Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - View across Victoria Harbour

And just like the name of the film, 2025 is about to be "Expired", so I will leave this film, and this year, with an example of how the film makers achieved their "futuristic" vision on a low budget. The view looks to be kosher in terms of landmarks, with the 2IFC front and centre and then "The Masterpiece" on the left and "Victoria Dockside" on the right and the Harbourfront Landmark in the far distance on the far right. I imagine the smog could've been real - before Covid hit and all the Mainland Chinese factories shut down it could get quite gross here. These days it seems to have improved a little bit. Anyway, on that note I bid you farewell and best wishes for the coming year. Back in 2026 (i.e. tomorrow) with more posts and a new film.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Kam Lam Street, Mongkok

Jack appears to live on Kam Lam Street, because at the end of the film he leaves his apartment and is immediately followed by what turn out to be a couple of androids. He is approached by the brother of one of his victims, intent on revenge, and manages to avoid all projectiles as the androids engage the brother in what has to be the lamest gunfight in the history of cinema. This was all filmed at the junction with Soy Street. I believe the tree mural is still there.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - China Cafe, Mongkok

More confirmation that this film was shot circa 2019 by the fact that the famous China Cafe serves as one of the locations. This is where Dr Bergman meets Jack to tell him what he has found out about his background and why he is ill. This place was a very popular filming location and sadly closed on the very last day of 2019. Sean Tierney visited the location when it was still operating. If you're reading this Sean, how about restarting your channel?

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - View over the Lisboa, Macau

Another nice aerial shot, this time we are looking down upon the original Lisboa Hotel and Casino, and the great big shiny egg-shaped ground floor of the more recently built (I say recent, but it's been completed for nearly 20 years) Grand Lisboa.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong

Another aerial view, this time over Central in Hong Kong. This is a night time view of Queen's Road Central with Standard Chartered Bank on the right hand side (which means we're looking west).

 

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Kam Mong Restaurant, Portland Street

Jack goes out for dinner with April at the Kam Mong Restaurant on Portland Street. Sadly, it looks like this is another one that fell by the wayside and closed due to the Covid restrictions. The space is now occupied by a place called "Fish Villa".

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Future Bright Amusement Park Ice Rink, Macau

The ice skating scenes were filmed over in Macau on the small ice hockey rink in the Future Bright Amusement Park. It's located just down from the Camoes Garden.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - I-Feng Mansion, To Kwa Wan

I Feng Mansion has cropped up in quite a few places. In this film, it is supposed to be the rooftop above where Dr Bergman (Hugo Weaving) lives. Apparently, to make something a bit more futuristic, all you have to do is add some lights.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Mido Cafe, Yaumatei

Jack goes for coffee with April at the Mido Cafe. Note that this was before the neon sign was removed by the Government. These places have so much more character with their neon signs, but apparently Hong Kong feels it is better to remove them all.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Alleyway off Soy Street, Mongkok

As Jack is being followed by the mysterious bald guy, he heads down an alleyway between Soy Street and Changsha Street to lose him, but when he turns around to confront him in the alleyway, he has disappeared. The Sun Ming Building can be seen on Soy Street in the background. If this place rings a bell it might be because it is the building that replaced the famous Wan Loi Tea House that was used in Hard Boiled.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

After following April around, Jack is also tailed by a mystery man with a bald head (Andrew Ng), who follows him from the alleyway onto Cameron Road.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Portland Street, Mongkok

Portland Street is one of the recurring locations in this film. In one scene, Jack is once again following April. In the first images, he is walking past the Tung Nam Lou Hotel on the corner with Pitt Street. The same rough area can be seen in the end scene as Jack is again walking along Portland Street, but this time next to the junction with Hamilton Street. The building on the corner in the last image is the C.P.M.S Yaumatei Church.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - View above Sé Parish, Macau

The general area above the location of the rear of the club can be seen in this image below. These are basically the cluster of highrise apartments east of Rua de Cantão. In the first image the front of the Starworld Casino can be see at the top right. The following images show the area between the Emperor Hotel Macau and the New Orient Landmark.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Pek Tou Fa Un, Avenida da Amizade

More Hong Kong/Macau hybrid geography. So Jack sees April leave the club (a Macau location), he then follows her through the streets of Hong Kong (such as Kansu Street) and then watches her go into her apartment building, which is back in Macau. This building with the curved windows is called "Pek Tou Fa Un" (a.k.a Marina Gardens) and is located on Avenida da Amizade.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Kansu Street, Yaumatei

Creepy Jack stalks April and follows her back to her apartment block. This is Kansu Street right next to the Alhambra building. If you have been following this blog for a while you may remember that Ghost in the Machine also filmed here, taking advatnage of the neon light of the Mahjong club seen in the top image. Here's a reminder.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Alley near Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, Macau

In the world of movie magic where a location can be made up of multiple places, the club where April works is located in Macau, but not really. It's supposed to be in Hong Kong, but the film makers used an alleyway in Macau to stand in for the rear exit of the club. However, some shots also incorporated what looks to be an alley in neither Hong Kong or Macau, so I am guessing it was filmed back in Australia, which was then merged with the Macau location.

This nameless alley connects Praça De D. Afonso Henriques in the west with Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção in the east. The depth of field in the screenshot makes it difficult to see how far down the alley we are, but it looks like the camera was positioned further to the east, some where between Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção and Rua de Xangai.

Other shots of the same area appear to show a composite of another location, with this same alleyway and its neon signage, superimposed on the background.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Canal Road Flyover

There are quite a few scenic shots of Hong Kong from this film, some of which have been digitally altered to appear more futuristic (i.e. had some coloured lights added), but others appear to be fairly true to reality, including this one of the Canal Road Flyover. This is the view looking north, with Times Square on the extreme right. The low rise building top centre is the Wanchai Firestation.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Nelson Street, Mongkok

Jack emerges from the metro system at what is exit E1 of Mongkok station. This thoroughfare was originally Nelson Street but this section (and the same on the other side of Nathan Road where exit E2 is) is now fully pedestrianised. Also, the Langham Place Shopping Mall removed a big chunk of Nelson Street on this side of Nathan Road.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui

I can't remember the reason behind Jack going to Prat Avenue as my brain had long switched off from what was going on, but he finds himself here in front of Wah Kee Snacks. This place was gone by the end of 2020 which gives a good indicator of when it was filmed.

Expired - Ryan Kwanten (2021) - Mongkok Road Pedestrian Bridge

Jack follows his target up onto the pedestrian flyover that runs above Mongkok Road.