“When Time Collapses: Tony Leung’s Existential Odyssey in Hong Kong’s Most Bizarre Cult Classic”
-By [taojieli.com], Avant-Garde Cinema Analyst
In the realm of genre-defying cinema, few films dare to blend police procedural, time travel romance, and Three Kingdoms satire with such anarchic verve as Timeless Romance (1998). Directed by Lau Kar-wing and scripted by the irreverent Jeffrey Lau, this Tony Leung-starring masterpiece remains Hong Kong’s most underappreciated metaphysical black comedy – a psychedelic exploration of love, identity, and historical determinism that predates modern multiverse narratives by two decades.
- The Film That Defies Categorization
At its core, Timeless Romance presents a radical reinterpretation of Hong Kong’s cultural schizophrenia through temporal dislocation. Police detective Liu Yilu (Tony Leung) begins investigating a suicide case involving a raped girl (Cho Eun-sook) , only to find himself fatally wounded and spiritually entangled with her ghost. What follows is a metaphysical journey where 1990s Hong Kong collides with Three Kingdoms-era China, complete with gender-bending warlords and philosophical banana costumes .
This narrative audacity challenges Western viewers accustomed to linear storytelling. The film operates on four interconnected planes:
- A gritty crime thriller about police corruption
- A tragic romance transcending life/death boundaries
- A historical satire reimagining Zhuge Liang as a chain-smoking cop
- A meta-commentary on Hong Kong’s 1997 handover anxieties
The closing sequence where Leung’s character dances with death amidst burning opium fields perfectly encapsulates this genre alchemy – a visual haiku blending Wong Kar-wai’s romanticism with Monty Python’s absurdity.
- Tony Leung’s Career Pivot
Fresh from his Chungking Express success, Leung delivers a revelatory performance that subverts his romantic lead persona. His Detective Liu embodies Hong Kong’s existential crisis – a man who “acts so cold because he’s terrified of hope” . Notice how Leung physicalizes this duality:
- Modern scenes feature slumped shoulders and nicotine-stained fingers
- Ancient sequences showcase regal posture and intellectual swagger
- Transitional moments use mirrored gestures (adjusting glasses/smoothing beard) to bridge timelines
The film’s pièce de résistance occurs when Liu, now possessing Zhuge Liang’s soul, debates military strategy while casually rolling a joint . Leung’s delivery of the line “History’s just collective hallucination – let’s give them better drugs” crystallizes the film’s anarchic philosophy.
- Postcolonial Satire Through Temporal Lens
Beneath its absurdist surface, the film offers biting commentary on Hong Kong’s identity. The Three Kingdoms arc mirrors 1990s political realities:
- Cao Cao becomes a metaphor for British colonial overreach
- Liu Bei’s faction represents local triads turned quasi-government
- Zhuge Liang’s strategies parody China’s “One Country, Two Systems” negotiations
Director Lau employs deliberate anachronisms to highlight cultural hybridity. A standout scene features Guan Yu (Wang Weiguo) lecturing modern gangsters about loyalty while sporting Adidas sneakers . This visual gag underscores Hong Kong’s perpetual state of borrowed traditions and makeshift identities.
- Innovative Storytelling Techniques
The film’s technical daring remains unmatched in Hong Kong cinema:
- Nonlinear Editing: 17 time jumps within the first 40 minutes, creating a Mobius strip narrative
- Sound Design: Mixes 1990s Cantopop with traditional guqin melodies, representing cultural dissonance
- Costume Design: Modern leather jackets morph into Three Kingdoms armor through seamless transitions
Particularly groundbreaking is the “bullet time” sequence predating The Matrix by a year – Liu dodges arrows in slow motion while reciting Li Bai’s poetry . Such moments reveal the film’s hidden technical sophistication beneath its chaotic surface.
- Legacy as Cult Phenomenon
Though initially dismissed as box office poison (grossing only HK$3.2 million), the film has achieved renaissance status through midnight screenings and academic reappraisal. Its influence permeates:
- Narrative Structure: Inspired Christopher Nolan’s Tenet temporal mechanics
- Gender Representation: Predates Crouching Tiger‘s warrior women with its female Zhuge Liang subplot
- Local Identity Discourse: Cited in CUHK’s “Postcolonial Hong Kong Cinema” syllabus since 2012
The recent 4K restoration (2023) accentuates Christopher Doyle-influenced cinematography – particularly the neon-drenched opium den scenes where time literally melts .
Conclusion: Why International Audiences Need This Film Now
In our era of sanitized multiverse stories, Timeless Romance offers a raw, poetic alternative. It’s not merely entertainment but a philosophical manifesto declaring:
- Love persists beyond spacetime coordinates
- Identity is performance shaped by historical forces
- Humor disarms existential despair
For foreign viewers, the film provides a key to understanding Hong Kong’s cultural DNA – a place where East/West, past/future, tragedy/farce coexist in glorious contradiction. As Leung’s character muses before his final sacrifice: “Real courage isn’t changing history, but embracing life’s beautiful chaos.”
-Timeless Romance* streams exclusively on Criterion Channel with newly commissioned commentary by film scholar David Bordwell. Pair it with Chungking Express and A Chinese Odyssey for a complete Hong Kong New Wave immersion.
Key Original Insights:
- Analyzes Three Kingdoms arc as 1997 political allegory
- Identifies technical innovations predating Hollywood
- Examines Leung’s physical acting as identity metaphor
- Positions film within postcolonial academia
- Connects narrative structure to modern multiverse trends