Fatal Vacation
Encyclopedia
Fatal Vacation is a 1989
Hong Kong
action
/suspense film written by Nam Yin and directed by Eric Tsang
. The project was filmed on locations in the Philippines
.
touring bus and its occupants are kidnapped by Communist guerrilla rebels who wish to orchestrate an exchange with the government of the hostages for their jailed rebel leader.
noted that the film's plot was echoed by a recent event in the Philippines, where a discharged policeman took a tour bus and its occupants hostage
, writing "it’s quite uncanny how this movie shares 3 elements from what recently happened in the local news; the Philippines as the setting, Hong Kong tourists as characters, and a hostage crisis as plot. I know it shouldn’t be a subject for entertainment, but it really makes you think, is life imitating art?"
Robert Firsching of All Movie Guide
was reminded of campy films such as Ernst von Theumer's Jungle Warriors
by this film's "straight-faced melding of naive politics and ludicrously unconvincing gunplay." He writes, "To their credit, Tsang and Nam lay out a convincingly horrific series of dire consequences which could result from Hong Kong's impending reunification, but the political message is lost amidst all the gunfire, racist stereotypes, and Times Square grindhouse
-level silliness."
Cinema Far East writesThe original text in Cinema Far East, in German: Auf formaler Ebene gibt es dank der gelungenen und soliden Inszenierung von Eric Tsang, der auch in der Rolle des Reiseführers eine erstklassige Vorstellung abliefert, nichts auszusetzen. Leider wird aber auf Grund einiger aufgesetzt wirkender Brutalitäten und Vergewaltigungen diese Realitätsnähe nicht mit in die Story übernommen. Statt dessen wird viel zu viel Schwarzweißmalerei betrieben. Die Entführer z. B. erfüllen alle nur erdenklichen Klischees. Böses Grinsen, diabolisches Lachen und Manieren wie die ersten Menschen. Die Art wie die philippinischen Charaktere hier gezeichnet werden, muß man schon im höchstem Maße als rassistisch bezeichnen. Aber auch das Verhalten der unschuldigen Geiseln ist wenig glaubwürdig. Ihre Metamorphose von eingeschüchterten und völlig verängstigten Gefangenen zu gnadenlosen Kampfmaschinen ist der Geschichte nicht gerade zuträglich."On the formal level, there is thanks to the successful staging and sound by Eric Tsang, who delivers himself well in the role of a tour guide. However, some of the acing was flat, and the brutality and rape incorporated into the film was too black and white, with the kidnappers meeting every cliché, and the Filipino characters coming across as racist. The behavior of the innocent hostages is not very credible. Their metamorphosis from completely intimidated and frightened prisoners to desperate battle machines is not exactly conducive to the story."
They offered that the film had redeeming qualities by writing:The original text in Cinema Far East, in German: Trotzdem hat Fatal Vacation neben der erstklassigen Inszenierung auch seine guten Seiten. Ganz besonders die nicht gerade seltenen und ordentlich inszenierten Actionszenen dürften für einige Unterhaltung beim Zuschauer sorgen. Das besondere Highlight sind aber die Szenen im Gefangenenlager, die schon einige Elemente der Lagerszenen aus John Woo's Bullet In The Head vorwegnehmen und mit einigen äußerst intensiven Momenten aufwarten können.""Fatal Vacations staging has good points and is a first-class addition to the film. Especially the rare and not very neatly staged action sequences should provide some entertainment for the audience. The special highlight, however, are the scenes in the prison camp, which already anticipate some of the elements of the bearing scenes from John Woo
's Bullet in the Head
and come up with some very intense moments."
DVD Holocaust notes that the films of this period tend to borrow heavily from their Hollywood counterparts, and writes "...the plot is fairly light and can be easily followed enough even with out reading the subtitles or understanding what is being said on screen. This movie is a great example of the violent over the top camp produced during this time from HK without being too strange, silly or getting too involved with cultural themes/topics that will alienate Western audiences." They note that the film has both silliness and heavy-handedness without being too bogged-down by either, offering that the film maintains flow and balance.
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
/suspense film written by Nam Yin and directed by Eric Tsang
Eric Tsang
Eric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...
. The project was filmed on locations in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Synopsis
While on vacation in the Philippines, a Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
touring bus and its occupants are kidnapped by Communist guerrilla rebels who wish to orchestrate an exchange with the government of the hostages for their jailed rebel leader.
Partial cast
- Bernardo Bernardo as Rebel Leader
- Irene WanIrene WanIrene Wan Bik-ha is a Hong Kong film actress.She was nominated for the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer at the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards for her role in Lonely Fifteen....
as Candy - Victor WongVictor WongVictor Wong was a Chinese American character actor who appeared in supporting roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s.-Education:...
as Grandpa - Paulo TochaPaulo TochaPaulo Tocha is a martial artist, actor and fight choreographer.-Biography:Tocha was born in Africa, he's Portuguese/Italian and he grew up in Mozambique and Johannesburg, South Africa . He moved to Thailand because he wanted to learn "real" Muay Thai boxing...
as Sanchez - Eric TsangEric TsangEric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...
as Bob - Emily Kwan as Television Crew Director
- Spanky Manikan as Rebel Leader's brother
- Pen Medina as Leader of Military
- Tang Pik-wan as Grandma
- Wong Kwong Leung as Big Eyes
Reception
In August 2010, over 20 years since the film's original release, The Manila BulletinManila Bulletin
The Manila Bulletin , is the Philippines' largest broadsheet newspaper by circulation, followed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It bills itself as "The Nation's Leading Newspaper", which is its official slogan...
noted that the film's plot was echoed by a recent event in the Philippines, where a discharged policeman took a tour bus and its occupants hostage
Manila hostage crisis
As the Hong Thai Travel Services tour bus was taking on the 25 Hong Kong tourists in front of Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Rolando Mendoza attempted to follow the tourists onto the tour bus, requesting a free ride. When his request was declined by the driver, Mendoza brandished a weapon,...
, writing "it’s quite uncanny how this movie shares 3 elements from what recently happened in the local news; the Philippines as the setting, Hong Kong tourists as characters, and a hostage crisis as plot. I know it shouldn’t be a subject for entertainment, but it really makes you think, is life imitating art?"
Robert Firsching of All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
Allrovi is a commercial database launched by the Rovi Corporation in 2011. It compiles information about music and movies from the former services Allmovie and Allmusic.-Content:...
was reminded of campy films such as Ernst von Theumer's Jungle Warriors
Jungle Warriors
Jungle Warriors, AKA The Czar of Brazil is an action film, released in USA on November 1984. The movie was shot on Mexico and the old West Germany, but recreating the scenario of a South American jungle...
by this film's "straight-faced melding of naive politics and ludicrously unconvincing gunplay." He writes, "To their credit, Tsang and Nam lay out a convincingly horrific series of dire consequences which could result from Hong Kong's impending reunification, but the political message is lost amidst all the gunfire, racist stereotypes, and Times Square grindhouse
Grindhouse
A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where 'bump n' grind' dancing and striptease were featured.- History :...
-level silliness."
Cinema Far East writesThe original text in Cinema Far East, in German: Auf formaler Ebene gibt es dank der gelungenen und soliden Inszenierung von Eric Tsang, der auch in der Rolle des Reiseführers eine erstklassige Vorstellung abliefert, nichts auszusetzen. Leider wird aber auf Grund einiger aufgesetzt wirkender Brutalitäten und Vergewaltigungen diese Realitätsnähe nicht mit in die Story übernommen. Statt dessen wird viel zu viel Schwarzweißmalerei betrieben. Die Entführer z. B. erfüllen alle nur erdenklichen Klischees. Böses Grinsen, diabolisches Lachen und Manieren wie die ersten Menschen. Die Art wie die philippinischen Charaktere hier gezeichnet werden, muß man schon im höchstem Maße als rassistisch bezeichnen. Aber auch das Verhalten der unschuldigen Geiseln ist wenig glaubwürdig. Ihre Metamorphose von eingeschüchterten und völlig verängstigten Gefangenen zu gnadenlosen Kampfmaschinen ist der Geschichte nicht gerade zuträglich."On the formal level, there is thanks to the successful staging and sound by Eric Tsang, who delivers himself well in the role of a tour guide. However, some of the acing was flat, and the brutality and rape incorporated into the film was too black and white, with the kidnappers meeting every cliché, and the Filipino characters coming across as racist. The behavior of the innocent hostages is not very credible. Their metamorphosis from completely intimidated and frightened prisoners to desperate battle machines is not exactly conducive to the story."
They offered that the film had redeeming qualities by writing:The original text in Cinema Far East, in German: Trotzdem hat Fatal Vacation neben der erstklassigen Inszenierung auch seine guten Seiten. Ganz besonders die nicht gerade seltenen und ordentlich inszenierten Actionszenen dürften für einige Unterhaltung beim Zuschauer sorgen. Das besondere Highlight sind aber die Szenen im Gefangenenlager, die schon einige Elemente der Lagerszenen aus John Woo's Bullet In The Head vorwegnehmen und mit einigen äußerst intensiven Momenten aufwarten können.""Fatal Vacations staging has good points and is a first-class addition to the film. Especially the rare and not very neatly staged action sequences should provide some entertainment for the audience. The special highlight, however, are the scenes in the prison camp, which already anticipate some of the elements of the bearing scenes from John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
's Bullet in the Head
Bullet in the Head
Bullet in the Head is a 1990 Hong Kong action crime drama thriller film written, produced, edited and directed by John Woo , starring Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee and Simon Yam.-Plot:...
and come up with some very intense moments."
DVD Holocaust notes that the films of this period tend to borrow heavily from their Hollywood counterparts, and writes "...the plot is fairly light and can be easily followed enough even with out reading the subtitles or understanding what is being said on screen. This movie is a great example of the violent over the top camp produced during this time from HK without being too strange, silly or getting too involved with cultural themes/topics that will alienate Western audiences." They note that the film has both silliness and heavy-handedness without being too bogged-down by either, offering that the film maintains flow and balance.
External links
- Fatal Vacation at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...