[2024.01.25] EDAN LUI SAYS KEUNG TO LOOKS COOL WITH A GUN

Anson Lo, Keung To and Edan Lui talk about their film characters

Keung To with a gun indeed looks pretty cool
courtesy of on.cc

Both Anson Lo and Edan Lui says Keung To's "boss" presence is terrifying

Keung To has mixed emotions about his first shooting scene
courtesy of mingpao.com

The MIRROR members Keung To, Edan Lui Cheuk On and Anson Lo Hon Ting starred Emperor Lunar New Year film THE MOON THI4V3S (DOH YUET JEH) would open on the Lunar New Year's Day. Edan and AL n the film each had their own "superpower skills". Playing the "boss" Keung To had a lot of fun, only in one of the gun fight scenes he had to overcome his mental block to be able to shoot successfully.

Keung To, Edan and Anson Lo had plenty to say about their characters. Playing a watch repair person and a lock opening genius respectively, Edan and AL before the production began learned the related skills with experts. The Keung To played mob boss extorted them into illicit activities. Playing the "boss" for the first time, Keung To's character was vicious and cruel. He joked, "Playing the villain is a lot of fun. When he appears everyone stand up in salute. He has a lot of action and gun fights. He uses people around him to achieve his goal, almost without any concern for how many lives it would take. He really slaps you if you don't do what he says, very vicious so the challenge is great. At the time I have studied classic villains, like the characters in YOUNG AND DANGEROUS; I have watched them all, then I would use my methods to interpret the role."

Keung To said that he had to show how merciless the character was, but not as vile as everyone would imagine. Edan and Anson Lo praised Keung To's presence as terrifying. Keung To said that his cool performance relied on behind the scene editing. His co-stars Michael Ning (Bak Ji) and Louis Cheung Kai Chung were serious at work, kept discussing the character and the performance on the set, and helped shaped his boss atmosphere. He also said that he learned to shoot for the role. Edan praised how cool Keung To looked with a gun. Keung To humbly said, "The editing made us look cool, but it was pretty fun. At first I thought shooting could be very cool, but the kick back was pretty scary. I had to overcome that mental block, because the sound was so loud that you would be really scared. I even had to keep shooting the machine gun, and suppress that type of fear inside. I also deliberately keep myself from blinking. On the set I had to wear ear plugs, I really admire the actors in the past."

Anson Lo also received lock opening training. Keung To was curious whether he has already learned to open any safe. He said, "I have asked the locksmith instructor, after class whether I would be able to open all safes. He said that it's impossible to be so easy to open locks, safes have many different types of locks." Edan said that Anson Lo's character had "superpower", a genius who could open locks by touch. Actually whether he went to class or not it would not matter. Anson Lo explained, "Going to class helps with the gestures of operating a safe key. At my first lock opening lesson, I already used my strength incorrectly. It requires very little force, relies on sound and feel." Edan joked that he used too much force, he used the strength he used to dance.

Edan revealed that the story revolved about a watch that has been to the moon. Everyone saw it as treasure and would try everything to get this watch, leading to a series of events. He learned to repair watches with a watch maker, wearing magnifying glass, finger gloves, how to grab the gears. The shoot was not too detailed, in addition he had a body double. Thus he only learned the superficial. "I myself have zero knowledge about watches, this time at least I learned what tools to use to open the case and screws."

Edan said that he and Anson Lo did not have many action scenes, only participating in a large scale gun fight. Other gun fight scenes were left to Keung To. While shooting in Japan they had to handle explosion scenes. Edan praised how professional and amazing the stunt people there were. "While shooting in Japan, we had dangerous stunts but we left them all to professional stunt people. However Anson Lo and I experienced the minor explosion on the truck." AL joked, "I am just an innocent little boy, when I see people fight I would scream wow wow wow. Mainly Bak Ji and Cheung Kai Chung had stronger fights." Edan said, "Bak Ji may not look like he can fight, he even says that normally he doesn't really fight. Who knows as soon as the cameras start rolling, his every shot is very accurate. For one shot as soon as he jumps up he kicks, from his appearance he doesn't look like he would be able to do that. He absolutely is fast, fierce and accurate!"

Edan said that when he was little he watched many Hong Kong action films. In addition this time he saw how cool Keung To looked in his shooting scenes, he hoped that in the future he would be able to make more action and kung fu films. "I want the challenge of playing a villain, it's not important that the character won't have a good ending. It should be pretty fun."

Keung To has been addicted to playing the villain, hoping to hold different guns next time. Anson Lo hoped to play a mental patient, as he felt that it would have many layers and would be challenging. Speaking of the lack of a female lead in the film, were they afraid of upsetting the fans? Edan said no, "Because we have to steal, we don't have time. The story just happens to be unable to add any romance. Actually Anson Lo has a mother and son relationship."