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The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

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The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon
Theatrical poster
Traditional Chinese周處除三害
Directed byWong Ching-po
Screenplay byWong Ching-po
Produced byLee Lieh
Wong Ching-po
StarringEthan Juan
Ben Yuen
Chen Yi-wen
Gingle Wang
Lee Lee-zen
Cherry Hsieh
CinematographyJimmy Wong[1]
Edited byWong Ching-po[1]
Music byLuming Lu
Lin Hsiao-Chin
Lin Sih-yu
Baobu Badulu
Production
company
An Attitude Production
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • 6 October 2023 (2023-10-06) (Taiwan)
Running time
134 minutes
CountryTaiwan
LanguageMandarin
BudgetNTD$60,000,000[2]

The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon (Chinese: 周處除三害) is a 2023 Taiwanese black comedy action thriller film directed and written by Hong Kong director Wong Ching-po and stars Ethan Juan, Ben Yuen, Chen Yi-wen, Gingle Wang, Lee Lee-zen, and Cherry Hsieh in lead roles, with Juan portraying a dying hitman endeavoured to eliminate the country's two most wanted criminals before his own demise. The film was theatrically released on 6 October 2023, in Taiwan.

Synopsis

Chen Kui-lin, a notorious hitman in Taiwan, infiltrates a funeral and shoots down a high-ranking gang boss. Police detective Chen Hui is surveiling the funeral, and spots Kui-lin fleeing the scene. Chen Hui pursues him and the two engage in a fight, but Kui-lin overpowers Chen, causing him to lose an eye. Kui-lin manages to escape unharmed.

Four years later, Dr. Chang, an underworld doctor, approaches the long-hiding Kui-lin and informs him that he has stage IV lung cancer. Motivated by his impending death, Kui-lin decides to turn himself in at a nearby police station. However, the police officers did not recognize him and rudely order him to wait in line. He discovers that he is ranked only third on the country's most-wanted list, behind the renowned criminals "Hongkie" and "Bullhead." Determined to accomplish something significant, Kui-lin resolves to eliminate these two major criminals during the final stage of his life.

Kui-lin's first target is Hongkie, and learns from Dr. Chang that Hongkie was hiding in a hair salon in Taichung. Kui-lin spends the entire night spying on Hongkie from a hotel across the street. He witnesses Hongkie manipulating Hsiao-mei, the salon owner, and forcing her into a sexual relationship. The next morning, Kui-lin attempts to speak with Hsiao-mei but is discovered by Hongkie. Hongkie revealed that he had noticed Kui-lin spying on him all night but had mistaken his intentions, thinking he was interested in Hsiao-mei. Realizing he had been exposed, Kui-lin launches an assault on Hongkie when he attempts to rape Hsiao-mei and kept his subordinates away. However, Hongkie manages to escape Kui-lin's ambush, and the two continue their fight all the way to a deserted warehouse, where Kui-lin deals a fatal blow to Hongkie. Afterwards, he returns to the salon to rescue Hsiao-mei and kill the rest of Hongkie's men. He leaves Hsiao-mei by the sea and instructs her to tell the police that he killed Hongkie.

Kui-lin traces Bullhead to the "New Soul Society," a new religious movement, and travels to the society's commune in Penghu. While attending a lecture by His Holiness, the leader of the society, Kui-lin vomits black liquid and collapses. During his recovery, His Holiness tells him that Bullhead had died many years ago, and shows Kui-lin his grave. Now devoid of purpose, Kui-lin decides to start a new life at the society, in the hopes of spiritually restoring his health. As part of the society's regulations, he gives away all of his money and posessions to be incinerated. He begins to enjoy his new lifestyle, and is soon informed that his cancer has miraculously gone into remission.

However, during another lecture, a young boy visiting the society with his mother also vomits black liquid and is hospitalized. Kui-lin overhears other acolytes discussing poisoning the boy, and witnesses His Holiness manipulate the boy's mother into joining the society. Suspicious, Kui-lin goes to His Holiness's private quarters and discovers a secret trapdoor leading to a lavish apartment, along with a room filled with the confiscated possessions of the society's members. He confronts His Holiness during the initiation ceremony for the boy's mother, but is subdued, stabbed, and buried alive by his disciples.

Kui-lin manages to escape from his coffin. He finds and excavates Bullhead's grave, only to find that it is empty except for a single photograph of Bullhead and his mother. From the photo, Kui-lin recognizes that His Holiness is Bullhead in disguise. He digs up the gun he had buried earlier and returns to the temple. After exposing His Holiness's identity and past to the cult members, Kui-lin kills him. When the rest of the cult rallies behind His Holiness's second-in-command, Kui-lin shoots each of them one by one. Having completed his mission, Kui-lin turns himself in to Chen Hui, and is subsequently arrested.

In prison, Kui-lin is visited by Dr. Chang. She reveals that he never had cancer in the first place, and that the CT scan she showed him was of her own lungs. She tells him that she wanted to do a good deed by manipulating Kui-lin into turning himself in, although she never expected him to kill Hongkie and Bullhead. She reflects that society now has three less criminals to worry about, and that Kui-lin finally has the notoriety he always wanted. Kui-lin, seemingly content with his situation, responds that he was lucky to fall for her lie.

Chen Hui invites Hsiao-mei to shave Kui-lin one last time, and they share a tearful goodbye. For his crimes, Kui-lin is sentenced to death. When asked for his final words, he states that he is sorry for society, and is executed by firearm.

Cast

  • Ethan Juan as Chen "The Kuilin Kid" Kui-lin: a notorious hitman who intended to hunt down the two most wanted criminals of the country before he died from lung cancer.[3]
  • Ben Yuen as Hsu "Hongkie" Wei-chiang: the No.2 most wanted criminal and a Cantonese-speaking brute originated from Hong Kong.[4]
  • Chen Yi-wen as Lin "Bullhead" Lu-ho / Your Holiness: the No.1 most wanted criminal and a mass murderer who reinvented himself as a cult leader.[4]
  • Gingle Wang as Cheng Hsiao-mei: a young hair salon owner who was coerced into a relationship with Hongkie.[3]
  • Lee Lee-zen as Chen Hui: a detective who was determined to hunt down Chen Kui-lin.[3]
  • Cherry Hsieh as Dr. Chang Kuei-ching: an underworld doctor and an acquaintance of Chen Kui-lin.[5]

Also appearing in the film are Troy Liu as Goldie, a young gangster who idolizes Chen Kui-lin;[6] Peggy Tseng as Hsiao Hsiang-Hsiang, Bullhead's mistress and second-in-command;[7] Yu An-shun as a deceased man whose identity was stolen by Bullhead.[7] Hong Kong actors Benjamin Tsang and Ben Cheung appear as the sidekicks of Hongkie.[8][9] Cheng Yu-Chieh cameo as Dr. Chao, a medical doctor who cooperates with Bullhead to lure new disciples.[10]

Production

After producing Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, Hong Kong director Wong Ching-po found himself lacking fresh filming ideas centered around Hong Kong.[11] In 2019, through a mutual friend, Wong met Taiwanese producer Lee Lieh and presented three story concepts to her. Among them, Lee became intrigued by the idea that eventually evolved into The Pig, The Snake, and The Pigeon.[12] Wong finalized the screenplay draft in August 2020, initially titled Crime and Punishment.[12] The story was later retitled as The Pig, The Snake, and The Pigeon, with reference to the Chinese historical figure Zhou Chu.[7] The film was funded by the Taichung Film Development Foundation, as filming primarily took place in Taichung,[13] with Lyu-Chuan Canal and Jingming Commercial District being among the locations used.[14]

Release

The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon was theatrically released on 6 October 2023, in Taiwan.[15] The film was also made available on the streaming service Netflix later on 1 March 2024.[16]

Reception

Box office

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon achieved a total gross of over NTD$47,000,000 in Taiwan.[17] Upon its release in March 2024, it quickly rose to the top of the box office in Mainland China, grossing approximately RMB$417,000,000 (NTD$1,820,000,000) by the first weekend.[18]

Critical response

Edmund Lee of South China Morning Post gave the film 3/5 stars and acknowledges the film's enegertic vibes and sympathetic portrayal of its protagonist, but suggests that it may not be universally entertaining as the plot is perplexing and characters like Hsiao-mei and Chen Hui are underdeveloped.[3] Han Cheung of Taipei Times appreciated the film for its compelling character study, highlighted by Ethan Juan's great performance, and the intriguing approach to the gangster genre which avoided excessive reliance on action scenes. However, Cheung also pointed out flaws such as underdeveloped supporting characters and scenes that lack believability.[19] John Lui of The Straits Times, offering a rather negative review, criticized the messy narrative, abrupt tonal shifts, and the absence of stylish visuals that could have complemented the film's dark themes. However, he did acknowledge the film's exploration of morality and nihilism as a positive aspect.[20]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2023 60th Golden Horse Awards Best Director Wong Ching-po Nominated [21]
Best Film Editing Nominated
Best Actor Ethan Juan Nominated
Best Visual Effects Tomi Kuo, Hulk Chen and Gareth Wang Nominated
Best Sound Effects Book Chien, Chen Jia-li, Yang Jia-shen and Tang Hsiang-chu Nominated
Best Action Choreography Scott Hung Won
Best Original Film Score Luming Lu, Lin Hsiao-chin, Lin Sih-yu and Baobu Badulu Nominated
2024 5th Taiwan Film Critics Society Awards Best Film — Pending [22]
Best Screenplay Wong Ching-po Pending
Best Actor Ethan Juan Pending
42nd Hong Kong Film Awards Best Asian Chinese Language Film — Pending [23]

References

  1. ^ a b "《周處除三害》：山雨欲來的氛圍成功吸引觀眾，但細想會發現故事簡化的缺憾" (in Chinese). The News Lens. 12 October 2023. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  2. ^ 呂嘉鴻 (12 March 2024). "台灣電影《周處除三害》為何在中國大陸拿下票房冠軍" (in Chinese). BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Marsh, James (10 October 2023). "The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon movie review: Taiwanese crime thriller directed by Hong Kong's Wong Ching-po is energetic if somewhat baffling". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b Tay, Yek Keak (2 November 2023). "The Pig, The Snake And The Pigeon Review: Ethan Ruan Rocks As Born-Again Assassin In Uneven, Unconventional Gangster Thriller". Today. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  5. ^ Cheung, Han (13 October 2023). "Movie review: The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon". Taipei Times. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  6. ^ 粘湘婉 (27 September 2023). "阮經天《周處除三害》被剪成禿頭 挑戰瘋癲惡徒拍到崩潰喊：不想做了" (in Chinese). Want Weekly. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Hsieh, Allie (8 October 2023). "《周處除三害》亮點＋角色一次看！王淨、阮經天、李李仁、陳以文…「神級卡司」瘋魔對決！" (in Chinese). Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  8. ^ @benjamin_tsang (7 February 2024). "周處除三害 #周處除三害 #鴨咀帽" – via Instagram.
  9. ^ "44歲前亞視藝人定居台灣　殺入影壇拍《周處除三害》：衝刺事業！" (in Chinese). HK01. 13 November 2023. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  10. ^ Yui (13 October 2023). "國片《周處除三害》不為人知8件事！阮經天主角原型竟是「他」，吳興街槍戰、黑道急救站都真有其事！" (in Chinese). Bella Taiwan. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  11. ^ 何兆彬 (10 November 2023). "《周處除三害》 黃精甫最佳作品 劇本仍然疲弱" (in Chinese). am730. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b 黃于珊 (16 October 2023). "【更新】《周處除三害》導演黃精甫千字文駁抄襲 錢人豪：肆無忌憚掠奪創意". Yahoo! News (in Chinese). Tai Sounds. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  13. ^ 陳世宗 (15 November 2022). "111年「台中拍」獎勵電影揭曉 劇情長片《周處除三害》、《車頂上的玄天上帝》獲選" (in Chinese). China Times. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  14. ^ 許世穎 (7 October 2023). "阮經天飾通緝犯全台趴趴走！台中知名地標成關鍵要點" (in Chinese). Liberty Times. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  15. ^ Lin, Ollie (20 November 2023). "《周處除三害》 阮經天入圍影帝必看！6大看點：《艋舺》後回歸李烈監製新作、陳以文根本邪教教主本人" (in Chinese). Tatler Asia. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  16. ^ "《周處除三害》中國優先場獲好評　上映前突改「閹割版」觀眾傻眼" (in Chinese). Mirror Media. 29 February 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  17. ^ 王心妤 (13 March 2024). "周處除三害中國爆紅傳台灣團隊無法分潤 製作公司否認" (in Chinese). Central News Agency. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  18. ^ Frater, Patrick (5 March 2024). "China Box Office: Taiwanese Crime Film 'The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon' Opens on Top, Ahead of 'Madame Web'". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  19. ^ Cheung, Han (13 October 2024). "Movie review: The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon". Taipei Times. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  20. ^ Lui, John (1 November 2023). "At The Movies: Crime drama The Pig, The Snake And The Pigeon offers violent thrills and dark humour". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  21. ^ Lee, Edmund (4 October 2023). "Golden Horse Awards 2023 nominations: Time Still Turns The Pages, In Broad Daylight lead Hong Kong contenders at Taiwan film event once again shunned by Beijing". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  22. ^ "第五屆台灣影評人協會獎入圍名單 《老狐狸》獲6項大滿貫入圍" (in Chinese). Tavis. 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  23. ^ Lee, Edmund (7 February 2024). "Hong Kong Film Awards 2024 nominations in full: In Broad Daylight leads the race with 16 nods, followed by Time Still Turns the Pages and The Goldfinger". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
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