The Rapist (1994)

Director: Cha Chuen Yee

Cast: Lee Ga Sing, Chan Kwok-Bong, Farini Cheung Yui-Ling, Chin Gwan, Hui Si Man, Cheuk Wai Man, Go Sin Ming, Lam Kee-To, Chui Ming Hong, Wong Wa Wo

Running Time: 90 min.

Plot: After a series of grizzly sexual assaults, a detective must begin his investigation. When all the witnesses refuse to offer any assistance, he must resort to a stakeout of the suspect's favorite haunting grounds.

Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com

GWAILO'S REVIEW: There's a rapist prowling the Tuen Muen district with an insatiable libido. The investigating officers find a pattern to when he strikes. A time frame is established to nab the scoundrel and the search is on. Taking it to the streets, the subsequent investigation is teeming with overcrowded and grimy city locales. The team engages in numerous sting operations to lure the lupine into their cuffs. but their attempts are constantly foiled. Societies faith in the police dwindles as the rapist continues to strike and though they follow a few false leads, the officers are competent, and along with the laws of cinema, are sure to catch the rapist when he inevitably slips up. The fun is always in the chase and the police get more than they signed on for.

Cha Chun Yee (Once Upon a Time in triad Society I+II) helms one of the best Category III films I've ever had the pleasure of watching, aided by a tight script and Cha's deft direction including the wonderfully cramped cinematography of the late night Hong Kong cityscape. It's creepy and along with it's haunting color scheme lend's suspense to this diamond in the rough that probably got lost in the Cat III thicket, due to the lack of an all-star cast and similarities in theme and title to dozens of other genre films of the ilk.

Refreshing is the fact that this is not the usual 'revealed in flashback' police procedural. The film is played in somewhat of a real-time story frame. Also, the investigating officers aren't oafs who stumble along until the perp is caught. They are smart working class shlubs who garner little respect from the public they protect and still take pride in what they do. Chan Kwok Bong is excellent as the emotionally driven head of the investigation, determined to save Hong Kong from the nasty bastard of the title. and keep his team out of harm's way. He and his team are not a bunch of super cop's wielding their police issue through the alleys of H.K.. They are human, and in more respects to Chan's character, have plenty of character depth. Of interesting note, Chan himself played a Tuen Muen rapist in director Otto Chan's 1995 diary of a Serial Killer; another genre gem,

The Rapist offers the genre goodies, a ton of gratuitous nudity and very brutal rape scenes done well, though very hard to watch. There's even a reference to the notorious Dr. Lamb. In term's of it's intended audience, the Rapist is outstanding Cat III fare.

GWAILO'S RATING: 10/10