A Hero Never Dies

A true gangster film made with so much craftsmanship and self-confidence that the ease of the maker engenders the ease and enjoyment of the viewer. Hard and stylised, yet above all entertaining.
Jack and Martin (Leon Lai and Lau Ching Wan) are two hit men involved in a gang war. They each belong to a different gang, but their rivalry is like that of sportsmen; in other words, it comes close to friendship. Yet they both assume they could die by the other’s weapon. After a failed murder attempt in Malaysia, their bosses join forces and leave their hit men to their fate. But Jack and Martin are not ordinary crooks. They have codes of honour like those of the samurai. They have been betrayed and betrayal must be avenged, no matter how powerful and numerous the enemy is.
Johnnie To, just as intrepid as his heroes, permits himself every conceivable freedom. Great actors like Lau Ching Wan shape the irredeemably cool and heroic characters, but it is primarily the director who creates the right framework. (GjZ)