NYAFF13 REVIEW: 大上海 [The Last Tycoon] [2012]

“You have to kill him first” Director Jing Wong’s 大上海 [The Last Tycoon] is an intriguing entry to the period gangster genre that depicts the weight of triad influence in 1930s Shanghai at the cusp of war with an invading Japan. Co-written by Wong, Koon-nam Lui, and Manfred Wong, the plot’s loose inspiration comes from “Big-Eared” Du Yuesheng—a Chinese triad boss who figured into the Second Sino-Japanese War much like his fictional counterpart Cheng Daiqi (Chow Yun-Fat) here. It’s a story about power, honor, and love as we catch glimpses…

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