ViewGuide

Created Jan 22, 2009 09:52AM PST • Edited Jan 22, 2009 09:52AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   This is probably one of the more satisfying and madcap action films I’ve ever watched or am likely to watch. Blood, bullets and slow-mo cameras present John Woo as an action genius in the making here.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   Chow Yun Fat is convincing as Tequila Yuen, whilst Tony Leung is a more than able counterpart as his identical, fictional namesake. Anthony Wong and Bowie Lam are disturbing as the criminals pursued, whilst Teresa Mo and Philip Chan give able support as fellow police officers.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

   Chow Yun Fat is a charismatic actor – his English language films have shown many people this. However, in this movie he seems far more at home; the Chinese language (seen through the dubbing) gives his performance a more realistic feel. Tony Leung, as the undercover officer Tony, plays flawed and secretive very well here, and his scenes with Fat, in terms of rapport and humour, are some of the best in the film.

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

   Teresa Mo doesn’t really have that much to do here as Yuen’s girlfriend, but she does at least contradict the movie stereotype of damsel in distress – her scenes with Fat are hilarious, as their relationship hits ups and downs at the worst possible time.

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

   Adjusted for score purposes.

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

   Anthony Wong and Bowie Lam play the antagonists Johnny Wong and Benny, with the former projecting a large amount of sinister expressions as a performance to quite effective, if hammy, success. Lam is more disturbing however, his terminator-like Benny seemingly unstoppable and ruthless. Philip Chan plays the police sergeant, a role that Hollywood has done to death; put-upon, shouting and demanding results – not exactly remarkable.

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    John Woo presented the movie world with a new kind of action here; non-stop, adrenaline-pumping action all round, directed perfectly and skilfully by the Chinese director. The dialogue and music let it down somewhat however.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

    Say what you want about Mission Impossible 2, Face/Off or Broken Arrow, but John Woo and action go together like peaches and cream. The director seems to only need the semblance of a story and the option for action to make an insane movie like this – and the three minute long take towards the conclusion is proof of his skill as an action film director.

12. Play Barely OK 2.0

    The version of the film I watched was heavily dubbed – but the translated dialogue was still poor beyond this disappointment. Some of the lines were so hackneyed as to be laughable – there’s one point at which Tequila and Tony discuss the accidental murder of policeman, and the characters actually go back on what they’ve just said – with no hint of comedy. Incredibly poor standards of writing for any film, but in this case it does not actually detract that much from the action itself.

13. Music Barely OK 2.0

    Tequila plays at a jazz bar – and so for the first half of the film we’re treated to jazz, Chinese style. However, the rest of the soundtrack is pretty superfluous – if you can hear it over the gunfire or incredibly terrible dubbing then you’ve got fantastic hearing.

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0

    Woo’s handling of action is, dare I say, the best of any director worldwide (other than Michael Bay), and the ballet-like movements of the policemen as they take down swathes of enemies is something other-wordly to behold. There are scenes and shots that just provoke an astonished laughter; you struggle to comprehend the madness of the shots, particularly stunt shots – Chow Yun Fat’s ability to mount seemingly any surface to aid in a fight is remarkable.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.3

    The film is insanely violent – there’s not that much blood shed per se, but the amount of deaths on-screen is ridiculous. Swearing happens a few times, but with a dubbed soundtrack it’s not like it makes any difference.

17. Sex Innocent 1.0

18. Violence Brutal 3.5

19. Rudeness Salty 2.5

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.5

    The action in this film is ridiculously insane – of course it could happen, but the chances are so ridiculously high that you just know it wouldn’t.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.5

23. Biological Surreal 2.5

24. Physical Surreal 2.5