Overlay: Mad Detective (2007) - critical reception and reviews

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#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Mad Detective (2007), how was the film received and reviewed at the time of release?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

At its release in 2007, Mad Detective (神探) was received as a highly creative, "high-concept" entry in the Hong Kong crime genre. While it faced commercial hurdles due to a restrictive age rating, it was a critical darling at major international film festivals and is now considered one of the strongest collaborations between directors Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai.

1. International Festival Reception

Mad Detective gained significant prestige on the festival circuit before its general release:

Venice Film Festival (2007): The film was a last-minute "surprise movie" entry in the main competition at the 64th Venice International Film Festival. It was praised by European and American critics for its wit and conciseness. Ray Bennett of The Hollywood Reporter called it "concise and artful" and compared the climactic hall-of-mirrors shootout to the work of Orson Welles (specifically The Lady from Shanghai).
Toronto International Film Festival (2007): It was featured in the "Special Presentations" category, a slot typically reserved for daring, artistic films from high-profile directors. North American critics began to take note of the film's "gonzo" energy and its unique visual literalization of mental illness.

2. Critical Consensus

Critical reviews at the time were "generally favorable," with specific praise for its departure from traditional "cop and robber" tropes.

Performance: Lau Ching Wan's performance as the "mad" Inspector Bun was universally acclaimed. Critics noted his ability to balance the character's tragic delusions with a "Sherlockian" brilliance.
Creativity and Visuals: Reviewers were fascinated by the film's central conceit—Bun's ability to see a person's "inner personalities" (manifested as separate actors). The New York Times (Manohla Dargis) described it as "insanely inventive and entertaining," while The Boston Globe called it "equal parts gonzo inspiration and overwrought indecision."
Mixed Opinions: While mostly positive, some critics, like Derek Elley of Variety, were more reserved, calling it "a neat idea that doesn't quite hit the bull's-eye" and noting it felt "slight" compared to Johnnie To's other heavy-hitting crime dramas like Election or Exiled.

3. Commercial Success and Rating Controversy

The film's domestic performance in Hong Kong was notable for overcoming a restrictive rating:

Category III Rating: The film was slapped with a "Category III" rating (restricted to audiences 18 and older) in Hong Kong. This was primarily due to a single, graphic scene at the beginning where Bun severs his own ear. Co-director Wai Ka-fai famously refused to cut the scene to get a more lenient Category IIB rating, arguing the act was essential to establishing the character's psychology.
Box Office Performance: Despite the rating limit, the film was a commercial success. It opened at #1 at the Hong Kong box office on November 29, 2007, beating out major Hollywood competitors like 30 Days of Night. It eventually grossed over HK$10.67 million, which was considered a high result for a Category III local film at the time.

4. Awards and Accolades

The film's writing was its most celebrated element during the 2007–2008 awards season:

Hong Kong Film Awards (2008): Won Best Screenplay (Wai Ka-fai and Au Kin-yee). It received seven other nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
Asian Film Awards (2008): Won Best Screenwriter.
Hong Kong Film Critics Society: Named it a "Recommended Film" and awarded it Best Screenplay.

In summary, Mad Detective was viewed at its release as a "smart" thriller that successfully blended the gritty realism of Hong Kong noir with surrealist, psychological elements. Its success reinforced the "Milkyway Image" brand as the premier source for innovative Asian genre cinema.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The characterization as 'high-concept' is supported by multiple critical reviews that emphasize its innovative premise.

[2] The Category III rating did create commercial challenges, and the film did receive festival acclaim before general release.

[3] The collaboration is frequently cited as significant in reviews and is the first To-Wai co-direction since Running on Karma (2003).

[4] The film premiered at Venice and Toronto before its Hong Kong theatrical release on November 29, 2007.

[5] Ray Bennett's Hollywood Reporter review confirms it was 'announced at the last minute as the surprise movie in competition.'

[6] Ray Bennett described the film as having qualities appealing to 'movie-goers who like cop stories fast and furious but also complex and witty.'

[7] Ray Bennett's exact words in The Hollywood Reporter were that Mad Detective is 'concise and artful.'

[8] While the Lady from Shanghai comparison appears in reviews, I could not verify that Ray Bennett specifically made this comparison. Dennis Schwartz Reviews mentions this comparison but doesn't attribute it to Bennett.

[9] Wikipedia and Variety confirm the film was in the Special Presentations category at Toronto 2007.

[10] Multiple North American critics used terms like 'gonzo' (Boston Globe) and praised the visual representation of inner personalities.

[11] Metacritic score of 68/100 falls under 'generally favorable reviews,' and critics noted its genre innovation.

[12] Multiple reviews specifically praise Lau Ching Wan's performance, with terms like 'bravura' and noting his ability to make the complex character believable.

[13] The visual technique of having multiple actors represent one character's inner personalities is consistently noted across reviews.

[14] This exact quote from Manohla Dargis appears in Wikipedia and Rotten Tomatoes.

[15] Ty Burr's exact quote from The Boston Globe is confirmed in Wikipedia.

[16] Derek Elley's Variety review is accurately quoted, including his comparison to other Johnnie To films.

[17] The film did overcome Category III restrictions to achieve commercial success, grossing HK$10.67 million.

[18] Wikipedia confirms the Category III rating as an 18+ restriction in Hong Kong.

[19] The ear scene occurs during the farewell party, not strictly 'at the beginning.' It's a key early scene but not the opening sequence. The scene is described as being exceptionally violent and the reason for the rating.

[20] Wikipedia confirms Wai Ka-Fai's refusal to cut the scene, stating it was 'crucial to the story.'

[21] While commercially successful for a Category III film, promotional materials claiming it was '2007's largest grossing film at the Hong Kong box office' likely refer to locally-produced films only, not all releases.

[22] Wikipedia confirms the November 29, 2007 opening at #1 with HK$3.84 million opening weekend, facing competition from 30 Days of Night.

[23] Final gross of HK$10.67 million is confirmed across multiple sources and noted as a strong result for Category III films.

[24] The screenplay awards at multiple ceremonies confirm this was the most celebrated aspect.

[25] Best Screenplay win and seven nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor) at 27th Hong Kong Film Awards 2008 confirmed.

[26] Best Screenwriter win at Asian Film Awards 2008 is confirmed in multiple sources.

[27] Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards confirmed Best Screenplay and Film of Merit designation.

[28] The summary accurately captures the critical consensus about the film's genre innovation and the Milkyway Image brand.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

The film competed for the Golden Lion Award at Venice (not just screened)

The summary mentions Venice screening but doesn't emphasize that it was in the main competition for the Golden Lion Award, which is a significant distinction showing the festival's confidence in the film.

Low

Rotten Tomatoes score of 84% based on 20 reviews

The AI Summary mentions Metacritic's score but omits the Rotten Tomatoes rating, which provides additional context for critical reception.

Medium

The film's performance was fifth place among Hong Kong-produced releases for 2007

While promotional materials claim it was the highest-grossing film, more reliable sources indicate it was fifth among local productions, which provides important context for the 'commercial success' claim.

Low

IFC Films distributed the film in the U.S. on July 18, 2008, via theatrical and VOD as part of the First Take program

The summary focuses on Hong Kong and festival reception but doesn't mention the international theatrical distribution, which is relevant to understanding how the film was received globally.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 What other Hong Kong films grossed higher than Mad Detective in 2007?

#02 Did Ray Bennett specifically compare Mad Detective's shootout to The Lady from Shanghai in his review?

#03 What was the budget for Mad Detective and how did it compare to its box office performance?

#S SOURCES

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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At its release in 2007, *Mad Detective* (神探) was received as a highly creative, "high-concept" entry in the Hong Kong crime genre. While it faced commercial hurdles due to a restrictive age rating, it was a critical darling at major international film festivals and is now considered one of the strongest collaborations between directors Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai. ### **1. International Festival Reception** *Mad Detective* gained significant prestige on the festival circuit before its general release: * **Venice Film Festival (2007):** The film was a last-minute "surprise movie" entry in the main competition at the 64th Venice International Film Festival. It was praised by European and American critics for its wit and conciseness. Ray Bennett of *The Hollywood Reporter* called it "concise and artful" and compared the climactic hall-of-mirrors shootout to the work of Orson Welles (specifically *The Lady from Shanghai*). * **Toronto International Film Festival (2007):** It was featured in the "Special Presentations" category, a slot typically reserved for daring, artistic films from high-profile directors. North American critics began to take note of the film's "gonzo" energy and its unique visual literalization of mental illness. ### **2. Critical Consensus** Critical reviews at the time were "generally favorable," with specific praise for its departure from traditional "cop and robber" tropes. * **Performance:** Lau Ching Wan's performance as the "mad" Inspector Bun was universally acclaimed. Critics noted his ability to balance the character's tragic delusions with a "Sherlockian" brilliance. * **Creativity and Visuals:** Reviewers were fascinated by the film's central conceit—Bun's ability to see a person's "inner personalities" (manifested as separate actors). *The New York Times* (Manohla Dargis) described it as "insanely inventive and entertaining," while *The Boston Globe* called it "equal parts gonzo inspiration and overwrought indecision." * **Mixed Opinions:** While mostly positive, some critics, like Derek Elley of *Variety*, were more reserved, calling it "a neat idea that doesn't quite hit the bull's-eye" and noting it felt "slight" compared to Johnnie To's other heavy-hitting crime dramas like *Election* or *Exiled*. ### **3. Commercial Success and Rating Controversy** The film's domestic performance in Hong Kong was notable for overcoming a restrictive rating: * **Category III Rating:** The film was slapped with a "Category III" rating (restricted to audiences 18 and older) in Hong Kong. This was primarily due to a single, graphic scene at the beginning where Bun severs his own ear. Co-director Wai Ka-fai famously refused to cut the scene to get a more lenient Category IIB rating, arguing the act was essential to establishing the character's psychology. * **Box Office Performance:** Despite the rating limit, the film was a commercial success. It opened at **#1 at the Hong Kong box office** on November 29, 2007, beating out major Hollywood competitors like *30 Days of Night*. It eventually grossed over **HK$10.67 million**, which was considered a high result for a Category III local film at the time. ### **4. Awards and Accolades** The film's writing was its most celebrated element during the 2007–2008 awards season: * **Hong Kong Film Awards (2008):** Won **Best Screenplay** (Wai Ka-fai and Au Kin-yee). It received seven other nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. * **Asian Film Awards (2008):** Won **Best Screenwriter**. * **Hong Kong Film Critics Society:** Named it a "Recommended Film" and awarded it **Best Screenplay**. In summary, *Mad Detective* was viewed at its release as a "smart" thriller that successfully blended the gritty realism of Hong Kong noir with surrealist, psychological elements. Its success reinforced the "Milkyway Image" brand as the premier source for innovative Asian genre cinema.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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At its release in 2007, Mad Detective was received as a highly creative and innovative entry in the Hong Kong crime genre. The film premiered as a surprise entry in competition at the 64th Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion Award and was praised by critics including Ray Bennett of The Hollywood Reporter, who called it 'concise and artful.' It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival 2007 in the Special Presentations category. Critical reception was generally favorable, with Metacritic scoring it 68/100 ('generally favorable reviews') and Rotten Tomatoes giving it 84% based on 20 reviews. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times described it as 'insanely inventive and entertaining,' while Ty Burr of The Boston Globe called it 'equal parts gonzo inspiration and overwrought indecision.' Derek Elley of Variety was more reserved, calling it 'a neat idea that doesn't quite hit the bull's-eye.' Critics particularly praised Lau Ching Wan's performance and the film's innovative visual technique of using multiple actors to represent characters' inner personalities. The film received a Category III rating (18+) in Hong Kong due to a violent ear-severing scene, which co-director Wai Ka-fai refused to cut despite the commercial restrictions this imposed. Despite the restrictive rating, the film opened at #1 at the Hong Kong box office on November 29, 2007, grossing HK$3.84 million in its opening weekend and eventually earning HK$10.67 million—considered a strong result for a Category III local film. The screenplay by Wai Ka-fai and Au Kin-yee was particularly celebrated, winning Best Screenplay at the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards 2008, the Asian Film Awards 2008, and the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards 2008. The film received seven total nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Mad Detective was viewed as a successful collaboration between Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai that blended Hong Kong noir with surrealist psychological elements, reinforcing Milkyway Image's reputation for innovative genre cinema.

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