A lurid and sleazy piece of gratuitously violent exploitation, Red To Kill will either have you switching off in disgust or glued to the screen in complete awe, such are the levels of excess committed to celluloid in this notorious Hong Kong shocker. Personally, I loved it, but then I've always had rather 'dubious' taste in films.
Ben Ng plays Chi Wai Chan, a seemingly mild-mannered care-worker at a home for the retarded; however, it transpires that, as a child, he was badly traumatised by a violent family incident and as a result, he isn't quite right in the head. Now, when Chi sees the colour red, he becomes a sweaty, sex-crazed, spittle-flecked maniac who rapes and kills with sadistic glee.
When Ming Ming (Lily Chung), an orphaned retarded girl with a love of dance, accidentally flashes the gusset of her red knickers to Chi, and later wears a red dress for a dance performance, she becomes the latest victim of the twisted lunatic, suffering a brutal sex attack.
Chi is arrested, but is later freed on a technicality. Ming Ming's social worker and close friend Ka Lok Cheung (Money Lo) vows revenge. She follows Chi to a bar, dressed in a sexy red outfit, and teases him enough to cause him to wig out and go postal in a finale which has to be seen to be believed.
Director Billy Tang, who gave us the stylishly sick Dr. Lamb, goes all out to offend the sensibilities with what may be the most repulsive, yet compelling movie to ever be awarded the Category III rating. Just setting a rape/revenge movie in a home for the mentally handicapped might be considered reason enough for most to avoid this film, but fans of extreme cinema will be delighted. If you are able to look beyond the questionable subject matter, it is not hard to admire Tang's audacity as he enthusiastically ladles on the excess.
Lily Chung and Money Lo both give excellent assured performances, but it is Ben Ng as the crazed sex-fiend Chi, who steals the show. His transformation from gentle care-worker to deranged muscle-bound, sledgehammer-wielding rapist is a joy to behold and goes to the top of my list of all-time favourite cinematic psychos (sneaking just ahead of Anthony Wong as Bunman).
Given the extreme nature of Red To Kill, one should think carefully before viewing. Even if you are an experienced Cat III junkie, be prepared to have your jaw hit the floor at least once or twice during this relentlessly harrowing and sleazy tale.
