Running on Karma (2003) Fate, Forgiveness, and a Musclebound Andy Lau in a Thong

The Hong Kong film industry of the late 90s and early Noughties was a shadow of the business that had become the definition of “Action Cinema” for the global market. From Jackie Chan to Bruce Lee, it had become synonymous with some of the wildest and most daring movies the world had seen, but now, on the verge of the UK handing back control of Hong Kong back to mainland China following its 100 year lease, there was a sense of foreboding for everyone, and especially those in the film cinema business.

There had already been a mass exodus of talent to Hollywood, with directors of such notoriety as John Woo and Tsui Hark making movies like Broken Arrow, Face/Off, Knock Off and Double Impact, back in Hong Kong there were those that remained unperturbed by the incumbent changes, so much so that they thought it the perfect time to start their own production company, they being Johnnie To and long term collaborator Wai Ka Fai.

This production company of course would be Milkway Image, and it started life as the makers of brooding, moody, bleak action crime dramas such as Too Many Ways To Be No.1 and A Hero Never Dies that were as influenced by Jean-Pierre Melville and Kinji Fukasaku as they were by anything from their Hong Kong contemporaries. However, during an economic downturn the general cinema going audience we’re looking for escapism, not a reminder of the misery they left at the door, so a change in philosophy had to happen, so both Wai Ka Fai and Johnnie To agreed to break up their more personal projects into a “One for them, one for us” release slate. And it worked too, with movies like Sealed With A Kiss, Needing You and Love On A Diet being huge box office successes and allowing those more personal projects to see the light of day.

“Love On A Diet” in particular is pertinent when talking about “Running On Karma”.  Not only do they both star the forever youthful and incredibly charismatic Andy Lau, but they also played with his very clean cut, well groomed image and placed him in a fat suit for “Love On A Diet” and a muscle suit for “Running On Karma”. Not that the later was needed for any particular story based reason, but Milkway Image were getting a reputation for messing with audience expectations and it would work a treat.

Former Monk, Big (Andy Lau), having given up his Buddhist life, finds himself in the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, focusing on his bodybuilding routine and eking out a living as a male stripper. It is during one of these later performances he gets arrested in a sting operation for “exposing himself” by police officer Lee Fung-Yee (Cecilia Cheung). Meanwhile, across town there is a murder investigation going on by the serious crime team, and with a killer on the loose nobody is safe from harm. It’s during the pursuit of said killer that Big crosses paths with the fleeing suspect and the chasing police officers and it is here that it is revealed that Big can see the karmic ripples that the previous lives of the people around him are having on the events of today.

It’s at this juncture that it needs to be said that Running On Karma is much lighter in tone than that synopsis would have you believe, with long stretches being served to the relationship between Big and Lee Fung-Yee, from assisting Officer Lee in the murder investigation to trying to the otherworldly abilities of Big, there is a light hearted, almost comedic quality to proceedings, which only give way for the final act where a much more philosophical approach is taken. This isn’t a spoiler per se, more of a warning, as this does take quite the turn during its concluding moments, but nothing so wild that it feels detached from the rest of the movie.

Eureka once again deliver a plethora of extra features, including not one but two commentaries featuring the encyclopaedic Frank Djeng (of the NY Asian Film Festival), and is joined by F.J. DeSanto on one of them. There is also a fascinating look at the details behind the film with Gary Bettison (EiC of Asian Cinema Journal) along with an archival “Making Of” and a limited booklet written by Neo Magazine’s very own David West.

Running On Karma went on to win “Best Film” at the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards, and whilst Wai Ka Fai would miss out on Best Director, at least that award would go to his creative partner Johnnie To for PTU. 

Despite neither Wai Ka Fai nor Johnnie To ever publicly stating if Running On Karma was one for “them” or one for “us”, it does feel very personal in its journey of generational forgiveness. Even over half a century later the effects of what the Japanese had done to China lived in the consciousness of its people, the majority of whom weren’t even born and had inherited their parents and grandparents hatred. Running On Karma faces these ideals and challenges the audience to change their ways or be doomed to repeat the sins of the father, all of this whilst showing a musclebound Andy Lau in a thong. The cheek of it.

So whilst Hong Kong cinema at this time was far from the haven of death defying action set pieces it once was, it was far from dead and it had two of its best creative minds reaching their peak potential.

Ben’s Archive – Running on Karma (2003)