Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

david-sarkies I did not see all of this movie as the video ran out of tape near the end, but basically it is a retrospective life story of the Hong Kong crime lord Ho Ng. The movie was disturbing namely because it was a tragedy. We knew that in the end he would be in gaol, which is better than dying, but we can see all the way through the movie as he claws his way to the top that he is coming ever closer to disaster.Basically the movie chronicles the rise and fall of a crime lord. When the crime lord is a bad guy, they seem to be untouchable and invincible, but when we see the crime lord in this context, we come to understand how vulnerable he really is. In fact through this movie we come to relate to Ho as he is the main focus. We have seen him at his vulnerable stage when he first came to Hong Kong, and has he grows in power, we see how shaky this power is.Ho's flaw is his greed and his arrogance. At first he works with another crime lord, Por, who comes from the same province as Ho did, but soon they become bitter enemies, not willing to concede to each other. Tiger Li, the police officer who is under the pay of the crime lords, attempts to reconcile them, but Ho simply does not want to let his hatred of Por go away. Por never really did anything that bad, it is just that Ho is over sensitive and simply did not want to laugh when Por poked fun at him. Even though it is bad for Por, he seems much more flexible than does Ho, so when Por is set up and sent to gaol, he is released and back on top of things which Ho still holds a huge amount of animosity towards him.I guess this movie is a character study of a crime lord, and how he claws his way to the top but is never truly satisfied. It also shows the failings of the capitalist system that people must turn to crime to succeed with those who have everything. The police, who are paid badly, receive lots of money to turn a blind eye to the crime lords.All in all, this is not a bad movie, though it is overtly long. While watching it, we cringe as we watch it progress knowing that Ho is simply leading to disaster. He is living his life to fast and too extravagant, and this life must end sometime. He is lucky that he lands up in gaol for then he is able to learn what life is really all about.

edchin2006 A gritty view of the Hong Kong Triad, it graphically illustrates the meaning of "Face" and the consequences of this moral ethic. Whether or not the gangs abide by the rules presented here, or if the gang structures exist as presented, or the cops behave with such unrestrained arrogance is not the issue. It just feels so real. It's the HK equivalent of Goodfellas.Contributing to produce this realism is the general interaction of the characters to each other and the world about them. Nice touches are the moments of filial respect with no words spoken and subtle gestures which speak volumes. If you can set aside the clownish fight scenes, this is a good way of seeing into the Chinese psyche.

Joseph P. Ulibas To Be Number One (1991) is a hardcore gangster film that received the notorious category three for sex and real graphic violence. Ray Lui stars as a coolie who aspires to be a big time crime lord. With his strong lady by his side (Cecilia Yip), he rises fast through the ranks eventually becoming the triad's boss. But due to jealous within his ranks, he has a major fall. His ego and the law help him fall as well. Loosely based upon a true crime case. This film is an underrated classic.Ray Lui is quite convincing as a cold hearted boss who trusts no one. Cecilia Yip co-stars in her usual strong female character role, she's hot and a fine actress. Kent Chueng, Kenneth Tsang, Waise Lee and Category III regulars Amy Yip and Elvis Tsui co-stars as well. A beautifully directed and photographed gangster epic that's waiting to be discovered.Highest recommendation possible.

Bogey Man Poon Man Kit directed To Be Number One and it is produced by the famous Johnny Mak. The film is based on real life gangster in Hong Kong and this film reminds very much of Scarface, but it definitely isn't any rip off since it's based on real and individual character, too. Both films give same kind of message and have similar kind of elements, and I really like these both. Ray Lui plays Ho, the main character in To Be Number One, who firstly is at the bottom (like Tony Montana), but soon begins to rise and reach the top in criminal world. Soon he is one of the chiefs in the criminal world and, unfortunately for him, betrayal and greed start to destroy his career and the lesson has begun..This film is very long, it runs approximately 136 minutes which is pretty much for Hong Kong movie. Ray Lui is very professional and occasionally as manic in his performance as Al Pacino himself. Other actors are also fine and consist of many popular actors like Kent Cheng and Cecilia Yip. The theme of the film is the same as Scarface's and The Krays' for instance. All these films depict power and greed and how they are capable of destroying everything that has been reached. In Number One, all the characters seem to betray and finally there aren't many that can be trusted on. Power and money corrupts, and that has been the main theme in many great films before and after To Be Number One. Technically this film is brilliant, and the director of photography is no less than Peter Pau himself. He made the incredible photography in films like Bride With White Hair and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon among many other films. The dust and blue smoke are hypnotically alive in this film and the same unique atmosphere lasts throughout the whole film. All the interiors and exteriors are extraordinarily shot and also edited. The magic created by camera in Hong Kong movies is almost impossible to describe with words, and the result is always in these films something never, or very seldom, found in Western cinema. The film is perhaps little confusing at times, but that is also typical in Hong Kong movies. There are many characters and plot turns and they are usually hard to follow and fully understand at first viewing. The viewer must be patient and concentrated when watching these Orient films. I don't think Number One is too long as there are many important segments that demand long running time. When film is this professionally shot and made, the long running time doesn't even come to mind and the film goes smoothly before the viewer's eyes without ever feeling too long.The violence is strong in this film, but it is never gratuitous or too explicit, even though a film this violent is not likely to come from Hollywood nowadays. The axe battle at the beginning is almost as brutal as the infamous chainsaw scene in DePalma's Scarface. Number One is very violent throughout the film but it serves only as an effective element to depict the mayhem and madness that takes place in the movie and inside its real life characters' heads. The scenes of action are again very professionally and excitingly shot and done, and they really are unique when compared to other countries' efforts.I give To Be Number One 8/10 and this is very noteworthy piece of Eastern cinema.