Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: A Company Man. Ji Hyeong-do (So Ji-sub), a hitman working for a white-collar company, begins to question his job when he is ordered to kill Hun (Kim Dong-jun), his young protege. In the aftermath, Ji visits Hun’s mother Yu Mi-yeon (Lee Mi-yeon) and begins to fall in love. But to put his violent career behind him and make a fresh start, Ji must convince his controlling boss Kwon (Kwak Do-won) to let him leave in peace.

A Company Man is a Korean action movie about an assassin who wants to get out of the business. So Ji-sub stars as Ji, a quiet man who keeps his head down and kills with efficiency when required. Over the course of several morally taxing assignments, Ji becoms disgusted with his work, setting him on a collision course with his former colleagues. Crisp action and a contemplative tone help A Company Man carve out a niche for itself.

A Company Man has an introspective streak that serves it well. The movie takes its time getting to know Ji and the dilemma he faces. Ji has devoted his life to the company, and now he has nothing to show for it. His targets are much the same: men left empty and purposeless because they sacrificed everything for their dehumanizing work. The drama is simple but effective, and it adds a layer of thematic depth to an otherwise conventional plot.

A Company Man takes a focused approach to its action. The action scenes are spread out with long stretches of character work in between them, but they are well worth the wait. Each fight is executed with power and precision. Sharp choreography shows off the skills of Ji and his fellow assassins, while the kill-or-be-killed nature of the fights keeps the stakes high. Fans of the serious side of the action genre will like what they see.

The end result is a tightly scoped action movie that delivers everything it promises. A Company Man will to appeal to everyone, thanks to its moral ambiguity, slow pacing, and heavy tone. But its melancholy story, strong stunt work, and all-around clean execution make it well worth a watch for the right viewer.

For another movie about a hitman questioning his line of work, try Bangkok Dangerous. For a more brutal, stylized action movie about the complications of leaving the assassination business, try Polar or John Wick. For an even more introspective movie in the same vein, try The Professional, La Femme Nikita, or Drive. For a black comedy with a similarly corporate setup for assassination, try Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back).

[6.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2371486/). I give it a 7.0 for sharp action and solid character work.

Today’s quick review: Helios. When Helios (Chang Chen), an international arms dealer, steals a prototype nuclear device from South Korea, Colonel Choi (Jin-hee Ji) and Lieutenant Park (Si Won Choi) are dispatched to Hong Kong to get it back. There they join forces with Inspector Lee (Nick Cheung) of the Hong Kong police, physics specialist Professor Siu (Jacky Cheung), and Chinese official Song An (Xueqi Wang) to hunt down Helios.

Helios is a Chinese action thriller about a stolen nuclear device that turns Hong Kong into a battlefield. The members of an international task force must put aside their differences to catch Helios, recover the bomb, and transport it safely out of the city. The movie features a strong sense of tension, a plot that weaves together several competing agendas, and a couple of sharp twists, making it a worthwhile pick for action fans.

Helios puts a new spin on a classic formula by pitting its heroes against each other. Choi, Park, Lee, and Song all have very different ideas about what to do with the bomb once it is found. What begins as a unified task force devolves into infighting as the political interests of Hong Kong, South Korea, and mainland China collide. This tug of war nicely complements the hunt for Helios, resulting in a story that’s tense from start to finish.

Otherwise, Helios is a capable but fairly standard action thriller. Bursts of high-stakes violence serve to break up a longer stretches of tracking down Helios, gathering intelligence, and quarreling over what to do with the bomb. The plot can be a little cluttered, thanks to the large number of factions involved, but the events are not too hard to follow, and the movie does a great job of establishing what is at risk.

Helios does make a few mistakes. The movie shoots for a relatively serious tone, so its heroes are flawed and prone to infighting. Their conflicting priorities and willingness to make moral compromises can make it hard for the audience to root for any of them. At the same time, the political drama of the situation is not robust enough to rise to the level of commentary. Finally, the movie doesn’t quite stick the landing, with a dicey finale.

Give Helios a shot when you are in the mood for a tense thriller that has a nicely tangled plot. The flawed nature of the task force gives the story a reliable source of conflict, while the external pressure of locating and disposing of the bomb keeps the story moving quickly. Steer clear if you dislike the genre or are looking for something with more clear-cut heroes.

For a more entertaining action thriller about a stolen weapon of mass destruction, try The Rock. For an American film in a similar vein, try The Peacemaker. For a Japanese crime thriller that takes a deeper look at the ethics of law enforcement, try Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3614922/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for hard-hitting action wrapped around a solid plot.

“Old movies always end this way, don’t they?” —Rain

Today’s quick review: Manhunt. Du Qiu (Zhang Hanyu), a Chinese lawyer working for Tenjin Pharmaceutical, has to run for his life when he is framed for the murder of a woman he never met. Dodging crooked cops and assassins who report to Tenjin’s president (Jun Kunimura), Du’s only hope lies with Inspector Satoshi Yamura (Masaharu Fukuyama), a brilliant but troubled detective, and Mayumi Mounami (Qi Wei), the widow of a Tenjin scientist.

Manhunt is a Chinese action thriller based on a Japanese novel and directed by John Woo. A lawyer who knows too many of a pharmaceutical company’s secrets flees through the streets of Osaka while trying to clear his name. Manhunt features a fast-paced plot and flashy action that never lets up for long. Its raw adrenaline will appeal strongly to some viewers, but issues with its story and acting will disappoint others.

Manhunt has a knack for stylish action. Inventive camera techniques, chaotic battlefields, sharp choreography, and gratuitous property damage make the action scenes a treat for anyone drawn to the flashy side of the genre. Manhunt makes no attempt at realism, instead allowing its imagination to run wild. If you are willing to roll with the punches and accept the unexplained fighting prowess of a 40-year-old lawyer, you should have a good time.

Manhunt’s main weakness is its cast. Neither Zhang Hanyu nor Masaharu Fukuyama have the presence to sell their respective roles. The movie gets along fine on the basis of its plot and spectacle, but the lack of a strong lead holds it back. Meanwhile, the overall structure of the plot is solid, but it tends to sacrifice logic for the sake of action. By the finale, all pretense of a police investigation has been dropped in favor of violence.

How much you get out of Manhunt will depend on what you are looking for. If you want popcorn action with way more style than substance, Manhunt is the right choice for you. If you are looking for a cerebral thriller with more down-to-earth action, give it a pass.

For a similar type of action thriller from the same director, try Face/Off or Paycheck. For a slightly more grounded action thriller about a man on the run because of a crime he didn’t commit, try The Fugitive or The Negotiator. For another Chinese action thriller about pharmaceutical malfeasance, check out Sky on Fire.

[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4537986/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for pure action coupled with weak leads and an imperfect plot.

Today’s quick review: Beast Stalker. While pursuing escaped suspect Cheung Yat-Tung (Philip Keung), Sergeant Tong Fei (Nicholas Tse) accidentally shoots the daughter of prosecutor Ann Gao (Zhang Jingchu). Three months later, Tong gets a chance at redemption when Hung King (Nick Cheung), a hitman working for Cheung’s friends, kidnaps Gao’s surviving daughter Ling (Wong Suet Yin) to blackmail her into sabotaging the case against Cheung.

Beast Stalker is a Hong Kong action thriller about a police officer hunting for a kidnapped girl. Wracked with guilt over killing Ling’s sister, Tong throws himself into the search for Ling. Beast Stalker features an elaborate plot with a simple initial hook, a strong sense of tension, and plenty of action. Strong fundamentals and a well-constructed story make Beast Stalker a worthy addition to its genre.

Beast Stalker plays its hand well. The kidnapping keeps the plot moving forward at an urgent pace, and it is straightforward enough that the movie can indulge in complexity elsewhere. The details of Tong’s investigation, the tragic backstory of Hung, and the frayed pieces of Tong’s personal life all layer on extra depth without making the movie difficult to follow. Nicholas Tse and Nick Cheung are well-cast, and the action is always successful.

As such, Beast Stalker is a solid pick for anyone in the mood for something tense and exciting. The tools the movie uses should be familiar for any fans of the genre, but the movie uses them with skill. Give Beast Stalker a shot if you are interested in what it has to offer. Skip it if you are looking for a lighter action movie or a more deliberate crime drama. For a similar action thriller about a kidnapping, try Man on Fire or Wanted.

[6.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330525/). I give it a 7.0 for a tense and rewarding plot.

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.