Run and Kill (Infidelity Revenge Extreme Horror Comedy)
For lovers of vintage Hong Kong weirdness, the gang over at Error 4444 have got all bases covered with an eclectic lineup of releases and a future slate of titles that are downright mouth-watering. This month, they truly became my heroes for giving “Bloody” Billy Tang’s Run and Kill the Blu-ray release that it truly deserves. For the uninitiated, Run and Kill is one of the most cold-blooded and ruthless action thrillers ever conceived. Why is this movie so awesome? Fat Chung (Kent Chang, known to most as the Assistant Warden in Riki-Oh: The Story of Riki) is a large man with a larger problem; it seems that his wife has developed a taste for younger men. While it’s obvious she’s a gold digger from the blatant contempt she treats him with, he is still hurt by her infidelity. Getting drunk after catching his wife with yet another man, he is introduced to a local gangster who organizes a hit on Fat Chung’s wife. Things get even crazier from there. [Editor Note: The trailer below is from the earlier DVD version and not the new Blu-ray.]
Unbelievably conceived as a comedy, Run and Kill is only funny if you are a complete and utter sociopath. What begins as a domestic drama turns into an effective thriller before settling down into something far darker and more sinister than you could ever imagine. Part of the trouble of writing this review is tip-toeing around the fact that Run and Kill becomes pretty damn disturbing as soon as the legendary Simon Yam makes his entrance. Yam, who I previously sang the praises of in my review of Dr. Lamb, gives his finest performance in Run and Kill as the vicious and cruel Ching Fung. Yam’s performance brings you as close to the madness as you’re likely willing to endure. All of that said, Error 4444 have done an absolutely brilliant job on this release. Their transfer is absolutely beautiful, capturing the steely blues and blacks of the cinematography with startling clarity. For those of us who came up viewing this one on Tai Seng’s VHS release or their truly abominable DVD, this Blu is a godsend. As far as extra features, Art Ettinger teams up with Bruce Holecheck for a fun and informative commentary that makes for interesting listening. In conclusion, Team Error are the real new kids on the block and Run and Kill totally fucking rules. If you like your cinema completely fucked up with the kind of scenes that come out of your worst nightmares, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a better title than this one. This goes on the short list for my favorite releases of 2024.
Written by David, Comptroller of Your Last Scrap of Existence
Run and Kill (2024 on Blu-ray)
Director: Billy Tang
Distributor: Error 4444
5 / 5
