Sci-Fi Foray

Hailed as a first in Hong Kong cinema, director Benny Chan brought to movie-goers the action-packed and special-effects heavy City Under Siege, a sci-fi flick in the likes of the X-Men. But make no mistake, Chan brooks no comparisons to Hollywood; he is ready to take on the challenge of breaking through boundaries. Malaysian Today recently had an interview with him.

Malaysian Today: Tell us more about the casting, creation and concept of City Under Siege?
Benny Chan: I've always wanted to create a movie that was about science fiction, mutants and supernatural heroes. It's and idea I've toyed with for a long time in my mind, and when I finally got this off the ground, it was only natural that I sought out an actor I was familiar with, in this case, Aaron Kwok. And since this is an action film as well, I had to look for stars that are well-known in this genre, in this case, Wu Jing and Colin Chou. I have often heard that this kind of movie is the domain of the Hollywood's big guns, but I wanted to prove them wrong. It is a misconception that the Hong Kong film industry cannot make a movie like this.

Q: What was it like working with both veteran action stars (Colin, Wu Jing) alongside a first-time action star (Zhang Jing Chu)?
A: It wasn't only me - it was an entire team effort where the experienced guided and helped the inexperienced. There is a lot of cost involved in the training and in the practising of the more demanding action roles, but it is a collaborative effort of the stuntmen, and not only myself. I cannot take credit for the hours that they all put in to train Jing Chu, I had the help of very highly trained experts to make the movie work. Besides, whether it is difficult or easy, we had to make it work! (laugh)

Q: Being in the industry for so long then, how have you seen the HK movie industry grow?
A: I can confidently say we are as good as and on par with Hollywood, even though I don't like to compare. Over the years, I have seen a 100 per cent growth in the HK film industry, I've seen us keep the Chinese element in our films yet still come out on par. It is different and competitive, but this industry has its own standards and even the big guys like Columbia, Disney and Pixar have set up base in Hong Kong. We need to keep thinking of ourselves first, and even in City under Siege, I faced a lot of naysayers who believe this kind of movie is the territory of Hollywood. But it isn't.

Q: What about the Asian film industry? What do you see for its future?
A: I see a great growth, but it really depends on the support in each country. The Hong Kong government has been incredibly supportive of filmmakers through refunds, tax exemptions, rebates and monetary/financial support.

Q: In your years in the industry, you've seen so many new, young and hungry talents come and go - what will be your advice to them?
A: Creativity. It all boils down to creativity. They need to be creative people with creative outlooks, and a determination to create what I call a 'high concept' film or idea, where it is driven by creativity and imagination. They must not be afraid to try to do it themselves - nowadays, everyone has a HD camera or a video camera that they can use to record their own amateur film or show their creativity. I would tell them not to worry about the small stuff, or to be distracted by negativity.

Q: And finally, City Under Siege is partially set in Malaysia, so would you like to work with Malaysian filmmakers someday on a collaborative movie?
A: Definitely, yes! I love Malaysia - the food, the people and the roads even! (laugh) Hong Kong is very small and you don't get much space to drive. I've also been here in the 90's, when I was filming Who Am I? with Jackie Chan, so I am familiar and very happy to be back in Malaysia. Malaysians also enjoy a good action movie, and Hong Kong movies get a lot of support here too!