Blind Detective Explained

Blind Detective
Native Name:
Child:yes
Hide:no
Header:none
T:盲探
S:盲探
P:Máng Tàn
J:Mang4 Taam3
Director:Johnnie To
Producer:Johnnie To
Wai Ka-fai
Screenplay:
Starring:
Music:Hal Foxton Beckett
Cinematography:Cheng Siu-Keung
Editing:Allen Leung
Studio:
Distributor:Media Asia Distributions
Runtime:129 minutes
Country:Hong Kong
China[1]
Language:Cantonese
Budget:HK$85,000,000 (US$10.9 Million)[2]
Gross:US$36,417,038[3]

Blind Detective is a 2013 Cantonese-language action crime romantic comedy film directed by Johnnie To and starring Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng.[4]

The film was shown as part of the Shanghai International Film Festival.[5]

Plot

Forced to leave service after turning blind, former detective Johnston Chong See-tun (Andy Lau) ekes out his living by solving cold cases for police rewards. During a case involving the search for the culprit who throws acid off roofs, he meets an attractive hit team inspector Goldie Ho Ka-tung (Sammi Cheng). When Ho notices Johnston's impressive investigative mind despite lack of vision, she enlists his help in a personal case she is unable to solve on her own. The two work together to solve the case as well as other cold cases.

Cast

Production

Filming of Blind Detective began in the second half of 2011 in Hong Kong. In June 2012, filming halted after Sammi Cheng was diagnosed with Ménière's disease before resuming filming in August 2012.[8] The film held a worship ceremony on 3 September 2012.[9] The music in the film was provided by Canadian television music composer Hal Foxton Beckett.

Release

The film was selected to play as part of the Midnight selection at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival,[10] while it was theatrically released on 4 July 2013 in Hong Kong and China.

Reception

Derek Elley of Film Business Asia gave the film a score of two out of ten, noting a poor script and describing it as "A rare example of a Johnnie To movie in which nothing seems to work, and even at a basic craft level is below the prolific Hong Kong director's usual standards." Neil Young The Hollywood Reporter also gave the film a negative review, calling it a "punishingly overlong, overcooked confection. Stir in frequent helpings of larkish blind-man slapstick and what results is a misshapen and unsatisfying stew of different genres."[11] Lee Marshall of Screen Daily also gave the film a negative review, stating that "Blind Detective is a decidedly minor offering from the director of The Mission and last year’s impressive mainland-set Drug Wars."[12]

Andrew Chan of the Film Critics Circle of Australia wrote, "As a love story, it works, but the film falls flat on the ground with a padded up detective story that will take more than a gallon of gold to convince."[13]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations
CeremonyCategoryRecipientOutcome
43rd Sitges Film Festival[14] Best ActorAndy Lau
50th Golden Horse Film AwardsBest ActressSammi Cheng
33rd Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ScreenplayWai Ka-fai, Yau Nai-hoi, Ryker Chan, Yu Xi
Sammi Cheng
Best Original Film Song Song: Blind Romance (盲愛)Composer: Hal Foxton Beckett, Marc Baril
Lyricist: Lin Xi
Singer: Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng
21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest Actress Sammi Cheng

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blind Detective. Film Business Asia. Elley, Derek. June 27, 2013. May 22, 2013. June 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130609014504/http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/blind-detective. dead.
  2. Web site: http://news.eastday.com/gd2008/e/2012/0319/594979832.html. zh:寰亚发布2012五大新片 刘德华郑秀文再聚首. Lu Shu. June 27, 2013. zh. March 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130524084739/http://news.eastday.com/gd2008/e/2012/0319/594979832.html. May 24, 2013. dead.
  3. Web site: Blind Detective at Box Office Mojo. 2024-05-27. 2024-05-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20240527033332/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl115049473/weekend/. live.
  4. Web site: Review: BLIND DETECTIVE Lacks Vision Or Clear Direction. Marsh, James. June 27, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130626060008/http://twitchfilm.com/2013/06/review-blind-detective-lacks-vision-or-clear-direction.html. June 26, 2013. dead.
  5. Web site: Blind Detective Review. 2013-07-04. 2013-07-04. HK Neo Reviews. 2021-04-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410110805/http://thehkneo.com/blog/?p=4086. live.
  6. Web site: Blind Detective at HKMDB . 2024-05-27 . 2023-11-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129221806/https://www.hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=15527&display_set=eng . live .
  7. Web site: Blind Detective at chinesemov.com . 2024-05-27 . 2014-12-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141223192809/http://chinesemov.com/2013/Blind-Detective.html . live .
  8. Web site: Sammi Cheng Back to Work with Andy Lau in "Blind Detective. 2013-04-21. 2013-04-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20130401042559/http://www.jaynestars.com/news/sammi-cheng-back-to-work-with-andy-lau-in-blind-detective/. live.
  9. Web site: 《盲探》在港举办开机仪式 郭涛刘德华首度合作. September 4, 2013. June 27, 2013. September 7, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120907073206/http://ent.163.com/12/0904/08/8AHVL2BL000300B1.html. live.
  10. Web site: 2013 Official Selection. 21 April 2013. 21 April 2013. Cannes. 29 April 2013. https://archive.today/20130429232521/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/59652.html. live.
  11. Web site: Blind Detective: Cannes Review. Young, Neil. May 20, 2013. June 27, 2013. The Hollywood Reporter. December 3, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171203205457/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/blind-detective-cannes-review-525557. live.
  12. Web site: Blind Detective. Screen Daily. May 20, 2013. Marshall, Lee. June 27, 2013. June 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130609210255/http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-latest/blind-detective/5056567.article?. live.
  13. Web site: Chan. Andrew. 1 August 2013. BLIND DETECTIVE 盲探 (2013) – HONG KONG. HK Neo Reviews. 8 July 2013. 10 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410110805/http://thehkneo.com/blog/?p=4086. live.
  14. Web site: Sitges 2013 Award Winners Include Borgman, Big Bad Wolves, Escape from Tomorrow, The Colony, 100 Bloody Acres, and Many More.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Blind Detective".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.