“Island of Greed”: When Hong Kong Cinema Dissected Taiwan’s Political Cancer
In the annals of politically charged Hong Kong cinema, Island of Greed (1997) stands as a scalpel-sharp indictment of cross-strait corruption. Directed by Michael Mak and starring Andy Lau alongside Tony Leung Ka-fai, this underappreciated gem uses gangster movie tropes to dissect Taiwan’s “black gold politics” – a system where organized crime infiltrates democratic processes. For Western viewers, it offers both thrilling entertainment and a masterclass in political allegory .
I. The Dual Protagonists: Mirror of Systemic Decay
The film’s brilliance lies in its structural dichotomy between Lau’s idealistic investigator Fang Guo-hui and Leung’s ruthless gangster-politician Zhou Chao-xian. Their dynamic transcends good vs evil to become:
- Institutionalized Corruption vs Institutionalized Justice
Zhou’s political campaign headquarters mirror Fang’s investigation bureau – both operate as parallel power centers with matching resources and surveillance tech . This visual parallelism suggests systemic equivalence between law enforcement and criminal enterprise. - Theatrical Performance of Democracy
Election rallies become choreographed spectacles where Zhou (Leung) delivers lines like “Who agrees? Who opposes?” with mafia finality, reducing democratic debate to authoritarian ritual . His campaign slogan “Clean Politics” ironically echoes through smoke-filled backroom deals .
II. Architectural Symbolism: Taipei’s Moral Landscape
Mak employs urban spaces as moral indicators:
- Underground Casinos
Lit in hellish red, these represent Taiwan’s political underbelly where legislators gamble with public welfare . - Sterile Government Offices
The investigation bureau’s fluorescent-lit corridors symbolize bureaucratic impotence – Fang’s team moves through them like ghosts, their evidence ignored by superiors . - Helipad Showdown
The climax atop Taipei 101’s precursor building literalizes power struggles – characters dangle between heaven and earth, money and mortality .
III. Subversive Casting: Star Persona as Political Commentary
The film weaponizes Andy Lau’s established screen image:
- The “Heroic Uselessness” Trope
Lau’s typically charismatic persona is deliberately muted. Fang Guo-hui becomes a Sisyphean figure – his dogged evidence collection repeatedly nullified by systemic rot, mirroring Taiwan citizens’ political disillusionment . - Tony Leung’s Career-Defining Villain
Zhou Chao-xian’s blend of Confucian rhetoric (“A leader must nurture his people”) and brutal pragmatism (ordering hits via tea ceremony gestures) creates a uniquely Chinese Machiavellian archetype . Leung’s performance outshines Lau’s precisely to emphasize institutional failure – even Hong Kong’s brightest star dims before systemic darkness.
IV. Prophetic Elements: Anticipating Digital-Age Corruption
Remarkably, the film predicts 21st-century political phenomena:
- Information Warfare
Zhou’s manipulation of TV news foreshadows modern deepfake campaigns. A scene showing edited surveillance footage to frame rivals feels eerily prescient . - Religious Grifting
The subplot about Zhou funding a cult (based on Taiwan’s real-life Heavenly Qi Sect) mirrors contemporary QAnon-style political-spiritual hybrids . - Corporate Politics
Zhou’s construction conglomerate blueprinting political bids models today’s CEO-turned-politician trend, from Thaksin Shinawatra to Donald Trump.
V. Cross-Strait Subtext: Hong Kong’s Anxiety Projection
Released during Hong Kong’s handover year, the film channels local fears about mainland integration:
- Taiwan as Cautionary Tale
By portraying Taiwan’s democracy as criminal capture, Mak subtly warns against rapid political liberalization without institutional safeguards . - Triad Globalization
Zhou’s ambition to “build highways to Beijing” metaphorizes triads expanding beyond traditional territories – a veiled critique of CCP-triad rumors during 90s infrastructure pushes .
VI. Cinematic Legacy: Blueprint for Political Noir
-Island of Greed* pioneered narrative devices later seen in:
- The Departed (2006): Parallel montages of law/criminal operations
- House of Cards (2013): Breaking-the-fourth-wall political cynicism
- Parasite (2019): Architectural class commentary
Yet its raw indictment of electoral corruption remains unmatched. The helicopter finale – where a briefcase of black money scatters over Taipei – poetically equates campaign finance with societal poison .
Why Western Audiences Should Watch
This film provides crucial context for understanding:
- China’s distrust of Western-style democracy
- Taiwan’s complex relationship with organized crime
- How “Asian values” rhetoric masks systemic rot
More than a crime thriller, Island of Greed is a Rosetta Stone for decoding cross-strait power dynamics – its vision of politics as theatrical gang warfare feels increasingly universal in our populist age. For those seeking to comprehend China’s authoritarian critique of democracy, this movie offers more insights than a dozen political science treatises.