Peace hotel

Chow Yun-Fat is ‘The Killer’, a man famous for having slaughtered a large number of bandits at an inn ten years before. Following the massacre, he ran off to the North-west frontier and established the ‘peace hotel’, a place where anyone can come to seek refuge. The strange order of the hotel is disturbed by the arrival of Shau Siu Man (Cecilia Yip), who is being pursued by a gang. A swindler and a compulsive liar, Shau Siu Man is unable to produce an explanation regarding her situation, but nevertheless begs The Killer to extend hospitality and protection. As the gang gathers around the hotel, the leader delivers an ultimatum to The Killer to surrender the woman or they will storm the hotel. Haunted by remorse over his violent past and lost love, The Killer must decide between risking an all-out war with a determined gang or break his promise of a safe haven to all. ‘Peace Hotel’ is an action-packed take on the (spaghetti) western genre, complete with dust coats and bar brawls, alternating sword fighting sequences with machine gun attacks. Although the plot is at time obscure, elements common to John Woo’s and Chow Yun-Fat’s previous collaborations emerge, such as honour among thieves and the search for redemption. ‘Peace Hotel’ was the last Hong-Kong movie starring Chow Yun-Fat before he embarked on his American career with ‘The Replacement Killers’. It is with ‘All about Ah-long’ the second film for which he is credited as a writer. In Cantonese with English subtitles.