Even superheroes have to deal with office politics. In Keep Real, opening in Hong Kong on September 24, saving humanity proves considerably easier than navigating workplace etiquette, difficult superiors and the unwritten rules of getting ahead.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Directed by Xing Wenxiong, the science-fiction comedy stars Bai Jingting and Wei Xiang.
Bai plays Wang Changhai, a superhero known as Fei Yin, who is sent back to his hometown for training. Tasked with forming a combat squad alongside local branch chief Lao Xia (Wei), he arrives determined to put things right, only to find himself confronting an entirely different kind of enemy: bureaucracy and workplace politics.
On his first day, Wang openly challenges influential figures and clashes with the local mayor. His disregard for social conventions soon creates problems, as the mayor quietly obstructs his efforts to assemble a team.
With Lao Xia's reluctant guidance, Wang must learn the art of navigating personal relationships, managing difficult colleagues and even raising a toast to the right people — skills that prove unexpectedly important for someone whose job is to protect humanity.
The film marks director and screenwriter Xing's return to comedy four years after Too Cool to Kill, his 2022 box-office success that grossed 2.627 billion yuan and earned him a Golden Rooster nomination for Best Directorial Debut.
This time, Xing brings together Bai, known for the romantic drama The First Frost, and comedian Wei, whose credits include Detective Chinatown 1900. Their contrasting characters drive a story that uses the superhero genre to poke fun at familiar workplace frustrations.
Beneath its absurd situations and supernatural premise, Keep Real raises a relatable question: how much should people compromise to fit in, and when is it worth standing by their principles?
For audiences familiar with demanding bosses and complicated workplace relationships, Wang's struggles may feel surprisingly close to home — even without the superpowers.
Keep Real opens in Hong Kong cinemas on September 24.
