Organized Crime & Triad Bureau (1994)

Rating: C

Dir: Kirk Wong
Star: Danny Lee, Anthony Wong, Cecilia Yip, Ricky Yee

This is the cinematic equivalent of assault with a blunt object: instead of speaking, characters shout at one another, as they run (why bother walking?) around, between the various set-pieces, that seem to crop up every 30 seconds or so. Wong seems to believe that the more he crams in, the better his film will be – is there no Cantonese word for “pacing”? Danny Lee, as usual, plays a cop called Lee, chasing down armed robber Tung (Wong), though when he does, his problems are only starting, since the criminal’s girl (Yip) vows to rescue her man at any cost. In addition, he’s under fire from the official in charge of investigating police brutality, who is just itching to bust Lee. It’s clear where the film’s loyalty lies: “you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs” sums it up.

Lee – the actor – has portrayed cops so often, you wonder if acting was his backup career choice. While he has pursued Anthony Wong in other movies, at least his adversary gets to add some depth beyond the usual cliches to his character: he truly loves his girl, even while he’s sleeping with hookers. It’s an interesting contradiction, albeit one largely lost amid the near-hysterical tone. Only in the finale, when cop and robber chase each other through the crowded streets of Hong Kong, is there anything like a sense of rhythm. It’s a blistering sequence, reminiscent of Heat, and contains more variety in style and tone than the rest of the movie put together.