Tau man ji D (2005)

Directors:

Wai-keung Lau
Alan Mak

Writers:

Shuichi Shigeno (comic books) (characters)
Felix Chong (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 June 2005 (China)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It's not what you drive, it's what drives you

Plot:

After winning his first competition, Takumi focuses his attention on drift racing, a sport he has unknowingly perfected while delivering tofu in his father's Toyota AE86.

Plot Keywords:

Tofu | Drunkard | Teen Prostitute | 21st Century | Based On Comic

Awards:

9 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Shawn Yue	...	Takeshi Nakazato
Edison Chen	...	Ryousuke Takahashi
Jay Chou	...	Takumi Fujiwara
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Bunta 'Tofuman' Fujiwara (as Anthony Wong)
Chapman To	...	Itsuki Tachibana
Tsuyoshi Abe	...	Kenji
Anne Suzuki	...	Natsuki Mogi
Kenny Bee	...	Yuuichi 'Gasman' Tachibana
Liu Keng Hung	...	Seiji Iwaki
Jordan Chan	...	Kyouichi Sudou
Kiyohiko Ueki	...	Iketani
Kazuo Yashiro	...	SpeedStars Member
Miki Kuroiwa	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate
Megumi Seitone	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate
Sayaka Takizawa	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate

Also Known As:

Initial D (Hong Kong: English title)
Initial D - Drift Racer (UK)
Tou wen zi di (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

Runtime:

107 min | Spain:104 min (DVD edition) | 95 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:GP | Australia:M | UK:12A | UK:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:15 | Italy:T | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA

Filming Locations:

Mt. Akina, Gunma, Japan

Company:

Media Asia Films

Trivia:

For a long period of time, Edison Chen was slated to play Takumi Fujiwara, and Andy Lau was even rumored to be up for the role of Bunta.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bunta is driving the AE86 Trueno the camera closes in on the Tachometer. In the background it is clearly visible that the Speedometer is not functioning at all. Later in the movie a close up of the Speedometer shows it working again.

Quotes:

Bunta Fujiwara: A few years ago, my boy told me he needed glasses, so I took him to an optician. But his eyesight turned out to be 20/20. I told him, "Hey, kid, I'll kick your ass if your kidding me around."

Movie Connections:

Remake of Initial D: Third Stage (2001)

Soundtrack:

THE WAY OF A MAN

A Nutshell Review: Initial D

Just to set the expectations from this review, I have not read the Initial D manga, nor watched any of the anime. Therefore this review's point of view will be from the cinematic experience, and there will be no comparison on how true it stays to the manga/anime.

Despite all the star power in the film, from teeny boppers Edison Chen and Shawn Yue, to veterans Kenny Bee and Anthony Wong, this still remains a Jay Chou vehicle (pardon the pun). Jay stars as a petrol pump attendant who by day works at a petrol kiosk, and in the wee hours of the night, helps his tofu selling dad deliver tofu in an old Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno using a route that traverses along a winding Mount Akina.

Naturally, with his 5 years experience, he intimately knows the terrain, and gets faster each time, until a group of street racers set their sights to conquer the route.

There will definitely be comparisons with Hollywood's The Fast and The Furious series, starring Vin Diesel/Paul Walker. The similarities are there - the fast cars, the beautiful racer babes, the rivalry between arrogant drivers. You even get the same cinematography technique used that starts from the driver's POV, pulling back to the dashboard, the rear seat, the boot, and the car from a "helicopter" view.

But what sets this film apart is the way it is delivered. Being based on a comic book offers some depth to the storyline, and it helped by staying true to the setting, being based in Japan and not HK. The races in itself might seem repetitive, as the highlight seemed to be focused on its title - the "drift" technique, being used ad-nausem, but having different drivers challenge each other on the one and only route breaks the monotony as you root for your favourite to come out tops.

Given this is Jay Chou's debut movie role, it is difficult to critique if his acting skills are up to mark, as his lead character Takumi Fujiwara is a nonchalant man of few words. Which is very much like his persona. His co-stars Edison Chen and Shawn Yue could very well be their own persons as well. Chapman To, as usual, brings across the rather light hearted moments, and Anthony Wong as Chou's dad, a veteran race ace who finds solace in the bottle and having a penchant for dozing off.

Perhaps the only flaw about the movie was the sappy romance between Jay and his Japanese co-star. Not that she isn't gorgeous (which is a saving grace), but their scenes together doesn't further the plot much, and slows down the pace somewhat of this movie about the need for speed.

This is an enjoyable flick, one in which I waited for the theme song / tune to be featured (only at the end credits!). But no, I don't think I will be converted to a Jay Chou fan boy anytime soon.

I suspect that in the upcoming weeks, we probably might see parallel imports / makes of the Trueno on our shores to satisfy the racer boy wannabes (heard Singapore only has 2?), although it probably can't run as fast as in the movies (movie magic lah). And yeah, the driving with one hand on the wheel and the other on the face, with the contemplating look.