Hong Kong, South Korea · Film · 2015
HELIOS
Binge Brief
- Released in China on 30 April 2015 and in Hong Kong on 1 May 2015.
- Runs 119 minutes.
- Earned US$20.68 million over its four-day opening weekend in China, placing fourth at the box office.
- Grossed HK$15.9 million (US$2.06 million) in Hong Kong.
- Picked up 2 nominations at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards on 3 April 2016.
- Held its first press conference on 10 December 2013 at the Sheraton Hotel in Macau, where the first trailer was shown.
Synopsis
Helios is a 2015 Hong Kong-Chinese crime thriller written and directed by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk. The movie follows a joint team from Hong Kong, China and South Korea chasing DC8, a portable nuclear device developed by the South Korean military and stolen by the wanted criminal known as Helios, who plans to trade it in Hong Kong.
Chang Chen plays Gam Dao-nin, the South Korean weapons smuggler the police believe to be Helios, and Janice Man plays his assistant Zhang Yiyun, nicknamed the Messenger. Against them, Nick Cheung is Chief Inspector Eric Lee Yan-ming of the Counter-Terrorism Response Unit, commander of the emergency response team, with Shawn Yue as Senior Inspector Fan Ka-ming, a former Special Duties Unit officer and one of his deputies. Wang Xueqi plays Song Ahn, a senior official from the Chinese government who wants the crisis handled through diplomacy. Jacky Cheung is Siu Chi-yan, a physics professor at the University of Hong Kong brought in as special adviser.
The Korean half of the Helios cast gives the film its cross-border angle. Ji Jin Hee plays Choi Min-ho, a deputy director at South Korea's National Intelligence Service and a weapons expert with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and physics, and Choi Siwon plays Park Woo-cheol, the special agent assigned to protect him. Yoon Jin-yi is Shin Mi-kyung, a spy sent to Hong Kong who covers her identity with a job at a magazine publisher, and Kim Hae Sook appears as NIS director Park Young-sook.
Politics run through the investigation. Inside the team, the question of whether DC8 should stay in Hong Kong splits Professor Siu, who opposes it, from Song Ahn, who wants it kept there. Once the Messenger is arrested, the hunt moves to Macau, where Josephine Koo plays Sophia, a retired arms smuggler who is also Gam Dao-nin's godmother.
It is a Hong Kong action movie with dialogue in four languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and English. Peter Kam wrote the score, Jason Kwan handled the cinematography and Ron Chan Wong Hoi edited the film, which Catherine Kwan produced.
HELIOS cast
Filming locations
Visual design and costumes
Themes and messages
Interesting facts
Soundtrack
| Track | Artist |
|---|---|
| 赤色壯舉 (Cantonese and Korean duet) | Jacky Cheung and Choi Siwon, 19 Apr 2015 |
| 赤色壯舉 (Mandarin solo) | Jacky Cheung, 2015 |
Awards
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 35th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Janice Man | Nominated |
| 2016 | 35th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Action Choreography | Chin Ka-lok | Nominated |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Helios movie about?
Helios (2015) follows a task force from Hong Kong, China and South Korea trying to recover DC8, a portable nuclear device stolen by a wanted criminal known as Helios and his assistant, the Messenger.
Who is in the Helios cast?
The Helios cast is led by Jacky Cheung, Nick Cheung, Shawn Yue, Wang Xueqi, Janice Man, Ji Jin Hee, Choi Siwon and Chang Chen, with Kim Hae Sook and Yoon Jin-yi in Korean supporting roles. For fans of Nick Cheung movies or Shawn Yue movies, both play Counter-Terrorism Response Unit inspectors.
Who does Choi Siwon play in Helios?
In Helios, Choi Siwon plays Park Woo-cheol, a South Korean special agent assigned to protect the weapons expert Choi Min-ho, played by Ji Jin Hee. Among Choi Siwon movies and Ji Jin Hee movies, it is a Hong Kong-Chinese co-production rather than a Korean one.
Who directed the Helios film?
The Helios film was written and directed by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk. Catherine Kwan produced it and Peter Kam composed the music.
When was Helios released and how long is it?
Helios, the 2015 movie, opened in China on 30 April 2015 and in Hong Kong on 1 May 2015. It runs 119 minutes.
What role does Jacky Cheung play in Helios?
Among Jacky Cheung movies, Helios casts him as Siu Chi-yan, a physics professor at the University of Hong Kong who joins the emergency response team as special adviser.
Is Helios a Hong Kong action movie?
Yes. Helios is a Hong Kong-Chinese action and crime thriller, and Chin Ka-lok's action choreography for it was nominated at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards.
How did Helios do at the box office?
Helios earned US$20.68 million in its four-day opening weekend in China, placing fourth behind Furious 7, You Are My Sunshine and The Left Ear. In Hong Kong it grossed HK$15.9 million.
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