God of Gamblers III: The Early Stage

Director/Producer/Scriptwriter: Wong Jing

Action Director: Deon Lam Dik-On, Ma Yuk-Sing

Direct Translation: God of Gamblers 3: Young God of Gamblers

Cantonese Title: Do San 3:< Chi Siu Nin Do San

Cast:
Leon Lai Ming - Ko Chun
Anita Yuen Wing-Yee - Sister Seven
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun - Lone Ng
Francis Ng Chun-Yu - Ko Ngo
Gigi Leung Wing-Kei - Kent Hing
Cheung Tat-Ming - Ah So
Cheung King-Fai - Mr. Kent

Story Overview:

Ever since he was a child, Ko Chun (Leon Lai) loved watching his Auntie gamble in the street, with the street vendors. But when Auntie put her jade ring down as a bet -- and was going to win -- an attempted con occurs, and Chun is almost banged in the head by a vendor, but is rescued from being seriously hurt by a small girl (Sister Seven), who soon falls for him.

Many years pass and Chun's parents were killed within that time. Chun was then taken into care by a mysterious gambling shark, Mr. Kent (Cheung King Fai). He trains Chun and two others -- Ko Ngo (Francis Ng) and his daughter, Kent Hing (Gigi Leung) in the art of card trickery with a burning ambition to get one of them to win the title of “God Of Gamblers” as well as a large percentage in all casinos. During the competition, Mr. Kent wants Chun to let Ngo win but he refuses, so thereby, Mr. Kent shoots him in the head, causing him to lose -- not only the title of “God of Gamblers” -- but Kent Hing too, who Chun loves dearly.

Sister Seven (Anita Yuen) and her sidekick, Ah So (Cheung Tat Ming) meet with Chun again and she remembers him, as the little boy who she saved and fell for. The feeling was still there so Sister Seven and Ah So help Chun through when he miraculously wakes up -- though he refuses to talk, eat or do anything he did before the incident. Lone Ng (Jordan Chan) is also hanging around, helping them out, after being hired by Sister Seven to protect her and her father, with being awarded one bowl of food for one person killed.

The ending won’t be revealed yet (don’t want to spoil it =P), but in the movie, it also explains why Ko Chun wears the jade ring on his pinky, why he always gels his hair back and why he always eats dark chocolate before a game -- and predictably, Chun and Sister Seven fall in love. Chun wears the jade ring on his pinky, due to the fact that during the con of many years ago, Sister Seven was the daughter of the con artist and was thereby given the jade ring to Sister Seven. Of course, Sister Seven then gives the jade ring to Chun, and though it doesn’t fit on any other finger, it fits on his pinky. Ko Chun always eats chocolate before any gambling game because of one simple reason -- straight after he woke up, he lost his sense of taste and dark chocolate was the only thing that he could taste. And why Ko Chun gelled his hair back is a nice, pretty romantic one -- Sister Seven always wanted to see Chun with his hair gelled back, just like those Western movie stars.

Review:

Admittedly, Leon Lai was almost nothing, compared to Chow Yun-Fat, who played the legendary Ko Chun of God of Gamblers 1 & 2. Even so, he did do a pretty good job, although he didn’t really measure up to who I thought the young Ko Chun would be like. Not just in looks, but in personality and charisma as well. He also didn’t really have much chemistry with Anita Yuen or Gigi Leung. Even so, the best thing about the whole movie was Jordan Chan as Lone Ng -- two thumbs up to Jordan!! Jordan depicted the best Lone Ng any one could, in my opinion. He had this kind of charisma that surrounded him -- sure, Lone Ng didn’t talk much but the expressions on his face, his original and amazing fighting moves and that impression he gives people just steals the show. No offence to Leon Lai (this is the first time I’ve seen him acting) but Jordan Chan ruled.

Anita Yuen was cute, as usual and I don’t think anyone could have done a better Sister Seven. Anita was had that quick-witted way of talking and she just looked the part -- cute and bubbly with a bit of attitude to her. I’ve always loved Anita Yuen in movies, and this was no exception. Francis Ng, he was good too, as Ko Ngo -- but what was with the long hair? Gigi Leung, not bad, but I guess she could’ve been better or some better actresses could have took her place. Gigi did look very pretty in the movie and I guess she looked the part, but I’m not too sure about her performance.

There wasn’t really a plot in it -- just to see if the good guys can beat the bad buys, with some scenes which related to the Ko Chun now as we know him. I’ve never really liked Wong Jing’s movies, though this was good -- I enjoyed it just a little bit more than I did when I watched “God of Gamblers’ Return”. Possibly it was because of Anita Yuen and Jordan Chan or because of how they explained why Ko Chun is how he is today. I’ve never seen “God of Gamblers” so unfortunately, I can’t compare this movie to that, though from what I heard, that movie was amazing.

Memorable/Favourite Scenes (spoilers!!):

- Any scene with Jordan Chan in it -- especially when he’s fighting.

- When Sister Seven was helping Ko Chun have a bath.

- When they’re on the rooftop.

- When (*cries*) Sister Seven falls of the rooftop.

- When they’re in the hospital and Sister Seven dies.

- Any scene where it shows you why Ko Chun of now does this.

- When good triumphs over evil during the gambling game.

Recommendation:

This movie is good, probably not as good as the first one, but good to watch in your spare time or when you feel like watching a movie. But if you watch this movie, watch “God of Gamblers’ Return” cos that movie was just as good as this, if not a little less -- but hey, there’s the legendary Chow Yun-Fat in there and that does compensate for a lot of things. Also, stay away from this movie if you LOVED Chow Yun Fat as Ko Chun, cos that'll just ruin the whole thing.