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I literally just ran an article a few hours ago about Andy On (Hunt the Wicked) being underrated and currently employing beast mode as the martial arts action star has been killing it over the last few years. On is set to star in the crime-thriller Ultimate Revenge and now we have another pulverizing beatdown of a flick to recommend in To Live Through Death. On teams up with another underrated star of Asian Action Cinema in Louis Fan who is best known for his decades long work in actioners like the cult classic Ricky Oh: The Story of Ricky, Righting Wrongs, the Ip Man franchise and most recently VR Fighter.
Fen and On make one hell of a crime fighting super team in this crackling thriller about a reformed convict teaming up with a veteran cop to take down a human trafficking ring on a Pacific island when the former’s daughter is kidnapped. Blunt force trauma and non-stop bone breaking ensues with hard hitting action design and two legends demonstrating why they have been the best in the business for years. Take a look at the trailer below!
Official Synopsis: After a tragic loss of his family, Chen, an ex criminal changes his face with cosmetic surgery and becomes a cook in a restaurant. Fifteen years later a woman asks him for help against human traffic gangs.
To Live Through Death recently hit the awesome HI-YAH! streaming service which Well Go USA operates so this one slipped under my radar as there was no announcement. This one had an initial release date of July 31st, 2024, in China and now has finally made its way here to the states courtesy of the fine folks over at Well Go USA. This is certainly a sleeper hit as I just watched it today and the movie is loaded with sensational, brutal, authentic MMA style close quarters combat infused with extreme martial arts action that is unrivaled. Mixed with some ferocious firepower to boot, and this one is certainly worth a watch. Fan and On make for one hell of a potent duo and they both execute more than their fair share of precision empty handed brutality.
The plot is subservient to the action but does an adequate job in sympathizing Fan’s character of Lao Chen who has been put through the ringer in life. There’s enough human drama here to make the action hit hard and On is more than up to the task to compliment Fan as cop on the edge Can. There are layers to be had here when it comes to both protagonists and bad blood as well as the two don’t actually get along at first.
On the other side, On displays a yin-yang juxtaposition to Can that is worthy of his talents. He’s certainly a flawed hero and has done some unscrupulous things but the redemption arc is welcoming and hits the right notes when warranted. Like Chen, Can has been through a lot and it has warped him in many ways.
Written and directed by first time filmmaker Ren Gao Liang, who was one of the cinematographers of the long delayed Hidden Strike featuring Jackie Chan and John Cena, the film is laced with a grime and grit that authenticates the savage action onscreen. Liang might be new to the genre from what I can see, but he certainly has a future as even with the rough edges, the film deploys a non-nonsense, in your face vibe that might be unsettling to some but for hardcore action fans looking for their next fix, this one checks the boxes.
In terms of flaws, the script is generic and a little lazy as we’ve all seen this before runs through the head upon viewing and the points that connect A to B are a little redundant. Action films have a tendency to over think the simple and some of what transpires between characters ultimately comes off as rushed and absurd as it all comes full circle in nonsensical ways. This was, at first, a QIYI streaming premiere which is essentially the Chinese version of Netflix, so the budget dies show its ugly head from time to time. Like Netflix, QIYI originals are more hit than miss, but with this one, the hits strike harder than the misses and at the end of the day, the two leads elevated the property with their bravado and skills.
Fan’s character of Chen goes through a weird form of plastic surgery that is definitely not on the up and up when it comes to reality. Chen employs his uncle who is a doctor to do the procedure, and it is almost laughable as he only uses needles to do the trick. there is no major equipment used and I believe there wasn’t even any anesthetic given. It’s a clear WTF moment but one that is forgotten when the action hits. To make it more absurd, he literally gets into a tussle right after and there are no long-lasting effects. It’s, without a doubt, a suspend disbelief plot point but one that I had no problem in doing.
In terms of action, there ais plenty and once again, the Asian action market demonstrates just how superior they are to the west. Yes, North America has excelled over the last few decades, but Asisa is and will always be where it’s at. Stand out sequences range from a bombastic restaurant exchange between On and Fan which is a blistering assault of fluid, brutal choreography as the two essentially kill a kitchen. Gotta love the kitchen fights in action movies. they do offer a wide arrange of weaponry to be used and clever spacing issues for the combatants. The finale is a must also as the action is fierce and kinetic and while there is some shaky cam utilized, the action still comes off clean and recognizable.
Other highlights involve the aforementioned clinic fight which hits at the beginning which makes an initial impact as well as a balcony altercation where the two anti-heroes deal it out with several assailants. The finale is extended and it might go on for too long, but you’ll never hear me complain as too many times, action films over here are wrapped up way too quickly and are over before they even start. It certainly speaks for the endurance these actors have as it is a marathon of blood, broken bones and gratuitous violence as a direct result of the flawless execution of film fighting that is on display.
Overall, To Live Through Death isn’t the end all be all of action cinema, but it did what I wanted it to do. The plot is nonsensical at times and the suspend disbelief meter must be pushed to the limit, but the stars rope it all in and deliver the goods. Louis Fan and Andy On signal why they have made it in this business for decades and each one rarely disappoints and here it’s like a double blast of legit, master class action. Go in knowing what to expect and you should come out with the sane thoughts I did. If not, then maybe action burnout could be a thing for some people. For me, I’ll never get enough and China is still the reigning king of martial arts action mastery.
VERDICT: 3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Louis Fan and Andy One deploy the right amount of martial arts combat carnage in a routine crime thriller that delivers the right amount of adrenaline and is more banger than bust!
