Rebellion

Yau giving his version of the Triad crime thriller. It's a film that borrows heavily from Johnnie To's films, but Yau gives a simpler genre interpretation. All the usual genre traits are there, the only thing lacking is a true directorial signature. That makes it somewhat more forgettable, but also easier for a larger group of people to appreciate.

Jimmy is a respected Triad boss, who has his trusted bodyguard Po to protect him. On the one night Po takes some time off, he gets stabbed and ends up in the hospital. With his direct successors unavailable, Jimmy's seat is given to Po. He cares nothing about the function, but others clearly do and Po becomes their target. To safe his life, he needs to find out who was behind the attack on his boss.

There are a lot of characters and a lot of changing dynamics. Even though the film feels quite chaotic, it's never too complex or difficult to follow. The performances are solid, with a standout role for Shawn Yue, and the short time span covered also plays to the film's advantage. An entertaining little genre flick.