Audio Format: DD 5.1, DTS
Video Format: Widescreen 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Languages: Mandarin, Cantonese
Subtitles: English, Chinese (T/S)
Region Code: ALL
Year Made: 2007
Running Time: 90
Release Date: 07/21/2008
A missing police pistol is connected to a recent series of heists and murders. Its owner WONG (Lee Kwok Lun) vanished earlier while pursuing a suspect in the mountains. His partner CHI-WAI (Lam Ka Tung) miraculously returned unharmed.
Hotshot Regional Crime Unit inspector HO (Andy On) is in charge if the serial murder investigation. He knows the only chance he has in cracking the case is to ask for help from his mentor/former boss BUN (Lay Ching Wan). Bun is recognized as a gifted criminal profiler until he went mad several years ago. At his superior’s farewell party, Bun sliced off his right ear and offered it as a present. Bun lives in seclusion with his beloved wife MAY (Kelly Lin) ever since.
Bun has the gift to see into a person’s inner personality. This is where the subconscious desires, emotion and mental state are laid bare. For Bun, they are the key to unlocking a killer’s identity. But for Ho, Bun’s unorthodox approach has put doubt in his mind. Bun comes to conclusion Chi-wai has a total of seven personalities. The cop’s alternate identities are responsible for his murderous behavior. However, Ho feels betrayed when Bun’s investigation went beyond his imagination. Chi-wai’s lies have managed to penetrate and corrupt his vulnerable self.
What begins as a quest for answer has now taken a schizophrenic turn where truth and lies, reality and delusions intertwine.
Johnnie To and Wai Ka Fai had once against push the limits of film making with a thought provoking movie. Mad Detective gave a memorable insight to how human’s psychological might have work and with the fine ensemble here had painted a cold, bleak and unflinching darkness of man’s inner most thoughts, making this an unforgettable movie to watch. The draw back here could be that it might not be that accessible by the general movie viewers as Mad Detective requires it’s viewers to have the patience to pay close attention to the numerous characters and strange concepts which could be trying at times.
