Throw Down (#1092)

One of the most personal films by the prolific Hong Kong auteur Johnnie To is a thrilling love letter to both the cinema of Akira Kurosawa and the art and philosophy of judo. Amid the neon-drenched nightclubs and gambling dens of Hong Kongs nocturnal underworld, the fates of three wandering soulsa former judo champion now barely scraping by as an alcoholic bar owner (Louis Koo), a young fighter (Aaron Kwok) intent on challenging him, and a singer (Cherrie Ying) chasing dreams of stardomcollide in an operatic explosion of human pain, ambition, perseverance, and redemption. Paying offbeat homage to Kurosawas debut feature, Sanshiro Sugata, To scrambles wild comedy, flights of lyrical surrealism, and rousing martial-arts action into what is ultimately a disarmingly touching ode to the healing power of friendship.

SPECIAL FEATURES

4K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray

Interview from 2004