Running on Karma Blu-ray presents a singular Hong Kong crime thriller that blends genre spectacle with Buddhist philosophy, co-directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai at the height of their creative partnership. Starring Andy Lau in one of his most unusual and emotionally complex roles, the film stands apart within early-2000s Hong Kong cinema for its fusion of metaphysical inquiry and police procedural tension.
 
Big is a former Buddhist monk burdened with an extraordinary ability: he can see people’s past lives and perceive the karmic consequences shaping their present and future. Unable to bear the weight of this gift, he abandons monastic life and reinvents himself as a bodybuilder. His powers resurface when he meets Lee Fung-yee, a police officer investigating a murder, and the two form a bond that draws Big back into the moral dilemmas he once tried to escape.
 
As their investigation deepens, Big’s visions reveal unsettling truths about fate, violence, and spiritual debt, complicating both the case and his growing feelings for Lee. Balancing action, mystery, and philosophical reflection, Running on Karma explores questions of faith, responsibility, and redemption with a tonal daring that places it alongside Mad Detective as one of To and Wai’s most distinctive collaborations.
 
directed by: johnnie to, wai ka-fai
starring: andy lau, cecilia cheung
2003 / 94 min