The Group (1998) | Hong Kong Movie World: film review

The Group (1998)

Golden Harvest | Fitto Movies Co., Ltd. | Mobile Film Production Limited

Cast: Francis Ng, Alfred Cheung, Almen Wong, Christine Ng, Anthony Wong, Miriam Yeung, Ken Wong,

Kenneth Lo, Duen Wai Lun, Simon Loui, Michael Lam, Zhuang Yong

Cameo: Law Koon Lan, Collin Chou

Music: Marco Wan Choreographer: Dion Lam, Ku Huen Chiu

Writer: Keith Wong, Alfred Cheung, So Man Sing

Producer: Alfred Cheung Director: Alfred Cheung

Genre: Action

"The world needs fools or it's too boring"

The Group Almen Wong

Ugh, this movie blows. I guess I should have known that from the opening credits, when

the name of a whiskey company was listed as co-presenter. Or the spelling of Almen

Wong and Miriam Yeung's names- "Elmen Wong" and "Mirtain Yeung". Mirtain??

There's also a female Olympic Gold medalist in the cast, Zhuang Yong.

The Group is about 7 boys and girls raised in an orphanage who grow up and become

big shots in their respective trades. Alfred Cheung (the producer and director of The

Group) plays a Hong Kong film director. Miriam Yeung is a psychologist and expert

hypnotist, Francis Ng is an electronics whiz, Ken Wong is a playboy doctor, Christine Ng

is a lawyer, and Almen Wong is a tough self defense instructor.

The black sheep of the group, Anthony Wong is a cigar puffing HK gang boss.

ANYWAY.... the seven friends, though busy, are also idle... They're do gooders and like

to help others, like their beloved Father Martin. A mean old landlord is harassing a poor

tenant, so they blackmail him with a video of him raping a female masseuse.

They don't prevent the rape, though.

Father Martin, who raised them in the church orphanage, is killed while doing social work

in famine-stricken Africa. (Real footage of famine victims are used). His dying wish is

for them to become modern Robin Hoods and help other people. So they rob an

armored truck carrying money from casino earnings, to feed the children. There's some

more twists but otherwise that's the bulk of the story. You've been warned!

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