The film's main drive involves plotting and scheming rather than outright violence, though -- unlike the sequel -- the basic good guy-bad guy conflict is pretty standard.
Election (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:19
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.8/10
Runtime: 89 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: The drama-thriller ELECTION centers on the power struggles within Hong Kong's organized crime culture. Every two years, the Wo Shing society, the oldest and most powerful triad in Hong Kong, has to... The drama-thriller ELECTION centers on the power struggles within Hong Kong's organized crime culture. Every two years, the Wo Shing society, the oldest and most powerful triad in Hong Kong, has to appoint a new leader. As Lok (Simon Yam) looks set to win the election, his violent rival Big D (Tony Leung Kar-Fai) will stop at nothing to influence the voting process. When the Dragon's Head Baton, the society's symbol of leadership, is stolen, a merciless battle for power begins [More]
Starring: Simon Yam, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung
Starring: Simon Yam, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung
Director: Johnny To
Director: Johnny To
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Release:
Nov 6, 2007
DVD Features:
- NTSC
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
- Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - Cantonese, Mandarin
- DTS Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - Cantonese, Mandarin
- Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Trailers:
- 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
- 2. Tartan Asia Extreme New Releases
Reviews for Election
Some real genius and understated power . . . transcends its genre and turns the venally criminal into the profoundly human.
Not To's greatest film, but an interesting examination of the inner workings of Hong Kong's triad gangs.
The film's violence erupts in rare, staccato bursts, all the more horrifying for coming out of nowhere.
Election feels routine at times, though less formulaic than other genre exercises from Hong Kong. The depiction of crime customs is sociologically detailed.
[Director To's] talent for documentary-style realism and navigating complex political systems sets him apart, though his nationalism puts him squarely in the mainstream.
Dense, demanding concentration, lacking any romantic (but plenty of sordid) violence, extremely involving and rewarding of careful attention.
Ultimately, Election and Triad Election -- which benefit from being seen back to back -- play like a mature reevaluation of [Johnnie] To's long-standing talent for splashy, eye-popping violence.
Nobody familiar with [director] To will be surprised by the way he presents stylish violence in innovative and humorous ways.
There is social commentary to be sure, but there are also some solid action thrills.
Election, the first installment in Johnnie To's two-film Hong Kong gangland serial, is a densely plotted, pulpy procedural.
Unlike the American crime genre, violence is viewed only as the last resort. In both films, there is a subtle suggestion that the children of the chairmen may pay the highest price for the criminal ascendancy of their fathers.
It's a thrilling premise. What a shame, then, that Election can't get the basics right.
We are plunged into this dispute, but with insufficient time to get to know any of these players, they never fully come to life.
Even the violence is unexpectedly unexpected, eschewing the usual cathartic frenzy of bloody chopsocky and arcade-game gunplay in favour of calmly viewed and human-scaled acts of brutality.
May feel a little aloof and dry, not to mention confusing, but there's a solid resonance within the story.
Latest News for Election
September 25, 2006:
Toronto Wrapup: Senh, Jen And Tim's Raves And Rants From The Festival
We saw some great movies, some of them big ("Babel") and some tiny ("The Patterns Trilogy"). We saw some interesting failures ("The Banquet") and... More...
September 16, 2006:
TORONTO: "Away From Her," "The Prisoner," "El Cantante," And More Purchased at Fest
Picturehouse led the pack of acquisitions at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, nabbing North American rights to "El Cantante," the biopic of Salsa... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Election at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



