special Forces. Each
member plays a tactical role, motivated by a single strategy. Victory belongs
to the team, not the individual.
Race after race, the storied Radiant team, led by the
brilliant Korean attacker Zheng Zhiyuan, has become the virtual enemy of all
cycling teams. While training, Zheng’s explosive technique and power blow away
the rookies Chou Ming and Qiu Tian. They agree to become Zheng’s domestiques to
lead the assault on the road for him, creating finish line opportunities. The
perfect coordination of the three riders defeats Radiant’s archrival Phantom.
When Zheng receives all the accolades of victory for himself, Chou and Qiu
realize that there’s only one winner, in spite of their team effort. As
domestiques, they’ll never be number one. One year later, Chou and Qiu strike
out on their own, each becoming a sprinter, competing head on with Zheng. But
because of their own teams’ weak domestiques, they are defeated at each turn.
Haunted and trapped between the demons of victory and defeat, the two riders’
paths spiral downward, with no second changes.
After years of aimless wandering, Chou crosses paths with
his old teammate Qiu, now down and out, and Radiant’s former team mentor in
Taiwan. Their camaraderie rekindles a lost but not forgotten passion for
racing. The three form an amateur cycling team, to fight again from the bottom.
Chou and Tian no longer compete with each other to be sprinter, instead they
rediscover the pleasure and thrill of riding in the old days. When Zheng finds
out that Chou and Qiu are competing in a local race, he shows up with his
world-class Radiant to wage war on the amateurs, to the shock of the cycling
world. The once perfect team of three is once again in competition. This time,
however, Chou and Qiu, wiser and more agile than ever, have the ability to
alternate between sprinter and domestique, as fighting partners. Can they break
down the headwinds and overcome Zheng’s prowess to create a miracle?
Review
This is a film of friendship, love, sacrifice, grit,
hopelessness and foul play wove into the excitement and challenges of
competitive cycling. Added to all these are the awe-inspiring backdrops: the
mountainous Taiwanese terrain, the vast arid land of Mongolia and the European
landscapes. The excitement of the
cycling races is enhanced by the pounding music, interspersed by colliding
bicycles when the races turn ugly.
There are good values thrown in too - work hard to fulfill
your dream, make sacrifice for those you love, and never give up your friends
who have fallen by the way and ultimately, everything will work out right. It
too good to be true, but really who cares as long as you feel good at the end.
And if you are a fan of Si-Won, you will not be disappointed, for everything
you want to believe about him just comes true.
Not forgetting the awesome theme song sung by JJ Lin.
Rating
This is a must watch movie. Why not spend time with your family to watch this movie during the Jubilee weekend. I shall rate it at 4.5/5. Started showing on
6 Aug 2015 in the cinema near you.
Trailer
The Making of To The Fore
Movie Theme Song by JJ Lin
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