Casino Raiders

Casino Raiders
Film poster
Traditional	至尊無上
Simplified	至尊无上
Mandarin	Zhì Zūn Wú Shàng
Cantonese	Zi3 Zyun1 Mou4 Seong6
Directed by	Jimmy Heung Wong Jing
Produced by	Wallace Cheung
Written by	Wong Jing Jimmy Heung
Starring	Andy Lau Alan Tam Idy Chan Rosamund Kwan
Music by	James Wong Romeo Diaz
Cinematography	Joe Chan Lee Chi-wai
Edited by	Robert Choi
Production company	Win's Entertainment
Distributed by	Golden Harvest
Release dates	29 June 1989 (1989-06-29)
Running time	127 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Budget	HK$30,000,000
Box office	HK$23,292,339

Casino Raiders is a 1989 Hong Kong action drama film written and directed by Jimmy Heung and Wong Jing and starring Andy Lau, Alan Tam, Idy Chan and Rosamund Kwan. It belonged to the early part of the 1989-1996 period, a period when films with gambling-themed were dominating the Hong Kong movie scene. The film was followed by two sequels No Risk, No Gain (1990) and Casino Raiders II (1991) which have new storylines.

Plot

Crab Chan (Andy Lau) and Sam Law (Alan Tam) are a pair of renowned professional gamblers who are best friends. One day, tycoon Lung (Charles Heung) hires the two of them to his casino in Las Vegas to crack a scam led by a pair of Japanese gamblers, Kung (Hagiwara Kenzo) and his son Taro (Lung Fong). There, Crab and Sam also meets Koyan Tong (Idy Chan), a rich heiress from Hong Kong who was on vacation in the United States. Koyan and Sam also develop a relationship.

After the three of them return to Hong Kong, Sam was being hunted down buy triads whom were sent by Kung to seek revenge. Fortunately, Sam was rescued by Crab. However, this led to Crab severely injuring his left hand, which affected his gambling skills.

Koyan introduces her father to Sam, who was arranged to work in his future father in-law's company. There, Sam also ruins the Kungs' plan to scheme money from his father in-law, and thus, Kung hires more killers to kill Sam, and this time, he becomes injured and hospitalized. Sam's father in-law demands him to give up gambling and Sam promised him. At Sam and Koyan's engagement, Crab brings his girlfriend Bo Bo (Rosamund Kwan) to congratulate the two while also finding out that Sam had decided to go straight. Sam wanted Crab to come help him in the company or lend money to start some decent business, but Crab rejects these offers citing his English is not as good as Sam's, while in actuality, Crab did not want to give up gambling.

One day, Crab goes to a casino and sees Taro, since the casino was owned by him. Taro wanted to gamble with Crab with a bet of HK$3 million, but the police unexpectedly broke in. Although they were not prosecuted since Taro has thrown his stake outside, it was revealed that most of Crab's stakes were counterfeit bills and Taro felt offended. Taro retaliates by kidnapping Koyan and demands Crab to rescue her. At this time, Sam was doing business with his father in-law in Australia so Crab temporarily abandons his plan to immigrate to Brazil with Bo Bo and goes to confront Taro. Not only did, Taro insult and rape Koyan, he also shot and killed Bo Bo, who came to back up Crab before a fight between Crab and Taro's henchmen ensues. In order to rescue Koyan, Crab was forced to drink a glass of poisoned wine. While Koyan arrived home safely, Crab and Bo Bo had sacrificed their lives.

After Sam returns to Hong Kong, he was determined to seek vengeance for Crab. Sam seeks help from Lung and other American casino owners. The Americans also used this as a chance to compete with the Japanese for the interests of casinos in Asia, which caused many gang warfare. They eventually agreed to hold a poker game with Taro representing Japan and Sam representing America. Koyan also brought over a HK$1 billion of asset certificates to support Sam.

During the intermission of the final round of the poker game, Sam was attacked by a hitman in the restroom. The injured Sam entrusts Koyan to take his place for the final bet. He tells her to bet all his stake, and since Taro would not have enough stake, he also bets his hand and foot to even it out. Koyan requested this at the gambling table and Taro agreed to it but Koyan had to bet her hand as well to make the bet fair. During the game, Koyan's hand shows 10 hearts, J hearts, K hearts and A hearts and Taro's hand shows two Qs and two Js. In the end, Koyan wins with a straight flush. Taro had to keep his promise but did not want to cut off his hand and foot so he shot and killed his father and other audience members before being shot dead by both the Americans and Japanese.

Koyan then goes to see Sam at the hospital where she overhears a conversation between Sam and the hitman that pretended to kill him. It was revealed that the attack in the bathroom was staged by Sam himself in order to have Taro agree to bet his hand and foot and expect to have the Kungs kill each other, achieving his ultimate goal of seeking vengeance for Crab. Sam also says he does not intend to let Koyan know about this secret and instead, he would conceal it forever. After hearing this, Koyan removes her engagement ring and leaves it on the floor outside Sam's room brokenheartedly leaves.

Cast

• Andy Lau as Crab Chan
• Alan Tam as Sam Law
• Idy Chan as Koyan Tong
• Rosamund Kwan as Bo Bo
• Charles Heung as Lung
• Eddy Ko as Gold Teeth
• Robin Shou as Sam's hired hitman
• Kirk Wong as San
• Lung Fong as Taro
• Gregory Charles Rivers as Bellboy
• Hagiwara Kenzo as Mr. Kung
• Shum Wai as Uncle Shi
• Ronald Wong as Informer
• Bruce Fontaine as Sam's hired stuntman
• Mike Abbott as Sam's hired stuntman
• Roger Thomas as Mr Fransolini's thug

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See also

• Andy Lau filmography
• List of Hong Kong films

References

External links

• Casino Raiders at the Internet Movie Database