For several years now, more and more Chinese films (whether in Mandarin or Cantonese) have been making their way into the phalanx of the Top 1000, i.e. The 1000 highest-grossing films of all time. To get there, a film must gross $170 million in the box office worldwide. This action hit from Hong Kong definitely achieves that with USD 211 million. The film was directed by the recently deceased Benny Chan (1961-2020).
So what does Chinese cinema offer its audience? First of all, an ordinary cops-versus-gangster thriller in which Donnie Yen as an upright police officer and Nicholas Tse as a devious villain are allowed to fight and shoot their way through half of Hong Kong. The action is first class, the plot and character drawing are not so much. Generic home cooking! Of course, ultra-evil drug dealers are being tortured and murdered here, but the suspicion that the Hong Kong (and Chinese) police might treat pro-democracy protesters in the same way remains uncomfortably persistent. The final fight between Yen and Tse, whose hairstyle is very reminiscent of Bollywood action ace Vidyut Jammwal, in a church is interesting. A statue of the Virgin Mary, the wounds of Christ and the arrowhead pointed at Saint Sebastian play an unusually Christian role. Possibly a hidden tip from director Chan, who wasn't able to fully finish his film himself.
There remains a bad aftertaste, but the sales figures speak for themselves. The money is now and will be earned in Chinese cinemas in the future.
So what does Chinese cinema offer its audience? First of all, an ordinary cops-versus-gangster thriller in which Donnie Yen as an upright police officer and Nicholas Tse as a devious villain are allowed to fight and shoot their way through half of Hong Kong. The action is first class, the plot and character drawing are not so much. Generic home cooking! Of course, ultra-evil drug dealers are being tortured and murdered here, but the suspicion that the Hong Kong (and Chinese) police might treat pro-democracy protesters in the same way remains uncomfortably persistent. The final fight between Yen and Tse, whose hairstyle is very reminiscent of Bollywood action ace Vidyut Jammwal, in a church is interesting. A statue of the Virgin Mary, the wounds of Christ and the arrowhead pointed at Saint Sebastian play an unusually Christian role. Possibly a hidden tip from director Chan, who wasn't able to fully finish his film himself.
There remains a bad aftertaste, but the sales figures speak for themselves. The money is now and will be earned in Chinese cinemas in the future.