This relentless exercise in nihilistic violence is a stunner, being the bleakest and most psychotic picture ever made by Hong Kong’s Tsui Hark.
This deranged 1980 film, which is also known as DI YI LEI XING WEI XIAN and DON’T PLAY WITH FIRE, was a surprise coming from Hark, who even at that early stage in his career was clearly destined for a solidly commercial path (as proven by the audience-friendly likes of ZU: WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA, GREEN SNAKE, etc). He’s never made another film quite like DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FIRST KIND, and neither, for that matter, has anyone else.
In a nightmarish environ of violent hold-ups, terrorist bombings and random violence, three joyriding teens run down an old man one night and immediately drive off. It’s anything but a clean getaway, however, as the sociopathic young Pearl witnesses the accident. Pearl is a violent ex-felon who lives in a poverty-ridden ghetto with her abusive cop brother. She tracks down the boys and blackmails them into doing her bidding by decorating their parents’ car with deer entrails. A bit later she enlists them in a bus hijacking from which they immediately flee.
The following day Pearl registers her displeasure with the boys by pouring gasoline on them and brandishing a flame. But before Pearl can carry out her threat she’s nearly run down by an American drug runner carrying millions of yen in Japanese money orders. Pearl elects to steal the loot while the scumbag is distracted.
Next Pearl and the guys try and cash the money orders, which isn’t at all easy, as Japanese money orders are worthless in Hong Kong. Their efforts take them into the orbit of a dangerous triad gang who nearly kill them all. In the process Pearl breaks with the boys and goes her own way—a terrible idea, it turns out, for everyone involved!
Although Tsui Hark’s aims here were apparently political in nature, the film has the same ultra-kinetic style of his more commercial offerings. But then again, DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FIRST KIND’S fast pacing and action-based cutting are harsh and unexpected in a way Hark’s other films aren’t.
The use of blunt shock cuts is extremely impacting, enhancing the doom-ridden atmosphere. It’s a measure of the film’s toughness that the one major female character, played by the attractive Lin Chen Chi, is the most dangerous and unpleasant of the entire lot–although Hark is careful to show that her psychosis stems from the hopelessness of her environment.
As for the violence, it’s harsh, bloody and unpleasant, and depicted with an eye for messy consequences you won’t find in too many other Hong Kong actioners. This film, unlike the Tsui Hark produced A BETTER TOMORROW, will never be termed “balletic.” Relentless is a better adjective, particularly when describing the final cemetery set showdown—which isn’t entirely satisfying, alas, mainly because a crucial participant is killed off too early.
Another sore spot is the score, which, as with many Hong Kong movies of the time, is a distracting patchwork of pre-existing music pieces. Particularly irksome is the use of Jean-Michele Jarre’s new agey composition “Oxygene IV” in an action sequence, which simply doesn’t work, even as counterpoint.
Vital Statistics
DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FIRST KIND (DI YI XING WEI XIAN; DON’T PLAY WITH FIRE)
Fotocine Film Production
Director: Tsui Hark
Producer: Fung Wing-Fat
Screenplay: Tsui Hark, Szeto Cheuk-Hon
Cinematography: David Chung
Editing: Chow Cheung Kan, Tsi Wai Wu
Cast: Lo Lieh, Lin Chen Chi, Au Albert, Lung Tin Sang, Che Biu Law, Lui Ray, Bruce Baron