Movie Review: Protege
Protege means mentee or apprentice. I wonder why the movie’s branding team didn’t come up with an easier-to-pronounce title for the movie;it is pronounced as ‘pro-tay-je’ instead of ‘pro-tij’.
As most of you who have read reviews would have known, this is a story revolving drugs and undercover-elements that are not new in the movie industry. Some critics have said that it ain’t as great as the movie claims to be; however, do watch it without having a bar set in your mind. Infernal Affairs I has truly captured us first with its suspense involving gangsters and undercover; however, it doesn’t mean that Protege is not worth watching. After all, Babel has several Golden Globe Award nominations but my friends who have watched it has no good things to say about it.
From left: Peter Chan (the producer I Think), Mr. I-dunno-who, Louis Koo, Chang Jing Chu, Daniel Wu, Andy Lau.
Spoiler Alert starts
The storyline is centred around Lik (starred by the lengchai actor, Daniel Wu *drool*) who plays an undercover in the drug dealing business. His relationship with the boss, Quan (starred by Andy Lau) surpasses that of boss and worker-they are like old pals who care about each other. Quan trusts Lik so much that he started to teach him the trade, treating him as his protege.
Lik has an encounter with Fan (starred by a chinese actress Chang Jing Chu who speaks reallu sucky cantonese =_=) Fan is a drug addict who tries really hard to get rid of the habit-she got hooked on drug because she wanted to prove to her husband (starred by Louis Koo) that it is possible to quit the habit.
Spoiler Alert Ends
*Drool* Daniel Wu is so good-looking. I have to admit that he is more versatile than Takeshi Kaneshiro in acting.
Thought 1:
When there is demand, there will always be supply. But, if there is no supply, the demand will dwindle eventually (in an ideal situation). The drug dealers are those who got their values wrong thinking that they aren’t at fault in the business.
Thought 2 (Spoiler alert!!)
Which is scarier, drugs or emptiness? In the movie,when Quan and Fan passed away, Lik finally knew why people take drugs. It is emptiness. The emptiness got into him so much so that he nearly injected himself with heroin-until Fan’s cute little daughter came and threw the needle away. (in the ending)
Daniel Wu was posed with that same question during interview. His reply was, drug is scarier, because you can always turn to families and friends when you feel the emptiness of life.
Thought 3
The police who goes undercover must really hold onto his values and principles. Since the temptations in drug dealing (and also drug taking) is so great (the profits are in millions)when you are in the business, there must be such a strong will to hold you back from getting yourself into an abyss of darkness, a road with no return. You work your whole life as a cop and there is still no way you can earn as much as you do in drug dealing, so you should always be strong to resist temptations.
If you like suspense, humour amidst the ‘dark feeling’ of the movie, watching good looking guys guy (since Louis Koo looks like a bastard there) and aren’t those who expect too much, then Protege is worth your $ =) At least it is worth when you go to the cinema with your student ID like me (RM 6 instead of RM11). I love being a student!!
