It was in the 1950s that the Chinese fortress known as Kowloon was abandoned and became a refuge for the homeless, poor, and dispossessed after World War II. Until demolished in 1993, Kowloon Walled City had the highest population density of any spot on Earth. A tiny place (about 6 acres) comprised of hundreds of 10-12 story buildings and thousands of alleys and walkways, some no more than a meter or two wide, it was also dangerous, run by a complex hierarchy of triads and gangs. Without any law enforcement, it was also a hotbed of drugs, prostitution, and every other vice known to humanity.
When young refugee Chan Lok-kwan (Raymond Lam) wins a common brawl and is swindled by Mr. Big (Sammo Hung), he grabs a bag from the thief and runs into the Walled City, hoping that it’s cash and he can set himself up for a peaceful life. Mr Big’s gang won’t follow him into Kowloon, though, knowing that it’s run by a mob boss called Tornado (Louis Koo). Unluckily for Chan, the bag doesn’t contain cash but cocaine, which he promptly tries to sell within the City, incurring the ire of Shin (Terrance Lau) who viciously attacks him as an interloper. Gradually, Chan finds his place in the complex gang world of the Walled City, is befriended by Shin, and becomes a trusted confederate of Tornado.
But Chan isn’t just a refugee and orphan; his family was involved in one of the most notorious gang killings in the local community and members of the greater Hong Kong criminal underworld have sworn a blood oath to impose vengeance for the killings. This sets up a massive collision between Mr. Big’s gang and Tornado’s gang, with Chan in the middle. Fortunately, Chan can fight. In fact, everyone involved in these gangs is a skilled martial artist, notably including Twelfth Master (Tony Wu) who is particularly skilled with blades.
Twilight of the Warrior: Walled City isn’t a historical film, however, it’s unabashedly a martial arts actioner with scene after scene of intense fighting and chaos, to the point where you’ll marvel that the actors didn’t actually get hurt during the stunts. It takes place almost completely within the confines of the Walled City and there’s a corresponding claustrophobic sense that neatly conveys the few options that residents of Kowloon had during the outbreaks of crime and gang warfare.
Ready for another fight, from “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled City”
Underlying all the fights about gang territory are the questions of who owns the actual real estate; the characters know that the Hong Kong authority are planning on tearing down the entire city and possibly compensating land owners for the dispossession. Get ahold of the land and they could get millions from the government even as the city is torn down. But what of the impoverished residents?
The historical reality is that the government of Hong Kong (China) did offer compensation for the 35,000+ residents of Kowloon: Walled City when it was torn down, but while some did okay and resettled in Hong Kong, others were swindled out of their payments or otherwise remained in hiding due to their refugee or illegal status, creating a wave of homelessness that proved even worse. In a lawless community, gangs can impose some sense of order so it’s particularly interesting to have Tornado portrayed as an iron-fisted triad boss but one who is also involved in the welfare of the residents.
Boss v. Boss, Mano-a-Mano, from “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled City”
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled City is an exciting action film with non-stop fighting and violence, a great entry into the Chinese action film canon and one that’s eminently watchable. Every major character is a martial arts film star in their own right, so it’s no surprise that the fight choreography is excellent and quite intense.
Warning: The film includes one scene where a woman is beaten by her partner (who later gets his comeuppance from the gang) and many viewers might find it upsetting because she’s not a martial artist, she’s just a victim of an angry addict.
Other than that one scene, I recommend this as a film to find and enjoy. It’s an exciting way to learn a bit about the history of one of the more interesting places in Asian history while enjoying some excellent martial arts action.
Planet Dave is run by Dave Taylor, who has been writing about film, cars, games, and his lifestyle for many years. He's based in Boulder, Colorado and assures readers he's only occasionally falling into a gravity well or temporal distortion field.
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