Watches
August 14, 2009
A pretty solid mix of action and drama, though To clearly still struggled with the more dramatic moments. It's the stylish blend of action and crime that elevates the film, fans of the director will surely appreciate spotting the budding quality of his work, which is already very apparent here. Not too shabby for a film made when the HK film industry was in the midst of imploding.
Lau is a less than admirable police detective. He doesn't take his work too seriously and his marriage is just a shell of its former self. But then he gets shot in the head and Lau loses all sense of smell and taste. He is forced to rely on his wife to take care of him, even though she is carrying the child of a different man. Still, Lau's condition helps them to reconnect.
Chung Wan Lau's performance isn't that great (certainly not the dramatic parts - he would notably improve in the coming years), but he does have a tremendous screen presence. The soundtrack is a little iffy too, luckily, the shoot-outs are excellent and To's visual flair is already present. A fine film, but not at all close to his best work.