Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂
Supposedly based on a true story, Donnie Yen directs himself as Fok Chi Ho, supercop turned prosecutor, whose defense of a young man caught on drug charges leads to the takedown of a major criminal enterprise.
The development background of this one is hilarious: supposedly it was originally intended as a straight legal drama, but Yen's involvement was conditional on incorporating elements he was familiar with, or in other words turning it into an action movie. It's like Arnold Schwarzenegger being cast in 12 Angry Men and including someone being thrown out a window.
As an action movie it's a lot of fun. The criminals are both delightfully clever and convincingly evil. As a legal drama it's what you'd expect of a Chinese product, very careful not to criticize state institutions of justice. It would've been better as a detective drama than a legal one but it's still pretty fun.