Cantonese: 97 Goo Waak Jai Jin Mo Bat Sing

Mandarin: 97 Gu3 Huo4 Zi3 Zhan4 Wu2 Bu4 Sheng4

Literally: 97 Wise Guys: No War Cannot Be Won

Producer: Manfred Wong (Man Jun)

Director: Andrew Lau Wai-Keung

Screenwriter: Manfred Wong (Man Jun)

Cast: Dior Cheng Yee-Kin, Jordan Chan Siu-Chun, Michelle Reis (Lee Ka-Yan), Karen Morris (Mok Man-Wai), Alex Man Chi-Leung, Ng Chi-Hung, Roy Cheung Yiu-Yeung, Michael Tse Tin-Wah, Jerry Lamb Hiu-Fung, Jason Chu Wing-Tong, Cheung Man-Chi, Michael Lam Wai-Leung, Nam Yin, Lee Siu-Kei, Sandra Ng Kwun-Yu, Vincent Wan Yeung-Ming, Ken Lo Wai-Kwong, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Chan Chi-Fai, Spencer Lam Seung-Yi, Chan Man-Lei

Running Time: 110 min

Type: IIB

The focus shifts back to Jordan Chan in this installment of the popular triad recruitment series. Roy Cheung Yiu-Yeung plays an evil triad from the rival Tung Sing society (not related to his bad guy character from Y&D3) who enjoys listening to classical music, throwing people off roofs, and generally making life difficult for the Hung Hing Boys. He begins by killing Dinosaur, the branch leader of the Tuen Mun area, which opens up a vacancy in the Hung Hing board of directors, with both Chicken (Jordan Chan) and Dinosaur's ruthless right hand man but moronic Barbarian nominated for the job. Since the leader of the Hung Hing society (Mr. Chiang) was killed in Y&D3, his younger brother (played with finesse by Alex Man) is persuaded to take over the society, and he decides to split Tuen Man in half for two months and see who runs their half of Tuen Mun better, Chicken or Barbarian (he must have seen his older brother do the same thing in Y&D2). After losing his girlfriend and numerous friends over the past three movie, Chan Ho-Nam (Cheng Yee-Kin) is cynical and tries to talk Chicken out of running for branch leader, but Chicken wants his share of the glory. Meanwhile, Roy Cheung is backing Barbarian his battle with Chicken. If you've seen any of the Y&D series, you know what's coming next, lots of beatings, girlfriends being brutalized, and plenty of revenge. It's nice to see Chan Ho-Nam showing doubts about the life he has chosen, and Alex Man and Jordan Chan give good performances, but there's nothing new here. It looks like everyone's just going through the motions. Michelle Reis barely even figures in the plot. A warmed over rehash of previous entries in this series.

The fourth installment is probably the weakest one so far. Ultimately, when you are trying to make the decision whether to see Y&D 4, you should really keep that in mind and ask yourself do you really want to see another Y&D. For me, besides the Michelle Reis part, I enjoyed the film just fine. I hope when they do decide to make another Y&D though, all of characters die horribly and end the continuing gangster youth propaganda.

The movie starts with Chan Ho Nam having a discussion with a cop. We learn that all this while, Chan is working undercover for the police (?). The takeover deadline is getting close and the English cops want to make sure they hand over Hong Kong in a clean state. Chan tells the cop of Hung Hing’s plan to send some people to Thailand to invite the late Mr. Chiang’s younger brother, also named Mr. Chiang (Alex Man) to take over the leadership. The cop tells Chan to watch his back.

The credit sequence sees legs walking along the corridors of a flat and finally stopping at the door of an apartment. A hand knocks on the door and Tai Fei, extremely neat looking, answers it. Its Yee’s and KK’s wedding! A joyous celebration ensues. The Priest and Shuk Fan gives them a huge framed biblical writings.

Chan talk with Chicken, kinda regretting Smartie’s death. But soon thereafter, they too join the celebration. Other Hung Hing members are introduced: Ben, Dinosaur (the leader of Tuen Mun district) and his right hand man, Barbarian, who unabashedly gurgles down lots and lots of orange juice.

Next, Chan takes Chicken, Yee and KK to Thailand. Chicken tells an amusing theory about whores. After leaving the newlyweds for their honeymoon, Chan takes Chicken and rendezvous with the other Hung Hing leaders to meet the new Mr. Chiang (Mr. Chiang Jr. as Chicken calls him). Present were Ben, Brother Key, Fat Lai (leader of North Point district), Prince and Sister Thirteen (played with gusto by Sandra Ng), the leader of Mongkok.

Mr. Chiang, a businessman, politely refuses the post, stating that he prefers to stay in Thailand than Hong Kong. He later invites them to a kickboxing match and tells them the importance of money, which rules the world.

Meanwhile, Dinosaur is lured from Tuen Mun to a bar in Causeway Bay, where he is greeted by Yiu-Yeung (played by Roy Cheung but with less enthusiasm than Crow in Y&D 3). Yiu-Yeung is another Tung Sing baddie bent on tormenting Hung Hing. He enjoys classical music and throws Dinosaur off the bar’s roof coz the latter didn’t appreciate his taste. His plans kicks into play.

In Thailand, Ben receives news of his brother’s death. The Hung Hing leaders have to decide who is to fill up the post of Tuen Mun’s leader. Chicken was the first candidate suggested, but Fat Lai and Brother Key nominated Barbarian, and Chan seconded, to Chicken’s dismay. Later when they talked, Chan told Chicken that he didn’t want the same fate that befell him happen to Chicken as well.

Thus, the election campaign goes into gear. Chicken goes to Tuen Mun to meet the people, along with Superman. They meet up with Barbarian’s posse who bullied them, but was later called off when Barbarian’s father intervened asking him to go back home.

Pou Pee and Banana Skin opens a cafeteria at a local school where Shuk Fan works as a teacher, along with her colleague, Miss Lee (Reis). Shuk Fan plans a double date for herself and Chicken and Chan and Miss Lee. She introduces Chicken as a film maker and Chan as a teacher. Chan offers to drive Miss Lee home but ends up in a car race with Barbarian and his gang. Chan won of course.

Chicken throws a banquet in Tuen Mun but nobody turned up. They all went to Barbarian’s banquet which was a lot merrier. Later on, Barbarian forces Chicken to ‘kiss his feet’ when he faked a rape. Shuk Fan was also assaulted by Barbarian’s gang at school and Chan is asked by Miss Lee to double as a teacher.

Chicken is angered by Barbarian’s actions. Yee offered to kill Barbarian and Chicken accepts. However, Yee was set up; Barbarian knew he was coming, and Yee was almost killed but was saved by Tai Fei and gang. Barbarian has an invisible benefactor, Yiu-Yeung of Tung Sing, who is aided by Fat Lai, the Hung Hing branch leader.

Yee is recovering with his wife KK at their home when Yiu-Yeung came with Fat Lai. They raped KK and threw Yee off the balcony and to his death. Chan arrived together with Chicken at the scene and started blaming Chicken. He goes off and gets drunk. Miss Lee takes pity on him and takes him home and ladadi ladada.

Pou Pee confesses to Chan that the bad guys knew Yee’s whereabouts due to him; he was dating a girl from Barbarian’s posse and told her where Yee was. Banana Skin pleads for mercy on behalf of Pou Pee.

Mr. Chiang decides to hold a debate to determine the winner of the post. Barbarian spoke eloquently as he was receiving instructions via an earphone from Yiu-Yeung. Chicken was not bad himself.

Meanwhile, the girl Pou Pee dated sought safety with Shuk Fan and Sister Thirteen. They take her to the debate to confess against Barbarian but they were attacked. Ben and gang save them from further injuries.

The girl is taken to stage but before she confesses Yiu-Yeung shoots her. He is then surrounded by Hing Hing members. He challenges one Hung Hing member to fight him mano a mano and naturally Chan answers the challenge.

Fat Lai stabs Yiu-Yeung thus killing him to prevent himself from being implicated, but Mr. Chiang knows better. Fat Lai is forced to run to Albania and relinquish his post in Hung Hing. That post (North Point branch leader) goes to Tai Fei. And the Tuen Mun post goes to Chicken. Elated, Chicken asks Shuk Fan to marry him.

Meanwhile, Miss Lee sends Chan a Dear John letter. The end sees Chan having to make a decision, whether to turn his friends to the cops or to do otherwise. I guess he chose the former.

Sister Thirteen (played by Sandra Ng) gets her own movie in ‘Portland Street Blues’ which tells of her humble beginnings. Several characters in the Young and Dangerous series make cameo appearances, including Chan Ho Nam and Ben.