A wonderful homage to Hong Kong cinema, Stuntman hits all the right notes as it shows us the physical and personal costs of being in the industry – a strong debut for Albert and Herbert Leung.

Washed-up stunt director Lee Sam (Wei Tung) is struggling to find his way in a changing industry to the point he is taking up security guard jobs for his physiotherapy clients. When he is approached to help an old friend film his last action film, he risks the already strained relationship with his estranged daughter Cherry (Cecilia Choi) to redeem himself to his peers.

1980s Hong Kong action cinema held nothing back; everything that happened was as real as it could get for the stunt performers, and those fantastic simultaneously wincing and fist-pumping moments grab you. They are no-holds-barred and influenced the genre for decades to come. But, as cinema slowly pulled back into being stunt-heavy, what happened to those older performers? Albert and Herbert Leung decided to give us a great homage that gave us both action and melodrama it heapfuls.

What happens when a stunt coordinator is known as Heartless Sam and takes his art too seriously to the point that he pushes the health of his stunt team to the absolute limit? Accidents and injuries, that’s what. After a wildly fun opening scene set in the 80s, we see what caused Sam’s move to being cast aside, not only by the industry but also by his daughter.

This brings up one of the central themes of Stuntman: guilt. It runs through this film like water. Be it Sam’s guilt for the accident at the beginning of the film, and the decades-long unresolved issues that he has had. Then, the clear guilt that Sam has in not being there for Cherry and being far too consumed with his films to be there for not only his child but his wife. Yet, he is so ingrained in the ways that he thinks Hong Kong action films should be filmed that he struggles to let go, only compounding his guilt when things worsen.

Then, with Sam’s young sidekick Lee (Terrance Lau), he is racked with guilt over wanting to try and make it as a stunt coordinator despite feeling the pressure from his brother to join him in the family business. His conflict in trying to do the right thing at all times gives us just enough personal drama to feel for him.

What makes Stuntman work as well as it does is the performances. Tung Wai shows all of his talent here as he portrays Sam in such an interesting way. When Cherry sidelines him from her wedding after he disappoints her once too often after their reconnection, you would expect the performance to be angry. However, it is the opposite; he is defeated. Wallowing in his own guilt, the only thing he knows how to do well (perhaps too well) is action scenes, so he places his pent-up frustrations in aiming for perfection with his stunt team. It’s this stubbornness that keeps pulling us into the character as we see a man who wants to change, but damn it, he just doesn’t know how.  

But it isn’t just Tung-Wai who is strong here, with the ever-enthusiastic Terrance Lau bringing the energy whenever it feels like Stuntman may veer towards a lull. Phillip Ng as Leung Chi Wai (a former protege now movie star of Sam’s) plays just as vital a supporting role as he gives us the behind-the-camera glimpse of what it is like to construct action scenes and what the main stars themselves go through.

By never allowing Sam to get away with his stubbornness and making sure there are always repercussions for him in some form, the Leungs force us to see our protagonist for all of his obvious flaws. They continually make smart choices throughout the film. While there is an odd bit of repetition in Sam’s fallings, they ensure it always leads somewhere and is not just a crux to see him struggle. There is always a purpose for either him or other characters to move forward with.

The Leungs also show us how different these Hong Kong action cinema eras are now. Sam wants repetition after repetition until that perfect shot (even in taking out his lead for a stunt double, something these actors would loathe to happen), in comparison to later in the film where he lies about a specific scene just to get around requesting a permit, which of course causes an awful lot of headaches for the producers. His lax look at safety isn’t something that can be accepted now, and it’s very smart of the directors to include moments like this in Stuntman. It allows us to see what these performers go through and how, under no circumstances, you can just wing a big scene as Sam tries to do.

This will be an absolute treat for those who love their Hong Kong cinema. Stuntman is unapologetic in its love for the genre whilst also showing the struggle the genre was in, and, most importantly, the dangers and toil that these fantastic performers endure. It’s a powerful reminder of the risks these performers take, and it’s well worth your time to watch this love letter.

Trinity CineAsia presents Stuntman on Digital platforms from 12 May.

★★★

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