A Fistful Of Stances [2010][TVB][E]

Missed the 1st 20 min because of Glee. When I switched back, Tak was already on a murderous rage.

As usual, Fa kept insulting our villain in the making.

Pause here. In retrospect I didn't really translate properly what was said because I can't remember all but flashbacks scenes told me what Fa said were 10 times worse than what I transcribed. She can be very very mean, didn't mean she deserved death.

Anyway Fa screamed "You as the grand champion of the martial arts competition? Keep dreaming! You will never be one. You will never succeed. You will never make it. You were and always will be a lowlife idiot!!"

she actually said something else but sorta mean that.

Tak snapped. He threw a pot of flowers at her, scared she ran as he walked after her, she went into her room and looking him tearfully, cried "Please don't kill me. I swear I will tell no one. I swear. Please, please don't kill me" as she tearfully begged but Tak kept thinking of the many times she insulted him and as she begged "Please... please... don't kill me..." he extended out his hand, grabbed her neck and basically sqeezed the life out of her.

Pause here.

This is a beautifully and tastefully shot scene. You don't actually see Fa dying, as her head was obstructed by something else, so all you see is Tak, hand extended, and her body going limp. One of those rare moments where you see the brilliance of direction.

Tak was absolutely bonkers. He carried her into his room and walked out to get ropes and all.

Meanwhile Biu came home, and knocked on Tak's door as he said smilingly "Tak, I am back early. Are you asleep? If not let's discuss your strategy for the competition"

Remember Shing told Tak to join the kung fu competition? At this point I always thought Biu was a harsh master but he meant well and this scene is very sad because he was kind to Tak, treated him like a son and what Tak did next was monstrous.

Biu opened the door, thinking Tak was under the covers smilingly opened the cover and saw his dead wife, eyes opened. Biu was shocked, but quickly calmed down, put down the covers and hid as he saw Tak walking towards the room menacingly. As Tak was busy putting Fa into a huge brown sack, Biu quietly went out but Tak saw Biu in the mirror.

Biu quickly rushed out, opened main door and lo and behold, Tak was there. Biu knew he had only one chance; that is to fight his way out. Without much words exchanged, Biu charged and Tak fought and we see these two fight and then intersect with a scene of Tak fighting an opponent in the same style and cheered by Shing and gang. This must be a later scene. Biu fought valiantly, fought very very hard but he was too old and too slow for Tak and Tak practically beat Biu to death. What a horrible scene. Tak lost his senses. He saw Biu dead on the floor, covered in blood and he saw a pair of keys.

Pause here.

This was a good scene, because the kung fu were done by stuntmen so we don't have aerobics here but real fight. It was very sad to see Biu died like that; he didn't deserve this end. Tak's behaviour was exactly like those people who snapped and walked around a school with a gun and shooting indiscriminately. After his sifu's death, he didn't even look like he snapped out of his madness; he seemed to be in control and knew full well what he just did because not a speck of remorse, at all. I would have loved to see Tak snapped out and looking at the mangled body of Biu, starting crying with regret but knew he had to destroy the bodies if he wanted to live and earn his champion title and thus respect. Because that would show a conflicted villain, and a conflicted villain always makes interesting TV. Unfortunately this villain is pretty much 100% villain and that to me would be such a boring thing.

Anyway Tak won the championship for the district, all cheered him and when he came home, he was given respect he longed for when the police chief offered him his mansion for practice for the I suppose state side competition. Shing smiled proudly of Tak. Then someone asked "But where is Master Biu?" and I think it was Wai Lan who said "Oh father and stepmother went back to the hometown for a visit". So the half an hour I missed must have explained that. Then the reporter asked Tak "So what do you wish for now since you won this championship?" and Tak boldly said "2 things; first, I want to spread the art of kung fu" and Shing smiled approvingly and then Tak said "second, I wish to utilise my father's medicine recipes to benefit our people" and that caught Shing and Wai Lan off guard because I think they were thinking "When did his father have medicine?". Here I am a bit confused. Did Tak mean HIS OWN father or Biu?

Anyway everybody was happy.

Back to 1935, Wai Lan still refuses to go for surgery, despite being pressured by Tong who was pressured by the lady doctor, Dr Weng. The other children stupidly agreed with Wai Lan, believing that surgery was intrusive and unnecessary. Tong felt helpess and consulted Dr Weng who asked "But she must be in extreme pain by now, no one can stand that pain" and Tong said "Maybe not someone else but my mother, she is strong and used to pain. She can mask the pain..." and Tong knew he had to do something. During dinner, again he asked Wai Lan who again refused and said "Doctor *** said I don't need surgery, it is just heatiness!". Doctor *** is the TCM doctor she was seeing. Everybody piped in and said surgery not necessary and Tong angrily said "Shut up you lot!" and his uncle said something and Tong said "Uncle, just do everyone a favour and just shut up!" and uncle angrily said "How dare you speak to your senior that way?" and Tong angry, left. She rushed to see the TCM doctor and asked urgently "Tell me the truth; is my mother just suffering from some heatiness or appendicitis?" and the doctor sighed and said "Of course appendicitis. I urged her to see a western doctor to remove it or she will be in danger" and Tong shocked rushed home and said to Wai Lan "Mother, why did you lie? I saw Doctor *** and he said it was appendicitis and he even thought you needed the surgery!" and Wai Lan angrily walked away as she insisted "I said I am fine! I don't need no surgery!" and all the children began crying as Tong shouted "You have to have the surgery or you'll die!!" and Wai Lan angrily said "So what? This is my life! My choice! If I want to die, it is my business and none of yours. I have done my duty in raising all of you, I am not afraid to die. If this is my fate, then so be it!!" and she walked away and Tong angrily shouted "We just want you to live a long and healthy life!" but Wai Lan walked away and Tong shouted "If you wanted to die, you should have died 20 years ago!!" and uncle said "Tong! How dare you speak to your mother so rudely!" as Wai Lan turned and faced Tong as Tong insisted "It is true! Mother, if you really wanted to just throw your life away, you could have done so when grandfather and grandmother were murdered, when father went missing, when your beloved son was kidnapped. But you never thought of death. You gritted your teeth and raised us all by yourself. You never thought of death then. And now, over such a small surgery, you wish for death than good health?" and Wai Lan angrily said "I said enough! I have decided! Don't try to persuade me!" and she walked away leaving the children crying and Tong crying as well.

Pause here.

I don't know what was wrong with this scene. I thought it was way overdramatic over something so trivial but you must read on why Wai Lan acted the way she did.

Wai Lan narrated "If only you all knew... my children, I have my reasons for not wanting this surgery. I wish I could tell you all, I wish life would not have been the way it was, but this is the way it is. Forgive me my children for my refusal"

Back in 1912.

Wai Lan and Shing went to the telegram and received a message since they have not heard from Biu for very long time. I suppose a month? They thought the telegram was from Biu but was actually from Hau Lin Fa, sister of Fa who said "Brother in law and sister never arrived. Could not see them in the train station".

Wai Lan panicked. Shing said "Calm down, let's calm down" but Wai Lan said "I feel something awful has happened. I just have this feeling. Remember the smell of dead rats in the locked store room? Go and have a look" and Shing and brothers opened the door and the smell was so bad they nearly vomitted. Everyone wanted to go in, but Shing said "No! Let me.."

He walked in and then rushed out, almost vomitting.

Pause here.

This is probably Tavia's best acting moment in this series.

Shing looked at Wai Lan, held her as Wai Lan stared at him, panicking, knowing something was wrong as Shing urged her "Don't! Don't go in there! Don't!" and Wai Lan about to cry freed herself from his grip and everyone rushed in and there were Biu and Fa unseen bodies and Wai Lan wailed "FATHERRRRR!!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! FATHERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!" and Shing held her as everybody else cried "MASTERRRRR!!!!"

In the living room, everyone was in a state of shock, Wai Lan still crying hard as Tak came rushing in and asked "Who killed master? WHO?!" and the police also asked the same thing as Shing said "Brother (Tak), you were here that night. What did you see?" and Tak said I was not here, I left to practice my kung fu. I should have left 5 minutes later! Sifuuuuuuu!!!" and the police said "The money and jewelry were missing" and concluded must be some burglar who came in and as Shing emotionally said "Sifu died from multiple wounds, he was beaten to death!". Everyone didn't know who did what, but suspected a burglar.

Pause here.

If it was a burglar, that must be the most skilled burglar. Biu may be old, but he can certainly chase off some burglar and since we are talking about him being beaten to death, Fa being strangled to death, whoever did that must be strong and skilled. Unfortunately neither the police nor Shing even thought of that. For them to believe it was a burglar showed how sucky the script was.

Back to present. Dr Weng came with stretcher, children pressured her but still she refused. She went into her room and Dr Weng said "Ask me any question, I will answer them. I will assure you the surgery is safe" but Wai Lan refused and Dr Weng said "If you knew your patient will die without a treatment, would you be as persistent as me? Please listen to me..." but Wai Lan refused and left the living room. The uncle said "Don't care! Just go grab her!!" and they rushed into the room and saw her in pain. Tong tearfully asked "Mother, why are you refusing? Tell me" and Wai Lan finally said "You reall want to know why?" and the children listened as she said with flashback "Life was hard after your grandparents were dead and your father missing. I had to make a living and I was pregnant with twins and I had to care for you 2 boys..."

And if you think her maths was wrong as to how many children she has, let me clarify by that time eldest son was kidnapped. So she was right to say 2 sons with 2 more on the way, I suppose Natalie was adopted later.

"...I fell from the bicycle and carried to the hospital. I was very afraid, I was afraid of losing my babies and never seeing you 2 boys ever again. I heard the doctor in the mask said something about anesthetic, and then as I was drifting to sleep I was very afraid I can never wake up again so I made a plea to the heavens, let me get through this, let me live at least until my children are all grown up. And I lived and I was very happy to hold my 2 babies in my arms. But the heavens, they really know how to calculate. Tong, you're now 28 years old, and I am afraid my time is up, I have to fulfil my bargain with the heavens"

Tong looked at her and said emotionally "Mother, I may be 28 but I am still "hiu hiu hiu" every night. I still need you to make medicine for me. And I am in no condition to care for all of them. Leung is always in trouble. Yan is too meek to defend himself. Kuen could hardly take care of herself. Mother, why would you believe in such nonsense? Please, do the surgery" but Wai Lan still refused and Tong very emotionally contorted face with pain said (here I am not sure what exactly was said so most may be my own imagination) "Mother, fine! If that is the case, if you die, I swear I will be sick forever. Kuen will be cheated in love!" and so on and so forth as I think Wai Lan slapped Tong. Can't remember. Ming cried "I swear too, I wil forever and ever be an orphan!!" or something like that and Wai Lan cried and said "No no don't say all that! I will do the surgery! I will!" and they all group hugged whilst uncle and Dr Weng looked on tearfully.

Next episode, Wai Lan didn't die and finally showed some kung fu as she beat the crap out of Tak's mean son.

I am happy that at least the story went somewhere but at times for the 1935 story, I felt like I was watching an episode of Moonlight Resonance with all these group cry, group argument, group hug. I can say a lot about the acting but the story is just...

for the 1912 story, it is fine although at parts illogical. Tonight is however well told and I like the scene how Fa and Biu died. I just didn't think the characterisation of Tak was good at all as I explained above.

for the 1935 story, all was just OTT in every aspect. The last scene with Wai Lan explaining why she didn't want surgery, I understand her meaning. She bargained with God, and now the children are all grown, she was afraid she will die. She is after all a traditional woman who believes in such stuff. Wai Lan had a tough life. However that scene with everyone crying hard, I just felt something wasn't right. It is not the dialogue, I see that as an ingredient. It is not really the set up, another ingredient, or some acting, also part of an ingredient. Somehow the recipe doesn't add up. Something emotionally disconnected. I felt nothing. I felt the entire scene was just pure drama. It didn't help when the acting for Yuen Qiu fell short of expectation. I didn't feel her anguish or her fear, just stubborness. Kenneth Ma tried way too hard, face contorted with pain is good, but the way he delivered the lines, there was no emotional punch, just more like a kid throwing a tantrum at his mom, and so scolded his mother. It didn't help he was pouting when delivering the lines, just the way he always does. He is like the direct opposite of Kevin; one tried too hard like an eager child wanting to please and the other doesn't even try at all, like a log of wood. Both as bad. I wouldn't say Kenneth was terrible, I just felt his way of interpreting the character of Tong is not up to my expectations, and not how I see Tong. I find his Tong rather spoilt as in Malay word "Manja" or in chinese word "teh", doesn't have the bigness of being heroic or a leader. Something was just lacking. Everybody else was as terrible mostly due to the writing. Natalie Tong is now the most exposed sidekick, lots of scene but just one note character. None of them had any personality.

Chung King Fai did well in his death scene.

Dominic Lam was just ok. I still don't feel his anger or desperation or his "ng kam sang" sort of way.

Only 2 rose above the cliche characters and gave some good performances.

Eileen Yeow impressed me thus far as the one who actually did something with her role. I may not like her Fa but she didn't deserve murder. Her every expression, her delivery, I would say amongst all of them, she was impressive. Kudos to her.

Tavia was mostly sleep walking until that scene before she rushed in to find her parents murdered. That scene as she looked at Kevin, afraiud, shaking in fear, knowing something was wrong; that was fantastic acting. In a way the character failed Tavia and Tavia in a way failed the character too. But that scene alone, she was fantastic. I just wished for more of those subtle sort of acting.

Kevin Cheng... is just hopeless. He is so wooden. Even when vomitting, he looked like an actor acting vomitting. His every act, move, delivery all just seems like a person acting. He did not inhibit the role nor could he since Shing is still underdeveloped.

The entire cast shares very little chemistry.

This episode was slightly better than the rest but until now I still feel A Fistful Of Stances has potential from the trailer but just failed, not really because of the story, maybe because of acting or casting but most of all, the writing and scripting was one of the worse I have ever seen.