Peace Hotel (1995)
Director - Wai Ka Fai
DVD Released by : Mei Ah
Player reviewed with : Sony S3000
Receiver reviewed with : Sony 925
Features:

Interactive Menus

Scene Access
Filmogrophies and Bios
Trailers for Hard Boiled and East Is Red
Cantonese or Mandarin Soundtracks
English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa
Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese
and Thai Subtitles
Dolby Digital (5.1 re-mix )
Not enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs
Running Time : 98 mins.
PEACE HOTEL is Chow Yun-Fat's last movie made in Hong Kong. He plays a man simply known as "The Killer". The movie begins with The Killer going on a rampage, slaughtering all who gets in his way. When the last man alive begs and pleads for his life, The Killer spares him. The Killer gets his sanity back and realizes that this has to stop. He creates a "Peace Hotel" where anybody, no matter what they have done, can go to and live. He would protect them and keep them from harm. Ten years later, a woman shows up and claims to be his mistress. This woman threatens all that he has built in that time.

There are some radically different opinions on this movie. Some love it or hate it. I liked it even though being Chow Yun-Fat's last Hong Kong movie it ends on a sad note. The overall tone of the movie is dark. There are few action scenes so you may be disappointed if you are expecting another HARD BOILED. These comprise of The Killer going into "berserk" mode and destroying anything breathing in his path. Chow -Yun Fat is good in this role because as powerful as the character is, he is extremely vulnerable.

The picture is very good on this DVD when I view it on my TV. When I view it on my computer, the picture seems to have a mesh screen in front of it, similar to the MISSION and HARD BOILED DVD's. The transfer is otherwise free of artifacts and the colors and black level are done well. The original print is relatively free of specks and is in pretty good shape. The DVD definitely looked better on my TV than my computer.

The sound is done well. You get a choice between Dolby Digital and the 5.1 remix. I like having a choice with the sound. I really don't care for re-mixes so I didn't choose the 5.1. Overall the mixing is good. The music and sound effects do not drown out the dialogue.

The subtitles are easy to read. The occasionally have a misspelling but they never get to the point of being distracting. They are in sync with what is being said. They also appear on the picture so you can read them if you have a 16:9 TV.

There are two trailers on this DVD, HARD BOILED, and EAST IS RED. There isn't much in the way of extras.

PEACE HOTEL may not be what you would expect for Chow Yun-Fat's last movie filmed in Hong Kong. I think that may be why I like it. PEACE HOTEL isn't his best movie but it is still good. The character of "The Killer" is intriguing and Chow Yun Fat really brings him to life. If you like the movie, the DVD shouldn't disappoint you. Of course, if you haven't seen the movie, it's worth a rental.