Your ultimate guide to 'Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey' exhibition
We've all heard the legends of Kowloon Walled City, but few truly knew what life was like inside the semi-lawless neighbourhood. That's exactly why Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In struck such a chord with audiences, so much so that it dominated the 43rd HK Film Awards by taking home nine trophies out of its 14 nominations.
The film's success continued as a large-scale movie set exhibition was held at the Hong Kong Airport and Airside mall, showcasing the incredible details and efforts that went into creating the movie sets. And now, it's all coming full circle. Returning to the original site that inspired it all, the exhibition allows visitors to step back into the 1980s, explore meticulously recreated shops and scenes, and immersive themselves in the infamous Walled City.
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Time Out
27-05-2025
- Time Out
Your ultimate guide to 'Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey' exhibition
We've all heard the legends of Kowloon Walled City, but few truly knew what life was like inside the semi-lawless neighbourhood. That's exactly why Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In struck such a chord with audiences, so much so that it dominated the 43rd HK Film Awards by taking home nine trophies out of its 14 nominations. The film's success continued as a large-scale movie set exhibition was held at the Hong Kong Airport and Airside mall, showcasing the incredible details and efforts that went into creating the movie sets. And now, it's all coming full circle. Returning to the original site that inspired it all, the exhibition allows visitors to step back into the 1980s, explore meticulously recreated shops and scenes, and immersive themselves in the infamous Walled City.
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Time Out
Part of the old Kowloon Walled City has reappeared in its original location
Hongkongers' fascination for the old Kowloon Walled City is still going strong, fuelled by the popularity of Soi Cheang's martial arts epic Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. There is now a massive movie set exhibition of the 2024 film that has been constructed where the Kowloon Walled City actually used to sit, within what is now the Kowloon Walled City Park. The 'Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey' exhibition recreates key scenes from the film and is Hong Kong's largest-scale movie set exhibition to date. If you've seen the film or been to the previous Twilight of the Warriors exhibitions that were held in the airport or the Airside mall, you'll recognise iconic locations such as the No.7 Restaurant, the barbershop, the dental and bone-setting clinics, the grocery store, repairshop, and more. There will also be some new sights including a fishball factory, a communal well, and a plastic-moulding workshop. Care has also been taken to reconstruct the old precinct's narrow alleyways, with floor tiles repurposed from old buildings and a bustling street market that has been set up to present an authentic taste of the Walled City in the 80s. From the moment visitors step past the ceremonial flower board and through the iron arch designed to reference that period in history. The vibes are also enhanced by large-scale projections that display life in the Walled City through the day and night, accompanied by low-flying planes roaring over the area like they used to do in the past when Kai Tak Airport was still in use.
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Time Out
The 5 Hong Kong movies to watch if you liked ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In'
Earlier this week, the martial arts thriller Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In was confirmed to be one of Hong Kong's most popular movies as it almost swept the board at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, taking home nine trophies. While definitely visually stunning and boasting fantastic action sequences, anyone who is familiar with Hong Kong cinema will know that triads, bloody fights, and the themes of loyalty and brotherhood have long been a prominent part of our film culture. Here are some other local movies to watch if you enjoyed Soi Cheang's post-heroic bloodshed drama. Long Arm of the Law (1984) This may be a pretty old movie, but Johnny Mak's Long Arm of the Law is a classic that can be seen as an ancestor of the various crime and gangster films that were to follow in Hong Kong cinema. Five men from mainland China cross into Hong Kong hoping to strike riches with a jewellery heist, but nothing goes according to plan as betrayal, car chases, murder, and spectacular violence plague the group. The film's final 15 minutes are actually filmed in the old Kowloon Walled City, in a famous chase sequence and climatic showdown that shows how indiscriminately violent the police are as well, and remains one of the best finales in Hong Kong cinema. Limbo (2021) Before Twilight burst onto our screens, Soi Cheang had already directed Limbo, also an action thriller but much more dark – literally, as the film is in stark black and white. If you thought the Kowloon Walled City looked bleak, the Hong Kong in Limbo is even more claustrophobic and dank, with the rain cascading down onto both piles of trash and discarded people alike. Violent beatdowns, gang crime, dismemberment, weary cops: this urban noir film has got them all. It's not an easy watch, but Limbo shows a Hong Kong that is as aesthetic as it is depressing. Chasing the Dragon (2017) This action crime drama by prolific Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Jing is a remake of To Be Number One (1991), and tells the story of the real-life gangster Ng Sik-ho. Donnie Yen plays the illegal immigrant from mainland China who makes his way into 60s-era Hong Kong and transforms himself into the drug lord called Crippled Ho, while Andy Lau reprises his role as police officer Lee Rock from the Lee Rock film series. But things are not that clear cut, as Crippled Ho is portrayed as a half-decent dude, while Lee Rock is a half-corrupt cop, and they both meet halfway in the grey middle while getting revenge. Paradox (2017) The third film in the Sha Po Lang film series, Wilson Yip's Paradox has parallels with Twilight as it was Cheang who co-produced it, with Sammo Hung doing the action choreography and Louis Koo starring in the leading role. The neo-noir action flick follows Koo's police inspector who searches for his missing daughter in Thailand, which leads to the discovery of human trafficking, corrupt officials, awful truths, and plenty of death and destruction. Thai martial artist and actor Tony Jaa also stars as Lee's detective friend, so you can expect the action sequences to be spectacular. Koo also won multiple Best Actor awards for this film. I'm Livin' It (2019) While on the surface very different to the dramatic action of Twilight and the other triad movies on this list, Danny Wong's directorial debut I'm Livin' It also deals with poverty, the fringes of society, and how a bunch of people down on their luck can band together for survival. Aaron Kwok's character is a former finance bro incarcerated for embezzlement and has since become a McRefugee – a homeless person who spends the night in 24-hour McDonald's branches. He meets a group of similarly disadvantaged people, including a teenage runaway, a has-been singer, a street artist, an old man with dementia, and more. Wong takes care not to exploit or fetishise the true circumstances of McRefugees, instead weaving together harsh, humanised, and nuanced stories.
