EXODUS (Hong Kong, 2007)
Directed by: Pang Ho-cheung
Starring: Simon Yam, Annie Liu, Nick Cheung, Irene Wan, Maggie Siu

This movie is a classic case of man panic, as Simon Yam plays a cop up against the toughest perp of them all: women. The sixth movie from Hong Kong’s funniest young director, Pang Ho-cheung, EXODUS begins with the arrest of Kwan (Nick Cheung, ELECTION) a loser who was peeping in the women’s bathroom. While being questioned by straight-laced cop Yip (Simon Yam) he reveals that he’s no ordinary peeper, he’s the only guy who knows the truth about women: they’re out to kill all men. Yip ignores the nutjob, but a few days later the peeper returns and gives a second statement, claiming that he is actually only a dirty pervert and that no one, at no time and for any reason, should listen to his first statement. Smelling a rat, the tediously scrupulous Yip checks the log and sees that the change-of-heart immediately followed a visit from his colleague Fong (Maggie Siu) and, unable to let go of something that doesn’t feel right, he starts to investigate. Frankly, everyone wishes he would drop it and maybe spend some of that investigation time on his wife, Ann (Annie Liu), who is withering from a lack of attention.

This is the third movie in this year’s festival in which Simon Yam plays a by-the-book cop (see: EYE IN THE SKY and TACTICAL UNIT – COMRADES IN ARMS) but this time it’s in the service of a comedy so deadpan that you don’t see it creeping up on you until it’s too late. Disguised as an austere arthouse drama, this flick’s stark style conceals a comedic core that’s as dark and poisonous as a black widow’s venom. Shot in just 21 days, Pang had a hard time casting his female lead due to the theme of the movie, which makes you wonder if the anti-man conspiracy is real. After all, what woman would want to break ranks and reveal, on film, their insidious plot to poison us all?

Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council’s “New Action” program.