A powerful coming-of-age thriller by Barrington Fado, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In takes place in the dirty world of the Kowloon Walled City, the legend of the Walled City. The movie instantly throws the audience into the disorganized but somehow structurized world with the paradox of the place that is filled with chaotics but also features a lot of community. The story shows the rise of a troubled youth through Chan Lok-kwun and his search to find himself through character resilience and friendship.
The involuntary arrival to the Walled City acts as a strong force of a self-discovery in the case of Chan. On his wanderings in this treacherous world, he meets such characters as Shin, Twelfth Master and AV that play paramount roles in his development. They form a troop that bravely keeps out the forces of evil that threatens their paradise and has been led by Tornado. The movie creates a good contrast between non-stop action scenes and down-tempo moments of contemplation when the key message is that being strong is not only fighting but also the fellowship and the belief.
In the visual, the movie reuses the gritty cinematography of the movie and the dynamic framing into the labyrinthine streets and the secret corners in the Walled City, giving the viewers the highlight of being in the raw, claustrophobic place. The acting is touching particularly the ex performance of Chan transformation of a troubled kid into a strong protector. The music increases the emotionalism, which goes with the tone of hope and perseverance in the film. All in all, the theme in the movie, “Walled In” stood out as I realized that despite all the mess, it does have order in it and that even during the most unlikely moments, courage is sometimes born.
