To Hell With the Devil (1982) | Hong Kong Movie World film review

To Hell With the Devil (1982)

Golden Harvest

Cast: Ricky Hui, Stanley Fung Shui Fan, Paul Chun Pui, Nat Chan,

Cameo: Chung Fat, John Ladalski, John Shum

Director: John Woo

Genre: Comedy | Supernatural

"What's a soul? Just a toilet paper"

To Hell With the Devil Ricky Hui, Paul Chun Pui- To Hell With the Devil

John Woo's allegory on Christianity, Heaven and Hell. Mostly annoying and unfunny, of note

mostly for its historical significance in Woo's development as a director. Ricky Hui plays

a down and out musician named "Bruce Lee". In an act of desperation, he sells his sorry soul

to the Devil and is transformed into a successful pop star. When the Devil's aide (played by

Stanley Fung Shui Fan), comes to collect, an intervening priest (Paul Chun Pui) who had

committed suicide is given the chance to redeem himself; returning to Earth to help undo the

devilish deed. "God" is a bearded Anglo who speaks from the clouds.

To Hell With the Devil can be classified as "mo lei tau" (nonsense) comedy. The final, and

best scene, is a protracted battle between Chun Pui and Fung Shui Fan that borrows from

the classic arcade game Space Invaders. John Woo, himself a Christian, would explore the

good/evil dynamic to better effect in his later films. It's difficult to discern what he was trying to

say in this one.

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Related viewing: From Riches To Rags (1980) Ricky Hui, Director: John Woo

Heaven Can't Wait (1995) Jordan Chan, Tony Leung