Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

poe426 THROW DOWN is unquestionably filmmaking of the highest caliber and Johnnie To is one of those filmmakers whose movies deserve much more attention than they ever seem to get here in the west. Like John Woo, To has a very distinctive voice, although I think that To is a tad more versatile. There are echoes of Kurosawa throughout THROW DOWN, as one might expect from what amounts to a homage, but To doesn't simply emulate the greatest filmmaker of them all: he tips his hat while at the same time infusing this moving martial arts drama with its own distinctive feel. It's about blindness of all kinds: the characters seem to be trapped each in their own particular vacuum and, while running away from, say, their past, they are at the same time running TOWARD their future(s). There's an amazing three-way conversation that takes place in a nightclub, with overlapping and intertwining dialogue, that has to be seen to be appreciated. THROW DOWN is as much about blindness and transcendental beauty as it is about judo. As someone pointed out to me years ago: one must first learn to fall.

skischool2 I have gone into this film very excited as I have become a Johnnie To fan only recently. After seeing both Election movies and PTU, I have been totally amazed at the quality of director he is and how good his films can be. Throw Down continues my fan-ship of Mr To in style. I have always felt that wires and stunt doubles ruin films, no matter what the genre, and this is something Mr To seems to share with me. The fighting style of Judo is perfect for the physical aspect of the film. The actors can get close and throw each other to the ground without need of propelling themselves over bamboo trees, which is great.The three main leads, Sze-To, Tony and Mona are pretty good. Though Mona seems to aimlessly wonder through the film and really only serve as a third wheel at times, she is a nice enough support for the muscle of the film. Louise Koo is amazing as Sze-To, the former champ turned club owner. His drunken and dazed, followed by angered and determined emotions are all portrayed brilliantly. I was even surprised by Aaron Kwok, who is great as the eager Judo fighter, travelling from fight to fight, and spurring Sze-To into his renewed sense of fight.The photography is spot on. The massive fight in the club is so perfectly filmed and cut with the Japanese vocal that it was a joy to watch. Even the simple scenes of clubs, night life, computer games room, restaurant, are all magnificently shot. And then, as if the film were not good enough already, the soundtrack, sound editing, production design (such as the Ext Judo Championship scene) and the screenplay are all as good as you could want. The first hour and ten minutes had me on the edge of my seat. The following twenty minutes had a more mysterious, what can happen now, feel, but it is all just perfect.If you haven't seen a Johnny To film, this might be a good starting point, but be warned, he makes no excuses and feels no obligation to explain anything about anything, it's often left to the viewer to determine the why and the how. This, for me, is what film-making is all about.

CamelCamelCamel I expected a clichéd Rocky-like ('underdog fights his way to the top against all odds!') melodrama from the plot description, and was very glad to discover that the Judo only holds a very marginal role in a movie that's driven by its characters. And to make it even more unique is a very cheeky sense of silliness - only once or twice does Throwdown take itself seriously, and, contrary to just about every other Hong Kong movie I've ever seen, the drama doesn't get confused (or overblown to the point of embarrassing melodrama) in the translation. At times it's very subtle (again, alien to most Hong Kong movies I've seen) and poignant, in addition to sometimes being very funny.And as for the acting, I don't believe I'd seen Louis Koo act before, but I think this was a fine introduction. The same goes for Cherrie Ying, who nearly steals the show with her performance that's in tune with Faye Wong's in Chungking Express (read: so cute you just want to wear her as a hat). And Aaron Kwok, I believe I'll have to reevaluate my apparently unfair opinion of him. He was excellent -- both funny and intense, and fully convincing as a brawler (let's see an American pop singer get the same review).Anyway, if you expect a somber action movie, I can see where you might be disappointed. Personally, I'm very pleased to know of a movie that's so relentlessly fun and charming.

Musashi Zatoichi Award-winning director Johnnie To is back in action with his recent release Throw Down, which stars heart-throbs Aaron Kwok and Louis Koo in judo-flopping scenes. Ex-judo champion Sze-to (Louis Koo) mysteriously retires from the sport and becomes a pub manager until "Leather Jacket" Tony (Aaron Kwok), a spirited judo fighter, revitalizes his fighting desires and challenges him to a match. But there's more to win than just the champion title; Mona, a Taiwanese girl (Cherrie Ying) working at Sze-to's pub, charms both fighters with her singing and dancing skills. Pub manager/band leader Sae-To was once the greatest Judo fighter around until he unexpectedly gave up the sport for no apparent reason. Nowadays Sze-To lives the life of an alcoholic gambler with no hope for the futre, until cocky Judo enthusiast Tony shows up at the door and challenges Sze-To into a due; Old foe Kong demands finishing the match that never took place years ago; Sze-To's mentor Master Cheng ask him to man age his rundown Dojo...