Insanity (2015) (Blu-ray) (Hong Kong Version) Blu-ray Region A

Lau plays Fan Kwok Sang, an unfortunate man who gets sent to a psychiatric hospital after accidentally killing his wife (Michelle Ye, Drug War), where he receives treatment from the respected Dr Chow (Huang Xiaoming). Three years later Chow declares Fan cured and has him released, his success with the case helping him to land the position of director at the institute. However, Fan finds it difficult to adapt to life on the outside, not least due to repeated appearances by his crazy mother-in-law, and it doesn't take long for things to start going wrong. Determined to help him, Chow gets more and more involved with the tormented man, while the pressure of his job and his deteriorating relationship with his girlfriend (Fiona Sit, 12 Golden Ducks) gradually take their toll on the well-meaning doctor.

Insanity is an odd film, and one which walks a very fine line indeed between seriousness and baffling trash. On the one hand, David Lee and Derek Yee, who both worked on the script along with Philip Liu, certainly seem to be aiming for something substantial, working in hints of social commentary and tiptoeing into some interesting moral territory by questioning the ways in which doctors treat their patients. On the other, just when the film seems to be heading down the message movie route, the need to provide more basic thrills kicks in, with shlock and borderline exploitation taking over. It's a jarring combination to be sure, and the film really makes little sense right through till the wacky final twist which many viewers will likely have seen coming. Still, this isn't a bad thing for fans of high-camp hysteria, and though definitely sub-Hitchcock the film is never in any danger of getting boring, Lee keeping the pot boiling and throwing in plenty of revelations and shocks along the way.

The film is very much an actor's piece and makes the most of the presence of Lau Ching Wan and Huang Xiaoming, the two being onscreen for pretty much the entire running time and Lee relying playing on the natural contrast between their looks, ages and performance styles. Unsurprisingly, it's Lau who impresses the most, with a multi-layered turn that, whilst not exactly believable or sympathetic, is enjoyable to watch and somewhat unpredictable. Huang doesn't come off quite so well, mainly due to the hyper-controlled Chow being a far more straightforward and obvious character, though he's generally fine and manages to smirk and smarm his way through the role. The film is very much at its best when Lau and Huang and locking horns, and the developing duel between them is gripping and tense, keeping the viewer wondering which of the two is really the crazy one. The supporting cast don't get a look-in as a result, Fiona Sit sadly being relegated to a whiny girlfriend part, and reliable character Alex Fong only being on hand to keep the plot moving during the final third, though this is perhaps only to be expected.

There are two different ways to look at Insanity, either as a flawed take on the touchy subject of mental illness, or as an entertaining and amusingly daft psycho-thriller whose frequent lapses in judgement and taste serve to make it more endearing. With Lau Ching Wan and Huang Xiaoming providing good value and David Lee just about keeping things together, there's enough here to make it very worthwhile checking out, albeit with suitably adjusted expectations.

by James Mudge EasternKicks.com