Month: February 2024

Today’s quick review: Once a Gangster. After 20 years in a gang, Roast Pork (Jordan Chan) wants to retire so he can manage his legitimate restaurants and spend time with his wife Nancy (Michelle Ye). But when his boss Kerosene (Alex Fong) tries to make Roast Pork his successor, Pork must come up with a convincing excuse to let Swallow (Ekin Cheng), a well-connected gang member who was just let out of prison, take the promotion instead.

Once a Gangster is a Hong Kong crime comedy about a gangster trying and failing to leave the criminal life behind. The story involves an inverse power struggle in a street gang, where everyone qualified to become the new boss wants nothing to do with the job. Once a Gangster has a premise that is ripe for comedy, and some of its jokes hit the mark. However, tonal inconsistencies and a shaky plot make it a rough watch overall.

Once a Gangster has fun playing its criminals against type. Pork and his fellow gangsters are shallow, easily distracted, and prone to petty lies. Seeing them take a straightforward situation and make it worse is one of the main draws of the movie. Once a Gangster also scores hits with some of its character dynamics, such as a clueless gangster (Conroy Chan) failing to spot an obvious undercover cop (Wilfred Lau).

But apart from these isolated successes, Once a Gangster struggles. The story has a promising premise but never finds anything interesting to do with it. The power struggle within the gang quickly gets mired in irrelevant tangents, and by the time it limps to a conclusion, there is very little reason to care. The movie also has trouble sticking to a tone. It skews heavily towards comedy but seems to lose sight of this on occasion.

The result is an inconsistent comedy with a few good ideas but lackluster execution. Once a Gangster may be worth a watch for fans of Chinese comedies, and it does attempt a style of humor that is not that common. But the movie finds itself outclassed by other comedies that can manage fun characters and an engaging story at the same time. Most viewers should steer clear.

For a Chinese martial arts comedy that handles similar characters with more skill, try Kung Fu Hustle. For a Chinese crime movie with a historical setting and a similarly varied tone, try Hero, starring Kaneshiro Takeshi. For a more effective crime parody, try Johnny Dangerously. For a more ludicrous one, try Mafia!.

[5.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1611840/). I give it a 5.5 for flashes of good comedy with a weak plot to hold them together.

Today’s quick review: S Storm. Following an anonymous tip, Investigator William Luk (Louis Koo) of the ICAC searches for proof that an employee of the Jockey Club, Hong Kong’s premier sports gambling company, has been taking bribes. But when a hitman (Vic Chou) kills Luk’s top suspect, turning the case into a murder investigation, Luk reluctantly joins forces with Inspector Lau Po Keung (Julian Cheung), a disgraced police officer.

S Storm is a Chinese action movie about a gambling investigation that turns deadly. Luk, working for the well-funded anti-corruption agency ICAC, and Lau, a washed-up officer with the city police, must put aside their rivalry to unravel a sprawling conspiracy. S Storm features an elaborate plot backed by a fair amount of action. However, the movie picks its plot twists poorly, preventing the audience from caring about the investigation.

S Storm has a bad habit of introducing new characters whenever it gets stuck. Instead of working with the characters and plot threads it has already established, the movie throws everything out to chase after someone new. This process repeats itself several times, killing the momentum of the plot and turning what should be a taut conspiracy into a tangled mess.

S Storm does have a couple of saving graces. The action scenes are a modest hit, the usual assortment of car chases and shootouts. Individual stages of the investigation work well when taken in isolation. Louis Koo and Julian Cheung are fine leads with a few good scenes together. But the whole is considerably less than the sum of its parts.

Give S Storm a shot only if you have a craving for some popcorn action and do not mind a convoluted plot. From moment to moment, S Storm is a fine pick that has a bit of excitement and just enough plot twists to keep things interesting. But looked at as a whole, the movie has no clear direction and resorts to the same bait-and-switch tactics a few too many times. Most viewers would be better off with something else.

For a Chinese action movie that handles a similar story with more skill, try Police Story or its sequels. For one with similar flaws but more polished execution, try Line Walker.

[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5998744/). I give it a 5.5 for fair action and a muddy plot.

Today’s quick review: Line Walker. Two years after the death of Superintendant Hong, Inspector Q (Francis Ng) and Ding Siu Ka (Charmaine Sheh) receive contact from Blackjack, one of Hong’s undercover agents whose identity data was corrupted. Following Blackjack’s clues, the detectives investigate the Tak Mou Group, a drug cartel run by Tung Pak Ho (Li Guangjie), and two of its rising stars: Lam (Nick Cheung) and his partner Shiu (Louis Koo).

Line Walker is a Chinese action movie about an undercover investigation of a powerful criminal organization. Left with no concrete information as to Blackjack’s identity, Q and Ding must tread carefully to bring down the Tak Mou Group, which is undergoing an internal power struggle. Line Walker features a clever hook, an intricate plot with plenty of twists, and polished action scenes, making it well worth a watch for the right viewer.

Line Walker has a flair for the dramatic. The plot covers a lot of ground, beginning with the hunt for Blackjack and escalating into a full-blown gang war between Tung’s subordinates. The twists are enough to keep things from getting stale, even if the movie does overplay them a bit. The action is another big draw, a mixture of car chases, shootouts, and knife fights that are choreographed well and have plenty of energy.

The main drawback of Line Walker is that it is hard to follow. The movie does its best to keep the audience well-informed, but the nature of the plot means that it has to play coy with important information. Line Walker is also aggressive with its plot twists, never missing an opportunity for a dramatic reversal. All of this makes keeping track of the characters and their loyalties difficult, but the task is ultimately manageable.

How much you get out of Line Walker will depend on your tastes. Its convoluted plot has a fair amount of payoff for those willing to follow it, and its action shows unusual polish. At the same time, it is missing the sharp focus and simple humanity of some of the best crime movies, meaning that it will miss the mark for a lot of viewers. Give it a shot if you are interested, but borderline viewers should approach with caution.

For another Hong Kong crime thriller about an undercover cop, try Infernal Affairs. For one with a similar setup but a shakier story, try Special ID. For the American spy movie equivalent, try the original Mission: Impossible. For a more down-to-earth undercover cop drama, try The Departed or Donnie Brasco.

[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5896962/). I give it a 7.0 for an entertaining plot and plenty of action, both of which can be hit-or-miss.

Today’s quick review: Sky on Fire. Ziwan (Zhang Ruo Yun), the son of a medical genius, hijacks a truck of Ex-Stem Cells, his late father’s work, on its way to Sky Clinic. But when Jia (Chang Hsiao Chuan) hands over Ziwan in exchange for life-saving treatment for his sister Jane (Kuo Tsai Chieh), Sky security chief Tinbo (Daniel Wu) chooses to disobey Tang (Fan Huang Yao), the company’s greedy founder, and do the right thing.

Sky on Fire is a Chinese action thriller about murder and betrayal at an advanced biomedical company. Sky on Fire deals with the aftermath of the fire that killed Ziwan’s father, allowing Tang to steal his research and sell miraculous treatments to the rich and powerful. Ziwan’s attempt at revenge quickly spirals out of control, engulfing everyone from Tang’s altruistic wife Ko Yu (Zhang Jingchu) to Jane, a terminal cancer patient, in the chaos.

Sky on Fire fumbles its opening. The movie suffers from an excess of factions, ranging from Sky and its security staff to Ziwan and his accomplices to neutral parties like the police. Untangling who wants what from whom makes the early stages of the movie hard to follow, and the problem is only exacerbated as characters like Jia, Tinbo, and Ko Yu switch sides.

Once the movie gets going, it becomes a fairly engaging action thriller. Tinbo emerges as the de facto hero, Tang uses brute force to hunt for Ziwan, and Ko Yu agrees to treat Jane using the Ex-Stem Cells. But even at the movie’s best, it struggles to keep the current situation clear. Otherwise tense scenes and explosive action are undermined by half-explained conflicts and vague objectives for the characters.

Sky on Fire has some worthwhile ideas, but their execution leaves something to be desired. Action fans who are willing to sort through the plot to get at the actual conflict will get something out of the movie, if only for its pyrotechnics. But casual viewers will find that it gets off to a rocky start and never gets interesting enough to justify the effort. Approach with caution, if at all.

For a more streamlined sci-fi thriller about experimental life extension technology, try Self/less. For a superhero action comedy about stolen technology and corporate espionage, try Ant-Man. For a Chinese action thriller with a clearer plot, try Connected.

[4.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6157600/). I give it a 6.0 for decent action trapped inside a tangled plot.

Today’s quick review: Connected. When a ruthless man (Liu Ye) kidnaps Grace Wong (Barbie Hsu) and threatens her family, she manages to get a phone call to Bob (Louis Koo), a debt collector on the way to see his son. Interrupted before he can report the kidnapping to Detective Fai (Nick Cheung), Bob is forced to act on his own, racing across Hong Kong to stop the kidnappers before they can take Grace’s daughter (Chan Sze Wai).

Connected is a Chinese action thriller and a remake of the movie Cellular. A random phone call from a broken telephone gives a kidnapped woman one last chance at survival. Connected spins this premise into a solidly constructed thriller, following Bob as he risks life and limb in pursuit of the kidnappers. The movie features city action on a relatively large scale, a well-developed plot, and a couple of nicely handled twists.

Connected follows the original story closely. Like in Cellular, Bob must commit an escalating series of crimes to keep up with the kidnappers. Unlike Cellular, Connected emphasizes the drama of the situation, with a higher body count, fewer jokes, and expanded action sequences. The result is a movie that works well as an action thriller but trades the charm and fast pacing of the original for more character development and bolder action.

Connected does not break free of the conventions of the action thriller genre, but it does execute them well. The car chases, foot chases, and gunfights give the movie plenty of adrenaline, while the story has just enough going on to be satisfying. Action fans will find Connected well worth the watch, although exactly how much you get out of it will come down to what style of action you like best.

For an American take on the same premise, check out Cellular. For another action thriller about a kidnapping and a man determined to set things right, try Man on Fire or Wanted.

[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156506/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for strong action and a well-constructed plot.

Today’s quick review: Cellular. Jessica Martin (Kim Basinger), a high school science teacher, is kidnapped by a stranger (Jason Statham) and locked in a room with a broken telephone. Wiring together the pieces, Jessica makes a call that reaches Ryan (Chris Evans), a young man with a brand new cell phone. Now Ryan must keep Jessica on the line long enough to save her and her family from the men who want to kill them.

Cellular is an action thriller about a life-or-death phone call. Chris Evans stars as Ryan, who by pure chance becomes a kidnapped woman’s only hope. The movie follows Ryan as he races around Los Angeles, using the information Jessica gives him to try to find the kidnappers. Cellular makes good use of its premise, coming up with a creative series of challenges to keep tensions high and Ryan on the phone.

Cellular has a solid plot progression. After some brief preliminaries, Ryan receives the call and goes to get help. From there the situation escalates rapidly. Unable to get the police involved in time, Ryan resorts to a series of felonies to keep the call going and to get where he needs to go. The action moves quickly, the tension never lets up for long, and the phone call premise proves to be surprisingly versatile.

Still, Cellular has the usual downsides of its genre. The plot logic has to bend to fit the premise, and although Cellular does a better job than some other thrillers, there are still moments where the movie has to rely on improbably bad luck to keep Ryan on the line. The movie also does not have much time for character growth or sentimentality. Finally, the action is more mundane and less combat-heavy than some fans may prefer.

Cellular is a solid choice for anyone in the mood for some popcorn action. The combination of a unique premise, inventive thrills, and a pinch of incidental humor makes it an enjoyable watch for anyone willing to go along for the ride. Critics of the genre may find it somewhat contrived and linear, but anyone else should consider giving Cellular a shot.

For an even more spectacle-oriented action thriller in the same vein, try Speed. For a much cruder action thriller starring Jason Statham, try Crank. For a more static thriller about a deadly phone call, try Phone Booth. For a darker and more cynical crime drama with a similar plot structure, try Falling Down.

[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337921/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for solid execution of a simple but effective premise.

Today’s quick review: Parker. After a successful robbery, Parker (Jason Statham) gets double-crossed by his partner Melander (Michael Chiklis) and left for dead. Recovering from his wounds, Parker sets out to ambush Melander during his next job: a plan to steal $50 million worth of jewelry from Palm Beach socialites. But to get his revenge, Parker will need the help of Leslie Rodgers (Jennifer Lopez), a down-on-her-luck real estate agent.

Parker is a crime movie based on a novel by Donald Westlake. Jason Statham stars as Parker, a career thief who believes in fair play and never forgets a grudge. The movie follows Parker as he methodically prepares his revenge on the men who crossed him. Parker benefits from a strong main character, a nicely constructed plot, and a smattering of action. Still, a number of slight missteps keep it from leaving a lasting impression.

Parker features an unusually practical take on the world of crime. Parker’s business is one of logistics; robberies are not just a matter of brute force, but of careful planning and anticipation. The story takes this premise a step farther by having Parker reconstruct Melander’s plan step by step from a few clues. The highlight of the movie is seeing Parker work, maneuvering himself for the final confrontation with his enemies.

However, Parker does not have the raw impact it could have. The time spent on logistics tends to slow the movie down, shifting the focus away from the kind of immediate conflict seen in other crime movies. There is enough action to keep the movie interesting, but none of it is especially memorable. And while the character of Leslie works well enough for plot purposes, she does not have the chemistry with Parker needed to carry the movie.

Parker is a solid pick for fans of crime movies, action movies, or Jason Statham. The approach it takes to its story is just different enough to set it apart, and the blend of crime logistics and action suits the movie well. Parker does not have the high-octane quality of Statham’s best work, and parts of its script are a little off, but overall, it has enough going on to make it an enjoyable watch.

For other crime movie variants starring Jason Statham, check out Safe, Redemption, or The Bank Job. For a more action-packed movie starring Jason Statham, try The Transporter, Crank, or The Expendables. For a crime comedy where Jennifer Lopez falls for a charismatic thief, check out Out of Sight.

[6.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1904996/). I give it a 6.5 for a well thought out plot whose execution has a few weaknesses.

Today’s quick review: 13. To pay for his father’s medical bills, Vincent Ferro (Sam Riley) steals an invitation to what turns out to be a Russian roulette tournament, where rich gamblers bet on the lives of the contestants. There Vincent squares off against the reigning champion Roland Lynn (Ray Winstone), who is backed by his brother Jasper (Jason Statham). To survive the tournament, Vincent will need his luck and his nerve to hold out.

13 is a crime thriller about a deadly competition where the contestants risk their lives for a fortune in prize money. 13 benefits from a striking premise, a decent plot progression, and a broad supporting cast that includes Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Michael Shannon, Alexander Skarsgard, and Mickey Rourke. However, weak craftsmanship, a linear plot, and limited character work keep it from realizing its potential.

The main factor holding 13 back is its craft. Everything from the camerawork to the editing shows subtle flaws that throw off the tension the movie is trying to build. The mistakes are hard to identify but easy to feel: The entire first act of the movie slips by without pulling the viewer in. The problem is exacerbated by the movie’s unnecessarily large cast, few of whom are properly introduced or receive a proper character arc.

13’s fortunes improve when the tournament gets going. The atmosphere of the competition, the ruthlessness of the gamblers, and Vincent’s conversion from innocent victim to would-be killer all help the movie shake off its early mistakes and tell an interesting story. 13 is still not entirely successful—its plot is too straightforward for many twists—but it does manage to convey its main idea well.

13 will not be everyone’s cup of tea, either in theory or in practice. The random outcome of the tournament limits the kind of drama the movie can engage in, while the supporting cast is not given the time or the material they need to shine. Still, for all its faults, 13 does a few interesting things with its premise, making it a decent pick for fans of the death game genre.

For an action-oriented take on a similar premise, try Man of Tai Chi, The Tournament, or Arena. For a more cerebral and stylized story about a high-stakes underground tournament, try Animal World.

[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0798817/). I give it a 5.5 for flawed execution of an interesting premise.

Today’s quick review: Wild Card. Nick Wild (Jason Statham), a Las Vegas bodyguard, reluctantly agrees to help his friend Holly (Dominik Garcia-Lorido) get revenge on Danny DeMarco (Milo Ventimiglia), the son of a powerful mobster, for raping her. In the aftermath, Nick prepares to leave town before DeMarco’s associates can find him. But before he goes, he stops to gamble his savings so he can make enough money to retire.

Wild Card is an action movie starring Jason Statham. Nick Wild is a hardened fighter who puts his skills to use protecting rich clients in Vegas. The movie follows Nick as he does a favor for a friend that angers the wrong people, forcing him to make good on his long-standing plan to leave Vegas. Although Wild Card has a few standout action scenes, but the bulk of the movie is spent on a flimsy plot without much driving it.

Wild Card misplays its hand. The plot is disjointed, lurching from one incident to another without focus or direction. The individual segments are interesting enough, but they are poorly motivated and keep the movie from building up any real momentum. Wild Card suffers from similar problems with its characters, introducing a large cast that the movie barely spends time with. The result is a grab bag of ideas that don’t come together as a whole.

Still, Wild Card has a few highlights. The action scenes are few and far between, but they are expertly choreographed and stylishly presented. Nick Wild is an indomitable hand-to-hand fighter, and seeing him open up on DeMarco’s thugs is cathartic. Wild Card also tries to build up a little world for Nick. His love-hate relationship with Vegas and network of local contacts could have been the foundation for a more robust story.

As it stands, Wild Card will hold modest value for action fans and little value for anyone else. Wild Card packs in a lot of style into a couple of fights, and a handful of interesting scenes give it some substance. However, the movie falls short as a complete story, a tangle of underdeveloped plot threads that are never given the time to mature. Steer clear unless you are willing to overlook the movie’s shortcomings.

For a Jason Statham action movie with more impact, try The Transporter, Safe, or The Expendables. For a more personal story about a listless man trapped in Las Vegas, try Leaving Las Vegas. For a crime drama with some of the same sense of misadventure, try the Sylvester Stallone remake of Get Carter. For a Statham movie with similar flaws but more ambitious ideas, try Revolver.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2231253/). I give it a 6.0 for a weak story with bursts of stylish action.

“If you’re picking the wrong fight, at least pick the right weapon.” —Tom Brant

Today’s quick review: Blitz. Tom Brant (Jason Statham) has made a name for himself as one of London’s most violent police officers. When a serial killer (Aidan Gillen) begins targeting officers in his area, Brant teams up with Sergeant Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) to track him down. As the killings escalate with no usable evidence for an arrest, Brant and Nash face the question of whether to seek justice outside the law.

Blitz is an action thriller starring Jason Statham. Blitz follows two detectives as they investigate a serial killer with a grudge against the police. The movie benefits from a trio of talented leads, a nicely scoped conflict, and a dash of violent action. It also hits a sweet spot between hardcore action thriller and contemplative crime drama. However, Blitz misplays its hand in subtle ways, making it a mixed bag overall.

The backbone of Blitz is its character work. Jason Statham fits the role of Tom Brant perfectly: a tough police officer with a fierce loyal streak who is willing to use force whenever it is necessary. The movie throws Brant into a situation where his persistence is an asset but crossing the line could spell disaster for the investigation. Helping keep him in line is his partner Nash, an unassuming officer with plenty of resolve.

Aidan Gillen holds up his end of the movie as Barry Weiss, the serial killer who calls himself Blitz. His performance is unhinged in all the right ways, conveying the mania of the character without being distracting or unbelievable. Weiss is a man who is just clever enough to stay one step ahead of the police. The story gets a lot of mileage out of just turning him loose and letting Brant and Nash try to catch up.

Blitz’s flaws lie in the details. The main conflict works well, but a lot of the scaffolding never clicks. The movie toys with several subplots that never really go anywhere: Brant’s reputation in the press, the hostility Nash faces for being gay, and the personal problems of some of Brant’s friends on the force. There are plenty of good ideas in here, but the conflit with Weiss is the only one that actually pays off.

Blitz is a fine pick for viewers who are interested in what it has to offer. Fans of the serial killer angle may find it a little blunt, while fans of action flicks may find it too introspective. But for anyone willing to overlook the parts of the movie that don’t quite fit their preferences, Blitz is a solid thriller with a fair amount to offer.

For another Jason Statham crime movie that deals with some similar elements, try Chaos or Redemption. For a more contemplative serial killer investigation that explores some of the same moral questions, try The Little Things or Zodiac. For a darker thriller about a serial killer, try Se7en, The Bone Collector, Kiss the Girls, or Taking Lives.

[6.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1297919/). I give it a 6.5 for a well-constructed plot that’s a little lacking in the details.