Election (2006) Synopsis:
Directed by legendary Hong Kong director Johnnie To, ELECTION is a gripping action thriller set in the secret world of Hong Kong’s triad society and offers a realistic look at what it means to be a gangster in Hong Kong today. The film centres on Hong Kong’s oldest triad, the Wo Shing Society whose senior members are to elect a new chairman, as they must do every two years. Fierce rivalries emerge between the two eligible candidates. Lok, respected by the Uncles, is the favourite to win. But his rival Big D will stop at nothing to win the vote, including going against hundreds of years of Triad tradition and influencing the vote with money and violence. When Wo Shing’s ancient symbol of leadership, the Dragon’s Head Baton, goes missing, a ruthless struggle for power erupts and the race to retrieve the Baton threatens to tear Wo Shing in two.
Election (2006) Movie Review:
Johnny To's Triad drama may feel a little aloof and dry, not to mention confusing, but there's a solid resonance within the story, and a fascinating examination of tradition versus modernism.
"The uncles", the Triad leaders, are debating who should be their new chairman: the steady-handed, old-school Lok (Yam) or the innovative tough-guy Big D (Leung). Both have campaigned for the job, but after Lok wins the vote the question is who will get their hands on the century-old baton. While the young henchmen (Koo, Nick Cheung and Tung) go after the baton, Big D considers starting a rival gang and igniting all-out war. And a tenacious cop (Chiang) figures out a way to lock them all up. For a while at least.
All of this is artfully directed with an underlying tenseness that's brilliantly highlighted by Lo Tayu's insistent, rhythmic guitar score. Scenes of veteran gangsters sitting around tables talking about the old ways are reminiscent of The Sopranos in their matter-of-fact style and darkly funny banter. It's a relatively simple plot fleshed out by extremely complex characters. Although for all their intriguing depth, we never quite understand the demons that drive them.
Performances are very strong, especially in scenes of raw emotion or hidden ferocity. Yam gets the most intriguing role here; virtually everything Lok does is unexpected, right to the chilling final sequence. And while Leung is very good, Big D emerges as essentially a one-note loose cannon. But we're intrigued enough to want to know his history, especially his past with Lok. Meanwhile, the young men are equally fascinating, and frustratingly vague.
The story unfurls through a bewildering succession of scenes in backrooms, hospitals, police cells, city streets, empty countryside and even a few elegantly interwoven flashbacks to the ancient ceermonies at which their society was formed. As the themes of brotherhood, unity and loyalty emerge, we are drawn into this community in which fraternity should be more important than money. But in the end we wonder if progress has indeed taken its toll.
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Election (2006) review written by: Rich Cline
7th September, 2008 
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