The film is based on a true story
Around 2014, in northeastern China there were a gangster on the run
He was hiding in a mountain outside the village
Surrounded by cops
He knew that he wasn’t getting away
And he found a wanted poster of him next to the convenient store
Showing that he was worth 100 grand
He decided why not cash it
So he called for his aunt or uncle to claim the bounty
I can only imagine that he (fugitive Zhou Zenong) was a brave man
Who handed a huge bounty to the one he liked
In an extreme way
He fulfilled his last hope, or redemption
So his death rivaled his birth in some sense
I knew I can work with Hu Ge the first time I saw him
He didn’t come home during five years
Because he didn’t think he could provide for them
But when he realized that his life was worth three hundred thousand
He cashed it
And by so doing support his wife and son to live
Swim escort is a real job
There are many tourists on the beach
And swim escorts would hustle around
They are girls from remote rural or urban areas
A man and a woman met, both with an agenda
Women is the source of secrets
And I believe that is the reason why women are charming
And another charm of women is that they can betray you so covertly that you have absolutely no clue
A fugitive ran into a zoo
Fiercer predators went group hunting him
The world is a jungle in the film
And people are animals living in the jungle
He is to be swallowed if failed escaping
Zhou Zenong’s wife is asked to corporate with the police
But when she finds out that her husband’s life is at stake
As a woman, she follows her instinct and stops corporation
The paradox of love and law is constantly at play
And the humane side always prevails
The violence scenes in the film are less estranged
No knifes or guns as one would imagine
But the familiar violence we actually see in real life and it happens all the time
We cannot avoid it by looking the other way
We may observe violence in a game-playing mindset
And overcome it
After which we may have a better understanding of human, of ourselves
Before we started, we looked everywhere for a right location
Wuhan is the city of lakes
It’s characterized by dock culture
And the dialect of Wuhan infuses toughness to the film
I’ve had 4 pain killers
How long
7 days
There were about 2000 extras in the film
Some of them the local “gangsters”, and their acting is precise
If you hired others, that would really upset them
The National Thief’s Congress was held in Wuhan in 2012
Thief representatives from over 30 provinces gathered here
Delimiting territories, sharing experiences, and organizing stealing contests
The film is a combination of the physical location the world
And my understanding of the world
They are marginal figures
But they have their own ethical judgment
And they do not hesitate to accomplish what they believe is right
Simple, but noble at the same time
Everyone has something wild deep down
Especially socially marginalized, underprivileged ones may have even more powerful dreams
And a film should be able to show their extraordinary moves