This is a hot-blooded story which talks about victory and living life to the fullest. After taking in over HK$25 million at the local box office with last year’s As the Light Goes Out (starring Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue), emerging Hong Kong director Derek Kwok is returning with a new film that revolves around the precocious sport of badminton.

A Strong Cast with World Champions Player 

Full Strike features a strong cast that includes Josie Ho, Ekin Cheng, Ronald Cheng, Edmond Leung, Wilfred Lau, Tse Kwan-ho, Susan Siu and Andrew Lam, as well as two former world champions in Chinese badminton players Wang Lin and Bao Chunlai, who are both making their big-screen debuts. An original action comedy with a touch of fantasy, Full Strike tells the story of Ng Gou-sau (played by Josie Ho), a former elite badminton player who gave up on herself once she was kicked out from the sport. With the help of a motley crew of rehabilitating ex-cons, however, Sau is determined to rediscover her passion for badminton – and for life.

Director’s Note 0.03 Second

Director, Derek Kwok said, “It may sound like a silly idea to make a film about badminton – even if the decision makes a whole world of sense to me. I started playing badminton when I was six, joined the school team at the age of 13, and stopped playing altogether at 15. It is impossible to explain how that happened, just as it’s difficult to figure out how I ended up in the film business. Many of the biggest changes in life do not happen rationally; it may be as simple as that you suddenly feel like a change one day. As the fastest racquet sport there is, a badminton game can be decided in 0.03 seconds. Seize the moment and you’ll be in full control!”

Synopsis

Once an elite badminton player, the renowned killer on the court, fiery Ng Gou-sau (Josie Ho) was expelled from the sport a decade ago. She has been living aimlessly since she injured an opponent. Since then, Sau has been holed up in her family’s poon choi restaurant, handling its daily chores while having completely given up on maintaining her own fitness.

The dust is temporarily settled – or so it seems until the day Sau comes across Wong Fei-fung, the hottest badminton player at the moment. But just as she is contemplating suicide after being publicly humiliated and beaten up, Sau meets a quartet of eccentric characters who appear to come straight out of a martial arts novel: they are the alcoholic Master (Andrew Lam), the one-armed Lam Chiu (Edmond Leung), the amblyopic Ma Kwan (Wilfred Lau), and their scar-faced and hearing impaired leader Lau Dan (Ekin Cheng).

Though the four of them used to be notorious robbers a dozen years ago, they have all led a new life since their release from prison, forming the ‘Lau Dan Badminton Club’ in the process. As they reacquaint Sau to the glory of the badminton game, she revives her fighting spirit to enter an amateur badminton tournament organized by a television station.

Initially put off by the history of Dan and his pals, Sau is soon touched by their sincerity and perseverance; she doesn’t only team up with them, but has also fallen for Dan. On the eve of the tournament, Dan and co are mistaken for suspects of a new case of robbery and become the most wanted in the city once again. As they face the prospects of disqualification, can Sau and Dan salvage the chance to showcase the fruit of their intense training – a secret move they call “Full Strike”?

Full Strike

Director: Derek Kwok

Cast: Josie Ho, Ekin Cheng, Ronald Cheng, Edmond Leung, Wilfred Lau, Tse Kwan-ho, Susan Siu, Andrew Lam, Wang Lin, Bao Chunlai

Running Time: 108 mins

Category: IIB

Language: Cantonese