History Main / SleepingDogs

* ''VideoGame/{{Sleeping Dogs}}'', the 2012 video game for the [=PS3=]/[=Xbox 360=] and the [=PC=].
* ''Film/{{Sleeping Dogs}}'', the 1977 film.

* ''Film/{{Sleeping Dogs}}'', the 1997 film.

* ''VideoGame/{{Sleeping Dogs}}'', the 2012 video game for the [=PS3=]/[=Xbox 360=].

''Sleeping Dogs'' was a 1977 film, the first to be entirely produced and set in [[UsefulNotes/NewZealand New Zealand]], along with being the first feature film from director Roger Donaldson. It chronicles a man named Smith (Sam Neill) who inadvertently gets caught up with the unrest overtaking the country and finds he is unable to extricate himself from being involved.

!!The movie contains the following tropes:

* DayOfTheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Smith is shot dead by Jesperson after defying him. Bullen died just before, and the future of the war in New Zealand is left unknown]].
* FalseFlagOperation: [[spoiler: Jesperson pays some thugs to shoot soldiers clashing with pro-union protesters, giving the Prime Minister the excuse he needs to institute a police state]].
* FilmOfTheBook: Based on the book ''Smith's Dream'' by C. K. Stead.
* ItGotWorse: What starts as a general strike in protest over an oil embargo that the government was unable to lift turns into full-blown civil war when a FalseFlagOperation occurs.
* LaResistance: The guerrillas who draw an unwilling Smith into their fight against the police state.
* NoNameGiven: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a FreezeFrameBonus, when you pause it at that spot -- it's Martin]].
* OnlySaneMan: Smith just wants to be left alone in peace. No such luck though.
* StateSec: The paramilitary Special Police Force.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVillified: Some of LaResistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[spoiler: two of them frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] are even worse.
* TitleDrop: The song that plays over the end credits, with, of course, the line "let sleeping dogs lie."
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. How they know each other is never explained.

* ItGotWorse: What starts as a general strike in response to an oil embargo that the government was unable to lift turns into full-blown civil war when a FalseFlagOperation occurs.

* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVillified: Some of LaResistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[spoiler: two of them frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station]]. Still to be fair, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] are even worse.

* WhatAnIdiot: [[spoiler: Jesperson shoots Smith when he turns his back on him defiantly and walks away at the end, then curses at him, even kicking his body, saying he needed to keep him alive. Uh, should have thought of that ''before'' you shot him...]]

* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVillified: Some of LaResistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[two of them frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station]]. Still to be fair, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] are even worse.

* NoNameGiven: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, when you pause it at that spot -- it's Martin]].

* WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. How they know each other is never explained.

DayOfTheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.
DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Smith is shot dead by Jesperson after defying him. Bullen died just before, and the future of the war in New Zealand is left unknown]].
FalseFlagOperation: [[spoiler: Jesperson pays some thugs to shoot soldiers clashing with pro-union protesters, giving the Prime Minister the excuse he needs to institute a police state]].
FilmOfTheBook: Based on the book ''Smith's Dream'' by C. K. Stead.
ItGotWorse: What starts as a general strike in response to an oil embargo that the government was unable to lift turns into full-blown civil war when a FalseFlagOperation occurs.
LaResistance: The guerrillas who draw an unwilling Smith into their fight against the police state.
NoNameGiven: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, when you pause it at that spot -- it's Martin]].
OnlySaneMan: Smith just wants to be left alone in peace. No such luck though.
StateSec: The paramilitary Special Police Force.
TheRevolutionWillNotBeVillified: Some of LaResistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[two of them frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station]]. Still to be fair, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] are even worse.
TitleDrop: The song that plays over the end credits, with, of course, the line "let sleeping dogs lie."
WhatAnIdiot: [[spoiler: Jesperson shoots Smith when he turns his back on him defiantly and walks away at the end, then curses at him, even kicking his body, saying he needed to keep him alive. Uh, should have thought of that ''before'' you shot him...]]
WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. How they know each other is never explained.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

ItGotWorse: What starts as a general strike in response to an oil embargo that the government was unable to lift turns into full-blown civil when a FalseFlagOperation occurs.

LaResistance-The Resistance guerrillas who draw an unwilling Smith into their fight against the police state.

NoNameGiven: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, when you pause it at that spot-it's Martin]].

WhatAnIdiot: [[spoiler: Jesperson shoots Smith when he turns his back on him defiantly and walks away at the end, then curses at him, even kicking his body, saying he needed to keep him alive. Uh, should have thought of that ''before'' you shot him...]].

FilmoftheBook: Based on the book ''Smith's Dream'' by C. K. Stead.

ItGotWorse: What starts as a general strike in response to an oil embargo that the government was unable to lift turns into full-blown civil after a FalseFlagOperation occurs.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeVillified: Though some of LaResistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[two of them frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station]] the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] are ''much'' worse.

OnlySaneMan: Smith just wants to be left alone in peace. No such luck though.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

OnlySaneMan: Smith just wants to be left alone in peace. No such luck though.

PuttingOnTheReich: The Special Police Force uniforms and methods seem clearly meant to evoke those of the Blackshirts.

PuttingOnTheReich: The Special Police Force uniforms and methods were clearly meant to evoke those of fascist regimes.

OneNameOnly: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, when you pause it at that spot-it's Martin]].

TitleDrop: The theme song that plays over the end credits.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. This is never explained, nor the nature and circumstances of this previous connection.

OneNameOnly: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, if you freeze the screen-it's Martin]].

OneNameOnly: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: Though Smith's first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYou'llMissIt moment, if you pause at just the right moment-it's Martin]].

OneNameOnly: Smith, Bullen and Jesperson. They are only ever called by their last names, or "Smithy" for Smith. [[spoiler: though his first name is viewable on the police file in a BlinkAndYoullMissIt moment, if you pause at just that moment-it's Martin]].

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

DownerEnding: [[Smith is shot dead by Jesperson after defying him. Bullen died just before, and the future of the war in New Zealand is left unknown]].

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. This is never explained, nor the nature and circumstances of this previous connection.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. This is never explained, nor the nature and circumstances of their previous encounter ever explained.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. The nature and circumstances of their previous connection is never brought up again or explained.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. The nature and circumstances of their previous connection is never explained or brought up again.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

WhatHappenedtotheMouse: Smith recognizes Jesperson in the police station, and later Jesperson, having recognized him too, offers him mercy if he makes a scripted confession at the TV station. The nature and circumstances of their previous connection is never explained.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

TitleDrop: The theme song that plays over the end credits.

''Sleeping Dogs'' was a 1977 film, the first to be entirely produced and set in [[UsefulNotes/NewZealand New Zealand]], along with being the first feature film from director Roger Donaldson. It chronicles a man named Smith (Sam Neill) who inadvertently gets up in a general strike that broils into civil war, unable to extricate himself from being involved.

DayoftheJackboot: After a FalseFlagOperation in which soldiers are killed, the Prime Minister has a referendum held to grant himself sweeping emergency powers, declaring martial law, trial by military courts, the death penalty for offenses against the state, and instituting a paramilitary Special Police Force.

TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Resistance show themselves to be quite ruthless [[some frame Smith, an innocent man, for the bombing of a police station, while even a seemingly sweet old lady was supposedly stockpiling weapons, although the source for this last may be unreliable]]. However, the [[StateSec Special Police Force]] is even worse.

TitleDrop: The theme song that plays over the end credits.