''Lifeline'' is a 1997 Hong Kong action

disaster A disaster is a serious problem occurring over a short or long period of time that causes widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Johnnie To Johnnie To Kei-fung (born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter and film producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in ...

and starring

Sean Lau Sean Lau Ching-wan (born 16 February 1964) is a Hong Kong actor who has acted in both films and television series. He won Best Actor in the 2007 and 2015 Hong Kong Film Awards and in the 2000 and 2007 Golden Bauhinia Awards. Career Lau was born ...

, Alex Fong and

Carman Lee Carman Lee Yeuk-tung (born 16 August 1966) is a Hong Kong actress who has appeared in films such as '' The Wicked City'' (1992), ''Loving You'' (1995), ''The Odd One Lives'' (1997), and the North American ''Knock Off'' (1998) with Jean-Claude V ...

Plot

Yau Sui (

) is a veteran firefighter of the

Tsz Wan Shan Tsz Wan Shan () is a residential area in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Located below Temple Hill, it is administratively part of Wong Tai Sin District. (Note that Temple Hill is also called ''Tsz Wan Shan'' , but Tsz Wan Shan usually refers to the are ...

Fire Station who has an arrogant attitude because of his extensive experience. By chance, Sui meets Annie (

), a doctor who becomes troublous after a recent breakup with her boyfriend. Sui consoles her and they begin a relationship. Meanwhile, Sui strikes a rivalry with the newly appointed leader of the fire station, Raymond Cheung ( Alex Fong), often getting into disputes. Later, a big fire erupts in a weaving factory located in

Tsuen Wan Tsuen Wan (formerly also spelled Tsun Wan) is a town built on a bay in the western New Territories of Hong Kong, opposite of Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged from the surrounding villages and flee ...

, where Sui, Raymond and their team members arrive to the scene, where the fire level rose to 5th alarm. Because of many hazardous objects present, an explosion occurs, releasing toxic gas. To deal with the dilemma, Sui and Raymond must put their rivalry aside and work together.

Cast

as Principal Fireman Yau Sui (有水) * Alex Fong as Senior Station Officer Raymond Cheung (張文傑) *

as Dr. Annie Chan *

Damian Lau Damian Lau Chung-yan (born 14 October 1949) is a Hong Kong film and television actor, executive producer and film director. Lau has starred in many television drama series of various genres, produced by Hong Kong's TVB and ATV. Biography ...

as Cheng Fu-wai (鄭富威), Chief Fire Officer *

Ruby Wong Ruby Wong Cheuk-ling (born 7 September 1971) is a Hong Kong actress and former model. Filmography * '' Infernal Mission'' (2004) * '' Looking For Mr Perfect'' (2003) * '' PTU'' (2003) * '' Sai Kung Story'' (2003) * '' U-Man'' (2002) * ''Women ...

as Probationary Station Officer Lo Ka-wai (盧嘉慧) * Raymond Wong Ho-yin as Fireman Wong Ho-yin (黃浩然) *Chan Man-lei as Ho-yin's father *Yuen Bun as Station Officer Fong Ting-kwok *

Lam Suet Lam Suet (; born 1964), or Lin Xue, is a Hong Kong film actor. Life and career Lam was born in Tianjin, and came to Hong Kong as a youth in 1979 to receive inheritance money left by his grandfather. Soon after, all the money had been squander ...

as Arsonist * Kenneth Chan as Annie's boyfriend *Patrick Dunn as Madam Lo's husband *

Eileen Yeow Eileen Yeow (born 4 January 1972), also known as Yiu Ying-ying, is a Hong Kong-based Singaporean actress and was named as one of the Five Fresh Beauties of TVB in 1995. Career Yeow won the title of Miss Singapore Universe in 1991. After that, sh ...

as Janet *Annabelle Lau as Factory worker trapped in fire *Yuen Ling-to as Factory manager *Sin Kam-ching *Lau man-yee *Kwok Yee-kiu *Cyrus Wong *Lam Kwok-kit as Firefighter *Lu Ching-ting as Firefighter *Hung Wai-leung as Construction worker *Chiu Chi-shing

Reception

Critical

Beyond Hollywood
' gave the film a positive review praising the developed characters and the performances of

and Alex Fong, while also noting its impressive fire stunts.
LoveHKFilm
' gave the film a positive review and praises director

's realism and sheer bravura storytelling.
So Good Reviews
' also gave a positive review, praising the fire sequences and characters, but criticizes some of its melodramatic moments.

Box office

The film grossed HK$20,730,867 at the Hong Kong box office during its theatrical run from 3 January to 4 February 1997.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
Lifeline
' at

Hong Kong Cinemagic Hong Kong Cinemagic, sometimes referred to as HKCinemagic, is a bilingual ( French and English) website providing a repository for information about Chinese language films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, and the people who created them. The websi ...

* {{Johnnie To 1997 films 1997 action films 1990s action drama films Hong Kong action drama films Hong Kong disaster films Films about firefighting 1990s Cantonese-language films Shaw Brothers Studio films Films directed by Johnnie To Films set in Hong Kong Films shot in Hong Kong Films with screenplays by Yau Nai-hoi 1997 drama films 1990s Hong Kong films