Skillfully pitched between sentiment and action, Stuntman (2024)—the debut feature from Herbert Leung Koon-Shun and Albert Leung Koon-Yiu—screened at the 29th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival (“Fantasia”). While paying homage to the world of golden age Hong Kong stunts and kung fu, Stuntman manages to also deliver a family drama about a father seeking to reconcile with his estranged daughter, as well as debating the merits of the old school style of stunt work where safety was incidental to cinematic effect, and a newer school where stuntmen are protected by evolved industry standards.
Sam (Wei Tung, aka Stephen Tung) is an action choreographer committed to taking risks that endanger his stuntmen in an effort to create energized action films popular to the public. Intensely focused on filmmaking, Sam forfeits meaningful relationships with his wife and daughter and—when a stuntman is seriously injured and paralyzed on set—forfeits his reputation as well, becoming persona non grata in the Hong Kong action industry. No one wants to work with him. He’s given one last chance by a former colleague producing a final film but finds himself in conflict with a new generation of stuntmen willing to say no to proposed directions that might bring them harm. How then is he to achieve the glory and transcultural appeal of Hong Kong’s golden age of action filmmaking (the 1970s to the 1990s)?
Casting Stephen Tung as the aged action choreographer attempting to make a comeback is key here as Tung hardly needs to act the part, having been an action choreographer, actor and film director since the 1970s, working with the likes of John Woo, Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-Wai and winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography seven times: the most awarded individual in that category. Further, he is the head of the Hong Kong Stuntmen Association. He adds not only authenticity to his role, but a keen awareness of how stunt work has transitioned from Hong Kong’s golden age to the present.
