Why Man on the Brink, the original Hong Kong undercover police drama that set the stage for Infernal Affairs and City on Fire, was ahead of its time
- Man on the Brink has largely flown under the radar and it is only now, 40 years after its release, that it is getting the overseas recognition it deserves
- Often billed as the original Hong Kong undercover police drama, it helped pave the way for films such as Infernal Affairs and City on Fire, says film critic
Alex Cheung Kwok-ming’s Man on the Brink (1981) is one of the all-time classics of Hong Kong cinema, but it is only now that the film is getting the overseas recognition it deserves.
The gritty police drama follows a young policeman (played by Eddie Chen) who descends into his own private hell when he takes an assignment as an undercover cop working among triads.
The deeper inside the gang he gets, the more isolated he becomes, and he ultimately finds himself trapped by the darkness of the criminal world.
Here we chat with expert on Hong Kong films Frank Djeng about this lesser known masterpiece.
“Man on the Brink” is a bona fide Hong Kong classic, but it’s not very well known, especially abroad. Why has it always been under the radar?
That is a mystery. The film is known in Hong Kong, and it didn’t do too badly at home at the box office. Anyone who grew up in Hong Kong at that time, like me, would know about it.