When I’m in Need …

Set during the ’90s, the movie began with Steelhead / Tie-tou (Jackie Chan), steering his tractor in an icy winter, in China. His lover, Xiu Xiu / Yuko Eguchi (Xu Jinglei) had a word with him, about her plans to go over to Japan, and be with her aunt. Steelhead gave his consent and allowed her to leave.

Fast-forwarded, a ship had capsized off the coast of Japan. Many people were left stranded on the beach. A Japanese police officer, patrolling on a bicycle spotted them. Realizing that their presence was already known, the illegal immigrants scampered away for their safety. Steelhead too managed to make his escape. Traveling by train and on foot, he finally reached the ‘humble’ dwellings of his China’s comrade, Ah Jie (Daniel Wu) and his Chinese friends.

Steelhead, along with Ah Jie and the rest, had to work odd jobs, to earn a living. They took any jobs that came their way eg clearing rubbish dump site (that was said to be a foundation cum construction job), cleaning up dirty, underground sewer, etc. Steelhead himself worked as a dishwasher, and a waiter at an F&B establishment.

While working at the F&B establishment, Steelhead spotted Xiu Xiu, next to Toshinari Eguchi (Masaya Kato). Not aware of Steelhead’s presence initially, Xiu Xiu finally caught sight of him when he stood not far, in front of her. Even Toshinari noticed Steelhead’s showing of keen interest in Yuko / Xiu Xiu — his wife. No words were exchanged between the two former lovers though.

Steelhead then decided that if he were to survive, much yet, to thrive in Japan, he had to implement a series of drastic changes to improve his economic well being and social status.

With the assistance of his Chinese comrades, Steelhead began to get himself involved in illegal means to generate income. He first sold fake phone cards. He then moved on to “legally purchase” expensive merchandises  such as women’s handbags (eg Louis Vuittons, Guccis) and watches from up-scale, department stores (eg Takashimaya), using fake credit cards. The purchased goods were then re-sold to a Chinese middleman for profits.

Steelhead somehow got to know a Chinese (Taiwanese) guy who had an unfettered access to Pachinko machines at a Pachinko parlor. The guy rigged one machine, of which Steelhead and his comrades could play with and win lots of money. This became another illegal source of income for them.

Not long afterward, the Taiwanese mob that ran the Pachinko establishment, found out about the rigged machine. ie a rigged computer chip was discovered.

Infuriated at the audacity, the mob left the machine intact. The purpose was to allow the perpetrators to be caught red-handed.

Ah Jie, unknowingly walked into the entrapment set by the ruthless Taiwanese mob, when he was told by Little Tai (Ken Lo) to sit down at the Pachinko machine and stayed on guard, while the latter took a break. Ah Jie had a small business of his own, selling “Tianjin Chestnuts” on a pushcart, just outside of the Pachinko establishment.

He was held captive by the mob, not long after he sat and leisurely played with the machine.

Dragged outside by the mob members, its leader, Gao Jie (Jack Kao) demanded Ah Jie to disclose the identities of his friends and their whereabouts. When Ah Jie refused to reveal anything, he was beaten up before being taken away to the back alley. There, he was pinned to the ground, before Gao Jie took out a sharp blade, and carved two horizontal lines on Ah Jie’s left and right cheek, right under his eyes.

Suffering due to the cuts, Ah Jie was further beaten up and tortured. Finally, Gao Jie brutally cut off Ah Jie’s right hand on the latter’s own pushcart, just moments before Steelhead and the others came to his rescue.

Pained by the sight of Ah Jie’s suffering and pleading to have “his hand returned back”, Steelhead became persuaded and felt inclined to seek revenge on Ah Jie’s behalf. He went over alone, to Gao Jie’s club to mete out the punishment on Gao Jie.

Hiding himself in a dark corner inside the club while waiting for the right opportunity, Steelhead overheard a conversation between Gao Jie and Togawa Kyohei, the son of Togawa Taro / Watagawa Taro, another influential Yakuza figure who happened to be the arch enemy of Toshinari Eguchi. Gao Jie received instruction to assassinate Eguchi in return for a handsome reward from Taro (ie he would be given the complete control of Kabuchi-cho area).

Later on in the evening, Eguchi arrived at Gao Jie’s club for a discussion. Mid-way through the discussion, Eguchi sensed something was amiss with Gao Jie. During the few odd seconds, Gao Jie stealthily took out a sharp blade (chopper) from under his coat, and successfully slashed a few times at Eguchi. As he was about to land his killing blow at a fallen Eguchi, Steelhead emerged from his hiding, and swung his own razor-sharp sword in an upward motion at Gao Jie’s right hand that was holding the blade. Gao Jie’s hand was amputated right there and then. Steelhead had managed to settle the score on behalf of Ah Jie. He and Eguchi then made their escape from the club while Gao Jie’s henchmen gave them a chase. This unlikely encounter between Steelhead and Eguchi proved to be the start of a win-win relationship between the two of them.

After accepting assassination assignments from Eguchi, Steelhead further cemented his status and strength in the Kabuchi-cho area. He was finally given the authority to ‘govern’ Kabuchi-cho by Eguchi. Essentially, Steelhead had become the figurehead-cum-leader to the community of Chinese migrants who had settled in the Kabuchi-cho, Shinjuku area.

Once in power, Steelhead attempted to abolish some of the usual practices that had existed before he made his mark. He even refused to be paid ‘protection money’, for he believed that, he had no right to demand money from his own people; people with whom he had crossed the ocean with, on a hazardous journey, all the way from China.

Steelhead insisted on doing the right things, even after he had amassed a great deal of power and influence as the de-facto, mob leader of the Chinese migrants. He started a slew of legitimate businesses toward this end.

After awhile, and thinking that the small Chinese community in Kabuchi-cho were already able to fend for itself, Steelhead informally relinquished his position as the de-facto leader. Before he did so however, he entrusted a number of key positions to his fellow Chinese comrades. Ah Jie was one such comrade. Ah Jie was given the responsibility to assist Chinese newcomers who wanted to settle down in Kabuchi-cho, Shinjuku.

Ah Jie accepted this responsibility readily outwardly; however, what he was actually going to do with his newly acquired position would prove to be the downfall of not only himself, but also Steelhead and a majority of the members of the tightly-knit, Chinese community in Kabuchi-cho in the end.

Ah Jie became corrupted. He became addicted to drugs and pills. He also openly and defiantly flouted Steelhead’s instruction, not to deal with the drugs business. He and the others, became brazened over the growing power and influence of their Chinese mob gang.

Meanwhile, Gao Jie who was dethroned from power after Steelhead and his Chinese comrades took over his territory in Kabuchi-cho, hatched a devious scheme with Eguchi’s nemeses to regain back what he had lost. A one-time, former loyal follower, Nakajima Hiromasa (Kenya Sawada) was even tasked to carry out the assassination of Toshinari Eguchi. Apparently, Eguchi’s over-arching ambition had offended a senior, Japanese figure in the Yakuza organization. Orders were given to have  Eguchi to be ridden off; and the troublesome Chinese mob and its followers to be annihilated once and for all.

Steelhead and his close friend whom he had saved earlier on in the movie — Inspector Kitano (Naoto Takenaka) — went to meet the influential figures of the Chinese mob at a Chinese entertainment club / restaurant, started by none other, but Steelhead himself. Believing that he could persuade his friends to give up on their criminal activities, and handover Eguchi to the Japanese police inspector, Steelhead found himself, cornered by his own comrades; the same group of individuals who had fought valiantly and loyally alongside him in the not-so-distant past.

A commotion ensued. Out of nowhere, Hongkie (Chin Kar Lok) suddenly took out a knife and stabbed Steelhead. Old Ghost / Lao Gwai (Lam Suet) intervened, advising that a Chinese shouldn’t be fighting another Chinese. While Old Ghost was in the midst of his words, suddenly Hongkie brutally and coolly slashed the former’s throat with his sharp knife. Old Ghost fell to the floor, writhing in pain. Bloods began gushing out of his wound.

Steelhead was about to be stabbed to death, when a large stone thrown from outside / below hit Hongkie’s head, killing him instantly. The Japanese Yakuza, led by Nakajima had congregated downstairs, together with their Taiwanese counterparts, Gao Jie and his followers. They were already prepared to carry out the final act of cleansing in accordance to the code of Japanese Bushido. The Chinese mob — if not the community itself — was to be wiped out of Kabuchi-cho that very night.

Situations suddenly turned for the worse for Steelhead and his Chinese comrades. While he was busy, defending himself, and pleading with his comrades to cease their criminal involvement just moments ago, he now found himself in the midst of a furious gang war that could very well cost him his own life.

A number of Steelhead’s Chinese comrades didn’t survive the assault. Eguchi himself was not spared, when he was shot in the chest by Nakajima as he was about to exit the building through a window.

Steelhead and Inspector Kitano eventually managed to get out of the double-storey building. The Japanese police arrived not long after that, after receiving a distress phone call from Inspector Kitano.

Making his way to Okubo train station, Steelhead first called up Eguchi’s spouse, Yuko / Xiu Xiu, to inform her of the events that had transpired that night. He arranged to meet her and her daughter at the station. Unbeknown to him, Togawa Taro’s son, Kyohei and his men were already at Eguchi’s home. They heard what Steelhead had informed Yuko / Xiu Xiu over the phone.

Nakajima and his men were ordered via a phone call, to track down and kill Steelhead at the Okubo train station. Unaware that his whereabout was already known by his enemy, Steelhead was easily spotted at the station. He ran for his life once he saw the Japanese mob were fast and furious on his heels. Steelhead was slashed, thrown knives, and shot at before he got surrounded. Downed on his knees, it appeared as if Steelhead was going to be executed without mounting any retaliation of his own. At the nick of time, Inspector Kitano and his fellow officers arrived on the scene.

Bursts of gunfires were exchanged between the Japanese police and the Yakuza members.

Steelhead unexpectedly rose up and grappled with Nakajima for a short while, before he was shot in the chest. His lung was punctured. Just moments before the final shot would be directed to his head, Inspector Kitano intervened with a thunderous yell. Nakajima’s name was yelled out. A gunshot then made its mark. Nakajima collapsed to the ground in a huff.

Steelhead again made his escape — albeit his final — after being mortally injured. Inspector Kitano tracked him down, guided by the latter’s trails of blood. The trails brought him down a drain, into a sewer.

Reminiscence of an earlier scene where Inspector Kitano and Steelhead first met,  Steelhead was found, immersed in the filthy water of the sewer.

Steelhead handed over a USB flash drive that was given to him by Eguchi, just moments after the latter was shot by Nakajima, to Inspector Kitano.

Gradually, Steelhead turned motionless and unable to rescue himself from the serious danger that he had found himself in. It became evident as such that his time was almost up. During these final moments, he muttered his final words in Huayu to Inspector Kitano.

Confused, and not understanding what was said to him, Inspector Kitano somehow and unintentionally lost his grip on Steelhead.

Steelhead then drifted slowly in the swift current of the sewer, until he was no longer in sight.

Conclusions:

(i) Steelhead could have simply left his troubled Chinese comrades, and live elsewhere with his newfound lover, Lily (Fan Bingbing). But, he chose not to. He chose to stick around and tried his utmost to persuade his friends to turn over a new leaf. Brazil could very well have been a haven for the two of them.

(ii) Steelhead was never a mob. What he did was done out of necessity. Essentially, he was a simple man, with no over-arching ambition and greed; this stood in stark contrast to his Chinese comrades as well as his Japanese and Taiwanese nemeses.