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Customs Frontline

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Customs Frontline
Theatrical release poster
Traditional Chinese海關戰線
Simplified Chinese海关战线
Hanyu PinyinHǎi Guān Zhàn Xiàn
JyutpingHoi2 Gwaan1 Zin3 Sin3
Directed byHerman Yau
Written byErica Lee
Eric Lee
Produced byJason Siu
StarringJacky Cheung
Nicholas Tse
Karena Lam
Cya Liu
Francis Ng
CinematographyJoe Chan
Ngai Man-yin
Derek Siu
Edited byAzrael Chung
Music byBrother Hung
Production
companies
Emperor Film Production
Emperor Film and Entertainment (Beijing)
Tianjin Yuewen Film and Television Culture Communication
New Classics Media Corporation
New Classics International Media
Distributed byEmperor Motion Pictures
Release dates
  • 2 May 2024 (2024-05-02) (Far East Film Festival)
  • 5 July 2024 (2024-07-05) (Hong Kong)
Running time
140 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguagesCantonese
Mandarin
English
Box office$18.3 million[1]

Customs Frontline (Chinese: 海關戰線), previously known as War Customised, is a 2024 Hong Kong action film directed and co-written by Herman Yau and starring Jacky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Karena Lam, Cya Liu, with Francis Ng making a special appearance. Tse also served as the film's action director alongside Alan Ng. The film revolves around the Customs and Excise Department of Hong Kong.

Production for Customs Frontline began on 30 March 2022[2] and ended on 20 June 2022.[3] The film made its world premiere as the closing film for Far East Film Festival 26 on 2 May 2024[4] before its theatrical release in Hong Kong on 5 July 2024.

Plot

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Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department officer Chow Ching-lai (Nicholas Tse) is a principled man who can also be difficult to work with. Luckily, with the guidance of his superior and mentor Cheung Wan-nam (Jacky Cheung), Ching-lai is able to find success in his career.

During a patrol, Wan-nam, Ching-lai and the rest of their team encounter an unmanned cargo ship that is hiding a batch of lethal weaponry. Upon investigation, they were suspected to be missing weapons that were stolen in Thailand. Ying (Cya Liu) and Mark, two Thai special agents who have been tracking black market arms dealer Dr. Raw, come to Hong Kong to assist in the investigation. Dr. Raw is extremely reclusive, but she is infamous for her ruthlessness and extensive network. She holds a wide array of weapons - ranging from a typical handgun to drones and even submarines.

Dr. Raw sends her men to ambush a Hong Kong Customs warehouse for her seized weapons. The sudden attack ends with the mercenaries stealing the weapons and many customs agents dead, including Ching-lai's ex-girlfriend, Katie. Ching-lai considers resigning out of guilt, but Wan-nam convinces him to stay and takes the blame for the attack: Wan-nam appears to be in total control, but he is hiding an immense amount of stress from everyone as he struggles to cope with his bipolar disorder, including his girlfriend, customs assistant commissioner Athena Siu.

Interpol launches a joint operation to find the stolen weapons. As part of the operation, Ching-lai and Ying travel to the heart of the illegal arms trade to help catch Dr. Raw once and for all. There, the two discover that Hong Kong shipping company KCS is linked to Dr. Raw's operation. Just as Ying and Ching-lai are about to track down one of Dr. Raw's major buyers, Wan-nam makes a drastic decision that complicates the investigation even further. [5]

Cast

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  • Jacky Cheung as Cheung Wan-nam (張允南), a senior superintendent of the Customs and Excise Department (Hong Kong) who suffers from Bipolar disorder.
  • Nicholas Tse as Chow Ching-lai (周正禮), an assistant superintendent of the Customs and Excise Department.
  • Karena Lam as Athena Siu (邵雅瑩), the assistant commissioner of Customs and Excise (intelligence and investigation) and Cheung 's girlfriend.
  • Cya Liu as Ying (阿盈), a Thai-Chinese intelligence officer.
  • Francis Ng as Kwok Chi-keung (郭子強), the assistant commissioner of Customs and Excise (boundary and ports) and Cheung's superior officer who often berates him. (special appearance)
  • Michelle Yim as Mrs. Kam (甘太), Kam Wing's wife and Kam Lok-man's mother.
  • Kenny Kwan as Lee Hok-pan (李學斌,) a Customs officer who is not fond of Chow.
  • Ben Yuen as Au (區經理), the Kam family's butler.
  • Carlos Chan as Kam Lok-man (甘樂文), Kam Wing's son who becomes a critical witness for the Customs and Excise Department.
  • Michelle Wai as Katie, a customs officer and Chow's ex-girlfriend.
  • Melvin Wong as Kam Wong (甘榮), CEO of KCS company who colludes with Dr. Raw to smuggle goods into Hong Kong which unbeknownst to him, turn out to be firearms.
  • Shek Sau as Chan Wing-kan (陳永勤), the deputy commissioner of the Customs and Excise Department.
  • Amanda Strang as Dr Raw, a notorious arms dealer and smuggler.
  • Brahim Chab as Leo, a firearms smuggler.
  • Angus Yeung as a Customs officer.
  • James Kazama
  • Polly Lau
  • Chu Tin
  • Kenneth Lai
  • Jordan Merna
  • Payne Roberts
  • Guillaume Losguardi

Production

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News for the film first appeared on 20 February 2022 where it was announced that Herman Yau would be directing a film revolving around the Hong Kong Customs Department and is set to star Nicholas Tse and Cya Liu, with Tse also working as action director for the first time in the film. Tse's manager, Mani Fok confirmed the news and stated the film was in pre-production.[6] The film was originally set to began production on 3 March 2022, but due to crew members testing positive for COVID-19, production commencement was postponed to three weeks later.[7] On 21 March 2022, production company Emperor Motion Pictures promoted the film at the virtual Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) and unveiled additional cast members including Jacky Cheung, Karena Lam and Francis Ng, who will be making a special appearance.[8]

Principal photography for Customs Frontline began on 30 March 2022, where filming of an interior scene with Tse and Liu took place.[2] On 6 April 2022, the film held its production commencement ceremony hosted by Emperor Motion Pictures chairman and executive producer Albert Yeung and attended by the cast and crew.[9] The same day, filming of a warehouse raiding scene involving Cheung and Tse took place in Lau Fau Shan.[10]

Production for Customs Frontline officially wrapped up on 20 June 2022, where a special banquet hosted by Yeung was held to congratulate the cast and crew for the film's completion.[3]

Release

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Customs Frontline made its world premiere as the closing film for Far East Film Festival 26 on 2 May 2024.[4] The film will then theatrically released in Hong Kong on 5 July 2024.

Home media

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TBA

References

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  1. ^ "Customs Frontline". The Numbers. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "謝霆鋒加持劉雅瑟 大讚入圍影后實至名歸". 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Jacky Cheung's "Customs Frontline" wraps up filming". 22 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Customs Frontline- Far East Film Festival".
  5. ^ "Customs Frontline 海關戰線". Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  6. ^ Hsia, Heidi (20 February 2022). "Nicholas Tse returns to HK for new movie". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  7. ^ "劇組多人中招！謝霆鋒新戲《海關戰線》延遲三周開鏡 閉關度動作戲". Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. ^ "英皇電影2022｜耗資15億 梁朝偉劉華《金手指》造型曝光、張學友夥拍謝霆鋒". 22 March 2022. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  9. ^ "海關戰線 謝霆鋒首任動作指導 張學友好放心：我是長輩他一定會對我好". 8 April 2022. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  10. ^ "張學友首日開工狀態大勇 孖謝霆鋒揸槍鬥Chok". 6 April 2022.
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