Too Cool to Kill

Too Cool to Kill
Chinese theatrical release poster
Traditional Chinese這個殺手不太冷靜
Simplified Chinese这个杀手不太冷静
Literal meaningThis killer isn't too cool-headed
Hanyu PinyinZhè ge Shāshǒu Bú Tài Lěngjìng
Directed byXing Wenxiong
Written byXing Wenxiong
Based onThe Magic Hour
by Kōki Mitani
Produced byYan Fei
Peng Damo
StarringMa Li
Wei Xiang
Production
company
Distributed byMahua FunAge
Release date
  • 1 February 2022 (2022-02-01)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageChinese
Box office$413 million[1]

Too Cool to Kill is a 2022 Chinese action comedy film, based on the 2008 Japanese film The Magic Hour.[2] It stars Wei Xiang as an amateur actor who is invited to play a leading role in a film and ends up drawn into a dangerous situation.[3] It was released in China on 1 February 2022 (Chinese New Year) and in the United States and Canada on 18 February 2022.[4][5][6] It is Xing Wenxiong's feature film directorial debut.[3]

Plot

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Harvey is a gang leader who a hitman named Karl sought to assassinate, but both were injured in the demolition of a building; Karl was crippled in the explosion and Harvey was injured by his astray bullet. While seeing a supposed employee in the hospital (not knowing it's his attempted assassin), Harvey receives news that his injury may not have been caused by flying debris from the building but instead by gunshot; the evidence provided being in the form of a shell casing with "Karl" engraved on it. Enraged, he vowed to seek out the hitman Karl. Meanwhile, Mi Lan's brother directed a film that failed in the box office, which meant Harvey lost money on his investment, prompting him to threaten said director. Harvey then gets startled by the popping of a balloon, mistakenly assuming Karl was in the vicinity. Mi Lan then uses this to say she knows "Karl" and can bring him to Harvey.

This brings amateur actor Wei Chenggong into the picture, as Mi Lan sees him as a potential recruit to "play the role of a hitman", which draws him into an unknowingly risky environment that could possibly have the group killed by Harvey and his gang, the whole while Wei thinking it's a film set.

Cast

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  • Ma Li as Mi Lan
  • Wei Xiang as Wei Chenggong
  • Chen Minghao as Harvey
  • Zhou Dayong as Jimmy
  • Huang Cailun as Mi Le
  • Ai Lun [zh] as Karl[7]

Production

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Too Cool to Kill is an adaptation of Kōki Mitani's 2008 Japanese film The Magic Hour.[8][9]

It was written and directed by Xing Wenxiong (邢文雄), one of the writers of My People, My Homeland.[7] It is Xing's feature film directorial debut.[3] It was produced by Yan Fei (闫非) and Peng Damo (彭大魔).[10] Filming began on 23 June 2021, and on the same day it was announced that the film would be released on Chinese New Year 2022.[11]

For one scene in the film, Wei Xiang had to speak Italian, a language which he had never studied and felt stressed about speaking, according to costar Zhou Dayong. Wei said in an interview that the crew gave him a translator, who spoke to him after shooting and helped him memorize the lines.[12]

Release

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The film was released in China on 1 February 2022 (Chinese New Year), and it was released in a limited number of cities in the United States and Canada on 18 February 2022 by distributor Well Go USA.[4][5][6] It was the only pure comedy scheduled for release on Chinese New Year 2022.[8]

Reception

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The film has been one of the most successful of the 2022 Chinese New Year releases.[13] The film grossed $217 million in its first six days, including $110.5 million in its opening weekend.[14] It received positive reviews from advance screening audiences,[8] and on the day of its release, it got an average rating of 9.2 on Maoyan.[4] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a score of 78% from audiences.

References

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  1. ^ "China box office". Variety. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  2. ^ "旧正月映画「这个杀手不太冷静」は三谷幸喜「ザ・マジックアワー」のリメイク。｜クール｜note". note（ノート） (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  3. ^ a b c Tartaglione, Nancy (31 January 2022). "Chinese New Year Movies Ready For Box Office Battle: 'Water Gate Bridge' Leads Pre-Sales; Comedies & Dramas Could Surprise". Deadline. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Tartaglione, Nancy (4 February 2022). "'Battle At Lake Changjin II' Tops $300M In China; Lunar New Year Frame Still Down Versus 2021". Deadline. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b "'Moonfall' & 'Jackass' May Finally Topple 'Spider-Man'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Chinese comedy film "Too Cool to Kill" hits North American big screen". Xinhua News. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b Cho, Suzie (21 January 2022). "Trailer: Too Cool To Kill by Xing Wenxiong". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Spring Festival movie guide 2022 - China.org.cn". www.china.org.cn. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Wide range of new releases for Spring Festival holiday". SHINE. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  10. ^ "电影《这个杀手不太冷静》开机 明年春节，马丽PK沈腾". 新华网. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  11. ^ "马丽魏翔搭档王牌喜剧班底出演2022春节档新片 《这个杀手不太冷静》开机定档双官宣". 千龙网·中国首都网. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  12. ^ "《这个杀手不太冷静》办亲友观影 马丽魏翔现身_华语_电影网_1905.com". www.1905.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. ^ Mendelson, Scott. "Box Office: 'Battle At Lake Changjin 2' Tops $350 Million As 'Spider-Man' Nears 'Avatar'". Forbes. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (February 6, 2022). "Chinese New Year Movies Miss Market Record; Spider-Man Wings To $1.77B Global & Sing 2 Nears $300M WW – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
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