Running on Karma (2003) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A former monk's visions of past lives lead him through a homicide investigation, grief, and a confrontation with vengeance toward forgiveness and renewed monastic life.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Monk's Unusual Gift

Big leaves monastic life after discovering that he can see past lives and infer karmic consequences. He becomes a bodybuilder and meets undercover officer Lee during her operation at a strip show.

Key Events

• Big Leaves Monastic Life — Big leaves the Buddhist monk's occupation after realizing he can see past lives and karmic consequences. Characters: Big Location: Monastery
• Big Becomes a Bodybuilder — Big becomes a bodybuilder and works in a strip bar. Characters: Big Location: Strip bar
• Lee Arrests Big — Undercover CID officer Lee catches Big during a police operation at the strip show. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Strip bar
• Big Escapes Lee's Pursuit — Big tries to escape Lee's pursuit and becomes entangled in another police case. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Unspecified

Visions Join the Investigation

Big's visions reveal the past lives of a police dog and Lee, leading him to work with her on a homicide. His visions of the deceased and a karmic mark provide a clue that helps the police identify the murderer.

Key Events

• Vision of the Police Dog — Big sees the police dog's past life as a child who beat dogs and its death from a stray bullet. Characters: Big Location: Unspecified
• Lee's Past Life Revealed — Big sees Lee's past life as a Japanese soldier who killed civilians. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Unspecified
• Big Joins the Homicide Case — After recognizing Lee's kind-hearted nature, Big agrees to help her investigate a homicide. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Unspecified
• The Deceased's Karmic Past — Inspecting the corpse, Big sees that the deceased betrayed the murderer in a previous life. Characters: Big Location: Morgue
• The Left-Arm Clue — Big connects his vision of the beetle's severed left arm to a person missing a left arm who can help find the murderer. Characters: Big, Woman Whose Left Arm Shot Off Location: Unspecified
• Police Arrest the Murderer — Big helps the police identify and arrest the murderer, and saves Lee's life during the case. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Unspecified

Lee Seeks Redemption

After learning about her previous life, Lee tries to make amends and sets out to find the killer of Big's childhood friend. Her search leads her into the mountains, where the killer attacks and murders her.

Key Events

• The Sergeant Is Stopped — Big stops an angry police sergeant from beating the arrested murderer, saying, 'One thought Heaven, One thought Hell.' Characters: Big Location: Unspecified
• Lee Seeks to Make Amends — After learning about her past life, Lee seeks to make amends and decides to repay Big by finding his childhood friend's killer. Characters: Lee Fung Yee, Big Location: Unspecified
• Lee Searches the Mountains — Lee searches the mountains for Big's childhood friend's killer and encounters him on the sixth day. Characters: Lee Fung Yee Location: Mountains
• Lee's Murder Is Recorded — The killer attacks Lee, and her video camera records the incident. Characters: Lee Fung Yee Location: Rocky area in the mountains

The Vengeful Future Self

Big watches the recovered recording and finds Lee's buried body. In an underground temple, he faces a violent future version of himself and resolves the confrontation through meditation.

Key Events

• Big Finds Lee's Body — After watching the recovered recording, Big follows the sound of Lee's watch and finds her buried body. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: Mountains
• Big Enters the Underground Temple — Angered by Lee's death, Big pursues a man he believes to be her killer into an underground temple. Characters: Big Location: Underground temple
• Big Faces His Future Self — Big encounters a bloodthirsty, vengeful future version of himself, and they fight before reaching a peaceful understanding through meditation. Characters: Big Location: Underground temple

Forgiveness and Karmic Return

Big returns to monastic life on the mountain and, five years later, escorts his childhood friend's killer to the police with forgiveness. The ending shows that Lee's positive karma ultimately saves Big.

Key Events

• Big Returns to Monastic Life — Big becomes a monk again and lives on the mountain. Characters: Big Location: Mountain
• Big Forgives the Killer — Five years later, Big encounters his childhood friend's killer and kindly escorts him to the police. Characters: Big Location: Mountain
• Lee's Karma Saves Big — The ending reveals that the positive karma Lee cultivated ultimately saves Big. Characters: Big, Lee Fung Yee Location: The place Big could not jump over

Story Breakdown

• Big's Spiritual Gift — Big discovers that he can see past lives and leaves the monastery.
  • Leaving Monastic Life — Big gives up being a monk after recognizing the implications of his visions.
  • A New Occupation — Big becomes a bodybuilder and works in a strip bar.
• Lee's Undercover Operation — Lee's police work brings her into contact with Big.
  • The Strip Show Arrest — Lee, working undercover for the CID, catches Big at the strip show.
  • Big's Escape — While evading Lee, Big becomes entangled in another police case.
• Visions of Past Lives — Big's ability reveals karmic histories that shape the investigation.
  • The Police Dog — Big sees the dog's previous life and the stray bullet that killed it.
  • Lee's Soldier Life — Big sees Lee's previous life as a Japanese soldier who killed civilians.
• Solving the Homicide — Big assists Lee and the police by interpreting karmic clues.
  • The Deceased's Betrayal — Big sees that the deceased betrayed the murderer in a previous life.
  • The Missing Arm Clue — A missing left arm corresponds to Big's vision and helps identify the murderer.
• Lee's Search for Atonement — Lee tries to make amends for her past life by seeking the killer of Big's childhood friend.
  • Journey into the Mountains — Lee searches the mountains and encounters the killer on the sixth day.
  • The Recorded Attack — The killer murders Lee, and her video camera records the incident.
• Big Confronts Vengeance — Lee's death drives Big toward anger, but his confrontation turns inward.
  • Finding Lee's Body — Big follows the sound of Lee's watch and discovers her buried body.
  • The Future Self — Big confronts a bloodthirsty future version of himself and reaches peace through meditation.
• Forgiveness and Return — Big resumes monastic life and ultimately responds to his friend's killer with forgiveness.
  • Mountain Monastery — Big becomes a monk again and lives on the mountain.
  • Lee's Lasting Karma — Five years later, Big escorts his friend's killer to the police, and Lee's positive karma is shown to save him.

Directed by

Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai

Key Cast

• Andy Lau — Biggie
• Cecilia Cheung — Lee Fung-yee
• Cheung Siu-fai — Captain Chung
• Karen Tong Bo-Yue — Woman Whose Left Arm Shot Off
• Chun Wong — Lee's Superior Officer