Brotherhood on the Streets
Monga is filled with juvenile pursuits and senseless violence, but it is beautifully filmed coming-of-age tale that portrays gangsters in a different light.

By ARIS ZARIL

Named after Taipei's famous and oldest district, Monga (Báng-kah in the local Hokkien dialect) is an interesting flick that takes you into the world of gangsterism in the mid-1980's.  The movie was an instant hit in Taiwan, and upon watching, it isn't hard to justify the hype.

Set in a time where gaudily-colored neon was in and disco was the bomb, Monga starts by introducing us to Mosquito (Mark Chao), who got bullied all his schooling life. One day he got spotted fighting off the notorious bully Dog Boy (Chen Han-tien) and finds himself as the fifth member of the much-feared Temple Front Gang. Like one of the members mentioned, "It takes five to make a fist". The gang is made up of leader Dragon (Rhydian Vaughn), his childhood friend Monk (Ethan Juan), fighter Monkey and comic relief butcher's son Ah-Po.

The first half of the movie focuses on the bond and friendship these 'blood-brothers' have, which is a real gem with the brilliantly filmed cinematography and tasteful street fights that seem more like a choreographed dances rather than a real bloodbath. Here we see how the five of them live as a gang as they play truant, eat, fight and enjoy cheap thrills like disco dancing and prostitution. Things get heavier in the second half, as the movie shifts forward to 1987 and more organized 'mainland' gangsters get into the picture, led by Grey Wolf (director Doze Niu himself). Friendships are tested and betrayals shatter once-strong blood bonds.

While the storyline might be rather typical, it is the way it is told that makes Monga stand out. The brotherhood bonding scenes do get slightly draggy halfway, but it is easily understood why it's crucial to the overall plot. Interestingly they managed to squeeze some mild romance that does not detract from the core of the story, with Mosquito falling for prostitute Ning (Ke Jia-Yan) who has a large birthmark on her face. Their romance is not overdone and is often complimented with Air Supply's 'Making Love Out of Nothing at All'.

The setting is well thought of, with much attention given to detail and accuracy. This, in addition to superb widescreen cinematography makes for a delightful watch. Having two of Taiwan's top male idols (Chao and Juan) will bring in the crowds (especially girls), but it is worth noting that it is the charismatic veterans, especially Dragon's father Boss Geta (Ma Ju-lung) who actually steal the limelight from the youngsters.

Monga is rather well-balanced, with good film-making mixed with action, drama, humor and even a hint of romance. It certainly caught me by surprise and I'd definitely recommend giving it a watch!

4 Stars