Mad Fate

Mad Fate is a 2023 Hong Kong mystery thriller film directed by Cheang Pou-soi and produced by Johnnie To, Yau Nai-hoi and Elaine Chu, with Yau also co-writing the story and screenplay. The film stars Gordon Lam as a fortune-teller who crosses paths with a young man (Lokman Yeung) with a strong desire to commit murder and tries to change the latter's destiny.

Mad Fate
Film poster
Directed byCheang Pou-soi
Screenplay byYau Noi-hoi
Melvin Li
Story byYau Nai-hoi
Au Kin-yee
Produced byJohnnie To
Yau Nai-hoi
Elaine Chu
StarringGordon Lam
Lokman Yeung
CinematographyCheng Siu-keung
Edited byDavid Richardson
Allen Leung
Music byChung Chi-wing
Ben Cheung
Production
companies
MakerVille Company
Noble Castle Asia
Milkyway Image
Distributed byGolden Scene Company
Release dates
  • 19 February 2023 (2023-02-19) (BIFF)
  • 30 March 2023 (2023-03-30) (HKIFF)
  • 20 April 2023 (2023-04-20) (Hong Kong)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeUS$822,577[1]

Mad Fate made its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on 19 February 2023 as a Berlinale Special.[2] The film also opened the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 30 March 2023[3] before its theatrical release in Hong Kong on 20 April 2023.[4]

Cast
  • Gordon Lam as The Master (大師), a fortune-teller with an expertise in helping his clients cheat fate.
  • Lokman Yeung as Siu-tung, the son of cha chaan teng owners and has a strong desire to commit murder.
  • Berg Ng as a veteran police inspector hot on Siu-tung's trail.
  • Ng Wing-sze as The Prostitute (妓女), a prostitute who seeks help from The Master in order to avoid her fate of dying in an imminent stroke of misfortune.
  • Peter Chan as The Murderer, a serial killer who has a tendency to be triggered by rainstorms into killing sex workers.
  • Bonnie Wong as Siu-tung's mother.
  • Ko Tin Lung as Siu-tung's father.
  • Wong Ching-yan as a prostitute.
  • Pancy Chan as a policewoman.

Release

Mad Fate made its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival on 19 February 2023 as a Berlinale Special.[2] It also made its Asian premier as one of the two opening films at the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 30 March 2023, where director Cheang was also chosen as the Filmmaker In Focus.[3][5] The film was later theatrically released in Hong Kong on 20 April 2023.[4]

Reception

Box office

Made Fate topped the box office chart during its opening day in Hong Kong with gross of HK$450,000, beating out The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed HK$370,000 that day.[6] The film finished at No. 3 at the end of its opening weekend, grossing HK$2,962,028 (US$377,438) during its first four days of release.[7] The film remained at No. 3 during its second weekend with a gross of HK$3,494,876 (US$445,229) while accumulating a total gross of HK$6,456,904 (US$822,577).[8][9]

Critical response

Lee Marshall of Screen Daily praises Cheng Siu-keung's cinematography and Lokman Yeung's performance, while noting the film's tonal shifts.[10] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film a score of 3.5/5 stars and praises its inspired premise and screenwriters Yau Nai-hoi and Melvin Li's clever use of coincidences.[11]

References
  1. "Mad Fate - Box Office Mojo".
  2. "Berlinale Program - Mad Fate".
  3. "Mad Fate - Hong Kong International Film Festival".
  4. "Watch the Trailer for the Johnnie To-produced 'Mad Fate' from 'SPL II' director Soi Cheang starring Gordon Lam".
  5. "'Mad Fate', 'Elegies' To Open Hong Kong International Film Festival". 10 March 2023.
  6. "《命案》開畫票房奪冠周末啟動謝票 林家棟憶初拍銀河靠前輩教路". 21 April 2023.
  7. "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 16 April 20-23, 2023".
  8. "Hong Kong 2023 Weekend 17 April 27-30, 2023".
  9. "Weekly Box Office - Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) 2021".
  10. "'Mad Fate': Berlin Review".
  11. "Mad Fate movie review: in absurdist Hong Kong murder thriller from Soi Cheang, Lam Ka-tung and Mirror's Lokman Yeung try to change the course of destiny". 19 April 2023.
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