Downtown Torpedoes (San tau dip ying / 神偷谍影 -1997)

Starring:
Takeshi Kaneshiro-Jackal
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun-Cash
Charlie Young Choi-Nei-Sam
Theresa Lee Yi-Hung-Phoenix
Ken Wong Hap-Hei-Titan
Alex Fong Chung-Sun-Stanley

Hong Kong’s answer to Mission: Impossible is a slight action-thriller that’s carried out professionally and commercially. Jackal (Takeshi Kaneshiro), Cash (Jordan Chan) and Sam (Charlie Young) form the core of ATM (Available Tactical Mercenaries), an industrial espionage unit that utilizes high-tech gadgetry to steal technology and fence it on the black market. However, they're blackmailed by the Hong Kong government (led by Alex Fong Chung-Sun) to snatch some counterfeit plates called SN2 from the British MI5. Naturally stuff goes wrong, our heroes are framed for SN2’s disappearance, and then they must set about clearing their names with whatever hi-tech gadgets they have leftover.



This was a pretty cool movie. I mean it had the hotman Takeshi-kun. Totally hot!

From the get-go, Downtown Torpedoes sets itself up as a slick spy caper and it doesn't disappoint. The movie mixes in just enough high-tech gear and gutsy action to make it both believeable and exciting at the same time. In a time when many films mistake computer gimmickry for action, it was refreshing to see more of a straight-forward style. As always with these types of movies (especially ones that are a few years old), not all of the gadgets make sense or look great, but overall the spy action in Downtown Torpedoes is well-done, culminating in a climatic chase scene that is one of the best done (in either the US or HK) over the last several years.

Even though there is a fair amount of double-crosses, hidden agents and other plot twists, the story is easier to follow because of the movie's efficent storytelling. The film-makers realized that we don't need to see each detail of every character's life, and this helps move Downtown Torpedoes at a brisk pace. Even the dreaded mandatory romantic subplot fails to rear its' head here, and the film flows much better as a result.

The emphasis here is on spy hi-jinks, not mushy love stories. This streamlined storytelling is welcome in this day and age of movies that try and pretend to be more important than they are by dumping everything but the kitchen sink into the mix. From top to bottom, Downtown Torpedoes is a solid action movie that's worth your time.~hkfilms *I had to copy and paste this review because they said EXACTLY how I felt about the movie. I couldn't have said it better!*

New Police Story (2004)

Starring:
Jackie Chan,
Nicholas Tse Ting-Fung,
Charlie Young Choi-Nei,
Charlene Choi Cheuk-Yin,
Daniel Wu,
Dave Wong Kit,
Andy On Chi-Kit,
Terence Yin,
Hayama Hiro,
Coco Chiang Yi,
Deep Ng Ho-Hong,
Ken Lo Wai-Kwong,
Tony Ho Wah-Chiu,
Timmy Hung Tin-Ming,
Hung Tin-Chiu,
Andrew Lin Hoi,
Carl Ng Ka-Lung,
Samuel Pang King-Chi,
Mandy Chiang Nga-Man,
Maggie Lau Si-Wai,
Asuka Higuchi,
Liu Kai-Chi,
Yu Rong-Guang,
Kenny Kwan Chi-Bun,
Steven Cheung Chi-Hung,
Wu Bai, Tats Lau Yi-Tat,
John Sham Kin-Fun,
Winnie Leung Man-Yi,
Philip Ng Won-Lung

An aging cop whose life takes a precipitous tumble. A decorated cop, Chan Kwok-Wing (Jackie Chan) meets his match in a vicious group of young thugs, who kill cops for fun and "x-treme" satisfaction. After Wing boasts that he'll snag this group of young punks in three hours, the group proceeds to dismantle his ten man squad with expert precision and more than a little stylish flair. Among the dead cops is Wing's future brother-in-law (Deep Ng), a factoid that leaves Wing crying and drinking his guts out...or perhaps the reverse. Either way, he becomes a broken guy. Enter young Frank Cheng (Nicholas Tse), an overly-sprightly young cop who makes it his personal mission to bring Wing back from the brink of self-destruction. Will he succeed?

Equal simplicity is applied to the bad guys. Made up of Daniel Wu, Terence Yin, Andy On, Hayama Go, and Coco Chiang, the gang of evildoers is given pseudo-understandable psychosis by the screenplay. This group isn't really bad; they're more like misunderstood kids who've simply taken their disaffection too far...into murder and completely over-the-top crime sprees. ~HKfilms

Ok. I'm not the biggest Jackie Chan fan. However, this movie was fun! I am a total Nicholas Tse fan so that is why I broke down to see this in the first place. I was not dissappointed!

I've read that this wasn't one of JC's best Police Story movies. I guess there are like 4 or 5 of them. Not sure about that. But.....this being the first one I've seen, I really liked it. I will admit it was a little heart wrenching in the beginning to see his comrades killed. Geez, I had to turn away because I knew it wasn't going to be good. It wasn't bloody or gory...just the thought of seeing your friends die...is sickening. So that was a little rough for me. Yeah, I'm a bleeding heart. Sue me!

The kung-fu was awesome. I have to say JC's choreography is astounding. ASTOUNDING! It's just kung-fu eye candy...I tell ya.

So if your bored and need a little excitement to pump up the blood...this was a pretty good one. Watch it!

Nicholas Tse

Ummm............*tongue is down to my toes, saliva oozing down my chin, breathe quickening, eyes bulging*........OMFG!