Lik Wong (1991)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Ngai Kai Lam

Writers:

Tetsuya Saruwatari (manga "Riki-oh")
Ngai Kai Lam (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 April 1991 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

A young man with superhuman strength is incarcerated at a prison run by corrupt officials and seeks to use his martial arts to clean up the system.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Martial Arts | Torture | Face Ripped Off | Threatened With Knife

Cast

Siu-Wong Fan	...	Riki-Oh Saiga
Mei Sheng Fan	...	Assistant Warden (as Faan Mooi Saang)
Ka-Kui Ho	...	Warden Sugiyama
Yukari Ôshima	...	Yomi - Huang Chaun
Frankie Chin	...	Narumi - Hai
Tetsuro Tamba	...	Master Zhang Shan-Gui
Gloria Yip	...	Keiko - Riki's Girlfriend
Philip Kwok	...	Lin Hung
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Suet Lam
Daan Bob Chit Long
Ji Keung Wong
Cheng Chuen Yam	...	Wildcat

Also Known As:

King of Strength (International: English title) (literal title)
Li wang (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Riki Ô
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (USA)
Story of Ricky (Hong Kong: English title)
Historia de Ricky (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, and for some drug content.

Runtime:

Germany:91 min | Japan:91 min | USA:88 min (unrated version)

Country:

Hong Kong | Japan

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | West Germany:(Banned) | Ireland:(Banned) | Finland:K-18 | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Sweden:15 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Norway:18 | Netherlands:16 | Mexico:C | Malaysia:(Banned) | Japan:R-15 | Italy:VM18 | Ireland:18 (re-rating) (2002) | Hungary:18 | France:-16 | Czech Republic:18 | Chile:18 | Canada:R (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:R (Alberta/Manitoba/Prince Edward Island) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Brazil:18

Company:

Diagonal Pictures

Trivia:

So much and so thick was the fake blood used in the "Meat Grinder" finale that Siu-Wong Fan, the actor who played Ricky, could not wash the red off his skin for three days.

Quotes:

Warden Cobra: I'm tougher than you think! The warden of any prison has to be the very best in kung fu.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Greatest Film of Its Kind

I gave this film a ten, not because it's a cinematic masterpiece... but because this film stands alone as something that can never be equaled. You won't walk away from this film the same person. It's like a jackhammer; when it's through with you, you're changed.

The Story of Ricky is about a man jailed for getting his revenge on those who (indirectly) killed his girlfriend. While in prison, he discovers an opium greenhouse (not cleverly hidden) and fights plenty of guards, inmates and the warden. The violence is excessive to the point of being funny - walls and body parts exploding. It was hard to tell if this film was supposed to be a comedy or action because while the plot is serious, the action is outrageous.

The dubbing is really funny, and the use of multiple subtitles (n both British English and American English) is amusing. The characters are pretty interesting - a warden who can transform into the Incredible Hulk and his assistant with one eye and a hook for a hand (who has a wall full of porn videos).

If you liked the gore of something like "Terror Firmer", you'll find this to be in a similar vein (though, in my opinion, far less offensive). If you don't like blood in your movies, you want to run away from this as quickly as possible. But heck, this is seriously something you can't go through life without seeing. Highest possible recommendation.