MovieChat Forums > Hak se wooi (2005) Discussion > Why Machetes?

Why Machetes?

posted 13 years ago by free2game365
5 replies | jump to latest

This is part of the movie that never made sense to me. In a real knife fight, bleeding out is what ends the fight, slashing usually causes a lot of tissue damage but not much in the way of heavy bleeding unless hit in certain areas. It would seem like a professional would carry something like a dagger, or a 4" folding knife. That would be much more concealable and be able to penetrate enough in a main artery and cause a bleed out. It also seemed odd that a criminal element like the Triad wouldn't have access to firearms, especially considering how much easier it would be to conceal vs a large machete.

[–] brba82 13 years ago

You are certainly not in South East Asia and Hong Kong particular.

Guns is not very popular, machete is much more easier to bring & hide and more dramatic effect.

[–] free2game365 13 years ago

My point still stands. A dagger would be much easier to hide and much more effective and realistic.

[–] deathcube-1 12 years ago

Don't bring a knife to a machete fight. The only thing that keeps people at arms length in that situation is the fact that you also have a long blade to swing wildly. Try getting in close with a dagger while people are swinging a machete at you.

[–] GreenPosiden 12 years ago

Guns are pretty rare in China and HK. Not to say that they don't have any, just nowhere near as common as in the US. Meat cleavers and machetes are more commonly used. It's just how it is and how they roll. It's more about tradition.

Traditionally, they don't want to kill the victim, more make a statement and an example out of them. They want to scar and maim them for life so other people will see this as a reminder not to cross the triads. Also, the death penalty is handed out a lot more readily in China. It'll be a lesser crime to injure someone with a machete rather than outright kill them.

[–] subase 11 years ago

yeah, Chinese justice is alot more brutal than in advanced western nations, at least for the common criminal. Unless you have high connections or triad protection (which would give get you a good lawyer, a false allibi, witness intimidation etcetera) then your screwed.

That means killing people is frowned upon, as it brings more police and media attention.

It's ironic though cause the fairbairn sykes knife which is basically a slim dagger was developed while fighting street gang crime in shanghai.

Probably the main reason above all is that it's more scary looking than a small knife which is useful when intimidating people your trying to rob or other criminals who want to attack you.

Also mob attacks are another possibility. Saw a video of these thieves on a motorbike who try to snatch a womans handbag accidentally dragging her for a little bit. Then their motorbike stops, and they are attacked by a chinese mob which appears to have materialized out of thin air, one of the criminals pulls out a small machete and waves it around, keeping people at a distance. So it works for keeping mobs at bay. This only worked for a while though cause then the mob proceeded to throw anything they could find on top of the criminals. Pretty nuts.

Actually here's the youtube clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALXBlAk1wKw