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The Tricky Master

The Tricky Master (Chinese: 千王之王2000; lit. 'King of Gamblers 2000') is a 1999 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Wong Jing, centering on an undercover police inspector who enlists the help of a master con artist to dismantle a notorious swindling operation. Released on August 5, 1999, in Hong Kong, the film runs for 93 minutes and blends elements of crime, gambling, and humorous cons, typical of Hong Kong cinema from the era. Wong Jing, known for his prolific output in the genre, not only directed but also wrote, produced, and starred as the antagonist Ferrari, a high-stakes swindler targeting the wealthy through illegal trading and scams. The story follows Leung Foon (played by Nick Cheung), a determined Serious Crime Unit inspector whose initial infiltration of Ferrari's organization fails, leading him to seek tutelage from the eccentric Master Wong (Stephen Chow), an expert in deceptive gambling tricks, to orchestrate a elaborate counter-swindle. Supporting roles include Sandra Ng as Wasabi, a sharp-witted ally, and Kelly Lin as First Love, adding layers of romantic and comedic tension to the narrative. Produced amid the vibrant Hong Kong film industry of the late 1990s, The Tricky Master showcases Chow's signature slapstick humor and rapid-fire dialogue, though it received mixed critical reception for its uneven pacing.

Film overview

Plot summary

Leung Foon, an ambitious undercover in the Serious Crime Unit, seeks a promotion by volunteering for a high-profile assignment to infiltrate the of Ferrari, a notorious con artist who preys on the wealthy through scams and rackets. Posing as a wealthy businessman, Foon gains initial access to Ferrari's inner circle but is quickly outmaneuvered during a staged stock trading con, where Ferrari exposes Foon's true identity using psychological ploys and insider checks, resulting in Foon's public humiliation and subsequent dismissal from the force. Devastated and seeking revenge, Foon turns to his girlfriend Pizza's family for support; her sister Wasabi, married to the legendary conman Master Wong recently released from , introduces Foon to her husband, who agrees to mentor the disgraced in mastering to take down Ferrari. Master Wong, known for his eccentric ingenuity, mentors Foon, who undergoes a rigorous montage of lessons in con techniques, including forging fake identities with elaborate backstories, deploying to exploit and , and practicing sleight-of-hand tricks like and rigged card games to build instinctive cunning. Armed with his newfound expertise, Foon collaborates with Master Wong to devise a climactic targeting Ferrari's empire, staging a massive con that masquerades as an exclusive high-stakes tournament intertwined with an illegal trading operation, luring Ferrari into overextending his resources through escalating bets and fabricated manipulations. The reaches its peak with a shocking twist revelation of concealed alliances, including the role of First Love, a enigmatic associate of Ferrari whom Foon had romanced during his initial infiltration, ultimately turning the tables on the master swindler and collapsing his fraudulent network. In the resolution, Foon achieves personal redemption by leveraging his con skills to aid law enforcement indirectly, reconciling his police background with his deceptive talents, while Master Wong retires contentedly with Wasabi, and First Love aligns with Foon, marking a bittersweet closure to the cycle of trickery.

Cast and characters

The Tricky Master features a ensemble cast of prominent actors whose portrayals emphasize the film's blend of slapstick comedy and elaborate con schemes. Nick Cheung portrays Leung Foon, an ambitious undercover detective who begins as a naive disdainful of swindlers but transforms into a reluctant yet cunning through his infiltration of a criminal . His character's arc, marked by sweaty determination and escalating trickery, propels the comedic tension as he navigates high-stakes deceptions to dismantle illegal operations. Stephen Chow plays Master Wong, the reclusive, eccentric mentor and former con artist extraordinaire who emerges from prison to guide Leung with outrageous, lesson-filled antics. Chow infuses the role with his hallmark mo lei tau humor—nonsensical, over-the-top gags including parodies of The Matrix and Bruce Lee films—that heightens the film's con-driven comedy while showcasing Wong's mastery of psychological ploys. Wong Jing embodies Ferrari, the suave and merciless head of a con ring specializing in stock trading frauds and gambling ruses, whose manipulative charisma makes him a formidable antagonist. As both actor and director, Jing's performance accentuates Ferrari's ruthless tactics, fueling the central cat-and-mouse cons that blend deception with dark humor. Sandra Ng's Wasabi, Master Wong's bold and quirky wife, delivers comic relief as an active accomplice in the schemes, her exasperated reactions to romantic entanglements adding layers of farce to the group's dynamics. Suki Kwan appears as , Leung Foon's patient girlfriend and Wasabi's sister, whose supportive yet beleaguered involvement in the cons provides ongoing humorous interplay amid the escalating tricks. Kelly Lin depicts , a enigmatic femme fatale embedded in Ferrari's world, whose initial girl-next-door allure evolves into romantic intrigue that complicates Leung's mission and injects tension into the con artistry. Among the minor characters, Kingdom Yuen plays a teacher, Frankie Ng a prison guard, Law Kar-ying as Sing, and Bobby Yip as Brother Five; these roles bolster the ensemble as fellow con artists, authority figures, or scam facilitators, enriching the film's web of deceptions without overshadowing the leads.

Production

Development and writing

Wong Jing undertook the multifaceted role of writer, director, and producer for The Tricky Master, leveraging his established expertise in crafting Hong Kong gambling comedies, as demonstrated in his work on the God of Gamblers series, including God of Gamblers II (1990) and God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai (1991). This 1999 project extended the franchise's legacy under the title King of Gamblers 2000, focusing on intricate con schemes within stock market and gambling contexts to appeal to audiences familiar with the genre's blend of crime, slapstick humor, and light romance. The screenplay, penned by Wong Jing, emphasized "mo lei tau" (nonsensical) comedy elements central to the film's tone, incorporating elaborate con mechanics inspired by traditional Hong Kong cinematic tropes of swindlers and high-stakes deceptions. Development occurred in the late 1990s, aligning with Wong Jing's collaboration history with lead actor Stephen Chow, whom he cast as the mentor figure Master Wong to capitalize on their successful prior pairings in films like Tricky Brains (1991) and the Royal Tramp series (1992). Wong Jing further integrated meta-humor by portraying the antagonist Ferrari himself, enhancing the film's self-aware comedic style. Budget planning under Wong Jing's production company, BoB & Partners Co., Ltd., aimed to harness Chow's mid-1990s stardom while keeping costs manageable for a vehicle targeting Hong Kong's theatrical market.

Filming and crew

for The Tricky Master commenced in early 1999, primarily on constructed sets replicating locations in , to align with director Wong Jing's signature fast-paced production approach prevalent in Hong Kong cinema. Cinematographer Ko Chiu-Lam led the visual capture, employing dynamic camera movements to heighten the energy of the con artist sequences, such as tight close-ups during intricate card trick demonstrations and expansive wide shots encompassing bustling gambling dens. Editor Sue Woo shaped the film's rhythm through precise rapid cuts that amplified comedic timing, particularly in the high-energy montage sequences depicting the protagonist's training under the master swindler. Composer Lincoln Lo crafted the soundtrack, incorporating lively pop influences for upbeat moments alongside custom original cues to build tension during pivotal executions. The illusions central to the cons relied on practical techniques, eschewing extensive in favor of hands-on tricks like sleight-of-hand props and mechanical aids, a common practice amid the modest budgets of late-1990s productions.

Release

Theatrical distribution

The Tricky Master premiered in theaters on August 5, 1999, with distribution handled by Mei Ah Entertainment Group Ltd. The film's theatrical run in the region lasted from August 5 to September 9, 1999. The marketing campaign capitalized on Stephen Chow's established stardom in Hong Kong cinema, positioning the film as a lighthearted con centered on and scams. Promotional posters featured vivid imagery of high-stakes card games and deceptive maneuvers, while official trailers highlighted the film's humor and elaborate trickery sequences to draw audiences familiar with Chow's series. Internationally, the release was limited, with a rollout in on August 21, 1999. A video premiere followed in on December 2, 2005, reflecting the niche appeal of Hong Kong comedies abroad. , originally in , was exported with subtitles for non-Cantonese markets, but it received no major theatrical distribution , consistent with the era's patterns for Hong Kong genre films targeting Asian diaspora audiences. Certified II B in for mild violence and suitable for viewers aged 12 and above, the film runs 95 minutes. This distribution strategy contributed to its domestic , grossing over HK$19 million.

Box office and home media

The Tricky Master grossed HK$19,141,640 at the Hong Kong , equivalent to approximately $2.46 million at contemporary exchange rates. This made it a moderate commercial , ranking fourth among Hong Kong films that year and capitalizing on Chow's popularity amid a crowded 1999 market featuring high-profile releases like and The Mission. The film's theatrical run occurred during the early stages of economic recovery in Hong Kong following the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which had led to a sharp decline in local film production from around 200 titles annually in the mid-1990s to just 92 in 1998. Despite this context, it underperformed compared to Chow's top-grossing 1999 effort, King of Comedy, which earned HK$29,848,860, though its lower budget and rapid production schedule—typical of director Wong Jing's output—contributed to profitability as a quickie comedy. Internationally, the film saw modest earnings, including a theatrical release in on August 21, 1999, and a video premiere in on December 2, 2005. On home media, initial VHS and VCD releases followed soon after its theatrical debut, with VCD available in by October 1999. DVD versions emerged in the early 2000s, including a Hong Kong edition from Mei Ah Entertainment and a U.S. release by Tai Seng on April 17, 2001. A digitally remastered Blu-ray edition, featuring restored audio and English subtitles, was issued in by Mei Ah on July 17, 2020. As of 2023, the film became available for streaming on Disney+ in select regions, including and parts of , with English subtitles. Merchandising was limited, primarily consisting of promotional posters and a tied to the film's gambling-themed comedy elements.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

Upon its release in 1999, The Tricky Master garnered mixed reviews in media, with critics praising Stephen Chow's impeccable comedic timing while decrying the film as typical formulaic output from director . LoveHKFilm labeled it a "creative " for Chow, noting its overreliance on commercial tropes despite achieving significant success with earnings of HK$19,141,640. Aggregate user and scores underscore this divided response: holds a 5.9/10 rating on based on 1,871 user votes, and a 39% approval rating on derived from a limited set of 21 s, which frequently highlighted uneven pacing during the con sequences. Retrospective assessments from the 2000s through the 2020s have similarly been ambivalent, with users assigning an average of 3.0 out of 5 stars across 817 ratings, often commending the on-screen chemistry between Chow and while critiquing the evident rushed production. WorldFilmGeek, in a , positioned as a "torch-passing" entry in Chow's career, serving as a lighter send-off to his signature comedy style. Reviewers across eras have specifically lauded the film's effective incorporation of humor and inventive con illusions, yet faulted its predictable plot structure and heavy dependence on gags for comedic effect. The movie earned no major awards, though it has been referenced in broader analyses of the cinema's decline, marked by overproduction and formulaic storytelling amid economic and market pressures.

Cultural impact

The Tricky Master occupies a minor yet illustrative position in Stephen Chow's filmography, portraying him as a retired and mentor figure who trains an undercover cop in deceptive tactics, a archetype that echoes earlier roles like the beggar master in (1992) and foreshadows the comedic training dynamics in his later directorial effort (2001). This mentor trope, rooted in kung fu comedy traditions such as (1978), highlights Chow's evolution from underdog trickster to authoritative guide, blending mo lei tau absurdity with genre subversion. The film reinforced Wong Jing's signature style in the con artist and gambling comedy genre, characterized by high-stakes scams and satirical takes on wealth and deception, which influenced subsequent 2000s Hong Kong productions like the series (2012–2016) that hybridized similar tropes with action elements. Released amid the post-handover decline of the film industry in 1999, The Tricky Master exemplified the era's reliance on star-driven comedies to sustain audience interest, parodying staples like the "" series while critiquing social anxieties around economic uncertainty. Its commercial success, driven by Chow's draw, underscored Wong Jing's dominance in the genre during a transitional period for local cinema. Among comedy enthusiasts, has garnered a , contributing to Chow's broader legacy of counter-hegemonic appeal in . Clips of Chow's antics, such as the film's exaggerated scam sequences, have circulated on since the 2010s, fostering nostalgic discussions of 1990s mo lei tau humor. The 2020 digitally remastered Blu-ray release by Mei Ah Entertainment renewed interest, prompting online retrospectives that highlight its role in preserving 's comedic heritage. While no direct remakes exist, echoes of its cons appear in modern films like Crazy Rich Asians (2018), which incorporates high-society deception motifs.

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