A unique crime film from Taiwan, which has garnered positive word-of-mouth on the Chinese mainland after advance screenings, is set to receive its theatrical release on Friday.

A poster for "The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon." [Image courtesy of China Film Co. Ltd.]

"The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon," directed by Wong Ching-Po and featuring Ethan Juan, Chen Yi-Wen, Ben Yuen and Gingle Wang, follows fugitive and gangland assassin Chen Kui-lin (Juan), who after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given six months to live, learns he's only the third most-wanted criminal in Taiwan. Determined to leave his mark, he decides to hunt down and eliminate the top two criminals, believing this will make him a modern-day hero. However, he fails to anticipate that greed, hatred and delusion are the real sins and punishments he must confront at the end of his life.

The story draws inspiration from the fifth-century folk tale of Zhou Chu, a legendary figure in ancient China who transformed from a ruffian to a general by fighting three scourges — a tiger, a dragon and himself, as hinted at in the Chinese title of the film. Additionally, the plot is influenced by the "three poisons" in Buddhism — attachment (greed), aversion (hatred) and ignorance (delusion) — which are symbolized on the wheel of life by a bird, snake and pig, respectively. Moreover, Wong also incorporates elements from true crimes and the prototype figure of Liu Huanrong, a cold-blooded local killer.

Wong, who directed the action-packed classic "Once Upon a Time in Shanghai," is a master of crime and gangster films. "The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon" represents his latest attempt to innovate within this genre for Chinese cinema. Ethan Juan delivers a captivating performance as a cold-blooded, swaggering murderer, reminiscent of characters in Quentin Tarantino movies. 

The wild film skillfully blends elements of the crime genre with action-packed revenge narratives, and incorporates distinct styles from Taiwan and Hong Kong cinema, as well as fresh international influences. Furthermore, it delves into worrying issues such as brainwashing by religious cults and conmanship, while also exploring the murky aspects of human nature. Through the anti-hero's journey — marked by dark humor and heart-wrenching moments — Wong's saga challenges audiences' preconceptions about such films.

Advance screenings of "The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon" were held in mainland theaters over the weekend, receiving rave reviews. So far, the film has earned an impressive 8.4/10 on China's major review aggregation site, Douban, based on more than 19,630 reviews. Encouraged by the positive buzz around the film, a second round of advance screenings has been organized for the nights of Feb. 27-29, ahead of its theatrical release on March 1.

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