From director Cheuk Wan-chi comes a buddy style film, Vital Sign, that follows two paramedics in Hong Kong. Ma (Louis Koo) is an older maverick paramedic with a young daughter (So Yuet Yin Ariel) at home. He often makes last minute decisions that have a negative effect on his career but saves lives with clever solution. He is paired with the over-achieving and tunnel-visioned Wong Wai (Yau Hawk-sau) at a time of great change and struggle for him as he contemplates emigrating to Canada at the suggestion of his in-laws. These two often clash as Wong goes by the book but lacks Ma’s field experience and quick thinking.
From the start, this film contains lively tellings of the work of an emergency service unit. The fast-paced nature of these scenes really drives home the sense of urgency surrounding this work and is echoed through their individual situations. With action-packed and vivid emergency scenarios, Vital Sign keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats throughout each fast-paced rescue. Set in the urban landscape of the city of Hong Kong, the large setting captures the lonely feel of urban sprawl. In spite of this, Wan-chi manages to place very human moments among the loud noise of city living, from intimate moments at the hospital, to laughter shared in the back of the ambulance. Vital Sign takes an unfathomably large existence and condenses it into the small group who work together day by day, creating a microcosmic representation of the varied lives of those in the city.
The bright, flashing lights of the ambulance don’t take away from the core struggle of the narrative. Ma grapples with making a decision about emigrating and this is made harder by multiple revelations and the gruelling application process itself. His difficulties speak true to real emigration processes and the value placed on degrees and certifications that should be transferable but often are not considered such.
Vital Sign is a story about parenthood, love, and sacrifice.
This film was viewed as part of the Dublin International Film Festival’s Making Waves: Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema Programme
