LEGALLY DECLARED DEAD is a brand new Hong Kong thriller. We screened it for Fantasia 2020 and the surprise turned out to be a very good one.

Not that we had not planned this to be. We had no idea what really to expect. Typically we get to see a few South Korean movies for film festivals, but this time around we got a Hong Kong movie that felt in tune with our favorite South Korean genre films. The story in Legally Declared Dead is very character-driven and I had no idea what to expect from this Hong Kong film, since it is based on a Japanese novel.

I don't think I've really watched a lot of Hong Kong movies, but if this is the representation of the standard of the film, then I really ought.

We track a beautiful man (Carlos Chan) who works as an insurance broker. Instead of the normal hustler sort of sales guy, you might think, he really seems to care about his customers (or clients, if you like).

He does find himself faced with one particular situation, however, in which he does not trust the owner of the insurance policy (White Dragon's Anthony Wong). A boy has died in an apparent suicide but the boy's father's reaction makes him believe the boy has been killed.



This also means he fears for the dead boy's mother (Karena Lam). This theory is not backed by anything and everyone is shocked that he can't let go of this notion. His kind-hearted manners and honesty clash easily with his need for security.

It's a very elegant shift that's happening in him over time, but still, it's very clear to the spectator. As the plot goes forward and we figure out who to trust, it is a race against the clock and a real battle for survival. This is Director Kim-Wai Yuen 's second feature film and I really hope we get the chance to see more from him.

Of course I was totally on board from start to finish. At the end of a film festival with screenings of several films every day, that's no small feat.

For Fantasia 2020 we have been able to watch Legally Declared Dead and you can certainly check it out when you get the chance. Whatever you might expect, this film delivers a strong tale with the actors acting impressively and some fantastic surprises along the way.

Yeah, some of the plot twists, you might guess, but that's perfect. Legally declared Dead is more about the real surprises and how the characters respond to such surprises.

Legally declared Dead was released in June 2020 in movie theaters in his native Hong Kong, where he had topped the box office. At Fantasia 2020 we screened it out.

Plot:

A sketchy suicide causes a noble insurance broker to dive into an enquiry that puts his life at risk. The coroner ruled it a suicide, but Mr. Yip is sure that Mr. Chu may have assassinated his own son in an effort to gain money from the insurance – and his wife may be next! A torrent of threats greets him during Yip 's quest but the real mastermind may have planned something more dangerous, and those around him will soon reach critical levels of risk.