The tenth film co-directed by Johnnie To (Running Out of Time) and Wai Ka-fai (Peace Hotel) following a string of collaborations that included comedies, romances, action films and historical epics, Running on Karmais a crime thriller with a distinctly Buddhist flare starring a titan of Hong Kong cinema in Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs).
Big (Lau) was once a devoutly religious man, but turned away from his vocation as a Buddhist monk when he could no longer bear the weight of his unusual gift: the ability to see people’s past lives and predict the impact of karma upon their present and future. Having found a new life as a bodybuilder, he is drawn to use his sixth sense for good after meeting Lee Fung-yee (Cecilia Cheung, The Legend of Zu), a cop investigating a homicide. But as the two grow closer and work together to catch a murderer, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Big can see Lee’s past lives, too…
A film that balances genre thrills with deep philosophical questions on the nature of spirituality and faith, Running on Karma stands with Mad Detective as one of the most interesting and unique collaborations between Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time outside of Asia.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Limited edition of 2000 copies
- Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Time Tomorrow
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray
- Original Cantonese stereo audio
- Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
- New audio commentary by East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and F.J. DeSanto
- Reap the Whirlwind – new interview with Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal
- Archival “making of…” featurette
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: A collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by David West of NEO magazine
This is the Johnnie To film that I like the least. This was one of the earliest To films that I watched and I remember just being befuddled by it. I also remember the body suit that Andy Lau wears being so distractingly bad. Hopefully a rewatch will lead me to have a higher opinion of it.
Regardless, more Johnnie To releases are a good thing. Hopefully Eureka can do a double-pack release of Needing You and Love on a Diet
Running on Karma was actually the film that made me a dedicated Johnnie To fan. I had seen one or two others, but not been swept away. RoK made me a believer....
