AllMovie

Hsiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng) is a cab driver's son living in Taipei, whose parents are pressuring him to study more so he can get into college. One day, the family cab is vandalized by kids on motorbikes while he watches, prompting him to drop out of his college preparatory sessions in order to pursue them and get revenge. The vandals turn out to be brothers Ah-tze (Chen Chao-jung) and Ah-ping (Jen Chang-ben) and Ah-ping's girlfriend Ah-kuei (Wang Yu-wen); the trio spend their time committing petty acts of theft and hanging out in the seedy side of their city, while Hsiao-kang follows them. Acclaimed Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang made his feature-film debut with Rebels of the Neon God, which chronicles the urban ennui of Taipei's youth in hypnotic fashion.