Throw Down 2004

Sze-to Bo ([Louis Koo]) is a karaoke manager and band leader, a former judo champion who walked away from the sport years ago for reasons that never fully surface. His world sits in the glow of neon and the clack of coins, and he is haunted by depression and alcoholism, yet he clings to the sharp memory of his discipline. Into this fragile existence enters Tony ([Aaron Kwok]), the current judo champion who admires Bo and challenges him to a duel, hoping to test the limits of a legend who once ruled the mat. Bo’s longtime rival, Lee Kong ([Tony Leung Ka Fai]), arrives with an old unfinished score to settle, raising the stakes and stirring memories that Bo would rather leave buried.

Mona ([Cherrie Ying Choi-Yi]), a woman from Taiwan with dreams of singing, seeks refuge in Bo’s karaoke after escaping an evil manager who almost forced her into prostitution. She becomes an ally in Bo’s quest to locate his mentor, Master Cheng ([Lo Hoi-Pang]), an old, frail man whose devotion to the dojo’s legacy remains unshaken despite time and hardship. Cheng’s dementia-ridden son, Jing, adds a heavy ache to their mission, and Cheng asks his disciple to help restore the dojo’s reputation from the crumbling ruins.

Bo also grapples with a hidden truth: he has an incurable retinal disease, and his vision is steadily fading—he can see only about one-tenth of the world. When Master Cheng dies for the ideals he champions on the judo stage, Bo’s fighting spirit is reignited, and a stubborn flame burns again. He resolves to take on Lee’s challenge in a one-on-one duel, with Tony guiding him toward the field beyond the wreckage of an old industrial complex. The bout is set with a stark stipulation: both fighters must fight with their eyes covered. The match remains surprisingly even until Bo lands a dramatic throw, and Lee’s wrap comes loose, revealing Bo’s eyes to be uncovered. Enraged by the betrayal, Lee moves to strike, but discovers Bo’s blindness—Bo is not masking his fear, but fighting with the last of his sight. Lee concedes defeat, and Tony and Bo walk away as victors, their bond strengthened by grit and persistence.

In the final scene, Bo and his surviving pupil stand on a street corner, handing out flyers for their dojo—an everyday act that carries the weight of a lifelong vow to train, endure, and pass on a dream.