Paradox

The opening fifteen minutes of Paradox's narrative is incredibly jarring and sets the stage for a film prioritizing visuals and action over story. Lee Chung Chi (Louis Koo) is having a birthday with his eight-year-old daughter, Wing; suddenly she's a teenager with a boyfriend; no he's her fiancé; no the father of her unborn child. Then Wing is in Thailand. Then she is kidnapped. Then we meet another man dining with his family. Then we're watching two politicians. And then; and then; and then. It all goes at breakneck speed, so much so I got whiplash.

The film does eventually slow down and returns to some of its opening sequences later by using a non-linear narrative structure. Chung (Koo) is a type of super cop in Hong Kong, whose daughter Wing (Hanna Chan), in typical teenager fashion, fueds with her father. She travels to Thailand to spend a holiday with her friend, Jenny (Iris Lam), but after disappearing for three days, Chung is notified.

Rushing to Thailand, Chung meets Kit (Yue Wu), a dedicated police officer, who accepts the case, alongside his partner Tak (Tony Jaa), who exhibits psychic abilities, and foresees this case will end violently. Kit's attempts to juggle the case, his wife, Soei's (Siraphan Wattanajinda) pregnancy, and pressure from his boss / father in law, Commisioner Cai (Vithaya Pansringarm) to wrap things up as quickly as can be, causes Chung to feel the investigation is not going fast enough.

When local cop Ban (Ken Low) seemingly knows more about the case then he's letting on, Chung is forced to take matters into his own hands, and assists the help of Siu Man (Jackie Cai), a prostitute, who can help him navigate the criminal underworld.

His investigation leads him to a human organ trafficking ring, led by the malicious Sacha (Chris Collins), but when Chung learns the corruption goes all the way to the top, with key political figures like Ka-Tung Lam (Gordon Lam) involved, he realises the fight to retrieve his missing child, will be so much harder than he ever imagined.

So many of the character's, like Siu Man, are there in service of the plot, with no discernible character ark. Other characters appear to say or do one thing, then disappear forever. This sacrifice is done to keep the narrative moving forward, and though the story is held together with little more than tissue paper, it is succesful in establishing an often brutal plot.

At other intervals, the film leans into melodrama, and though this can, at times, feel unnecessary, while making the otherwise raw seriousness of the story feel unintentionally like a comedy of errors, it likewise increases that sense of hopelessness.

The film touches on themes of corruption, the difficulties of being good in a harsh world, class victimisation, and a father's limitless rage, though so often this is mere window dressing, with the film having hardly anything substantial to say about any issue.

But, so many viewers are here for the action, right? What is *that* like? Fight sequences are directed by renowned martial artist Sammo Hung, his veteran experience bringing a strong sense of fluidity to the action. It's sort of like a dance, with characters moving like water, Tony Jaa especially executing some fantastic moves. That said, there is no major stand out sequence, and though fights become more visceral over time, viewers may be surprised by how few martial arts scenes there are.

There is also some obvious wire-work - example, could a person really execute a 180-degree spin in mid-air while falling? Fundamentally, the sequences never truly reach the highs of Flashpoint, or the likes of Ip Man 2.

Paradox clearly exhibits flashes of brilliance, but some of this feels bogged down. In the end, the film is appropriately named, as it seems unsure what it wants to be; an emotional thriller, or an action film, and this disconnect does more to hamper the film, than help it.

Chopsocky (or chop-socky) is a colloquial term for martial arts movies and kung fu films made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Though I am in no way qualified to judge all that's come since then, I still feel safe calling this the pinnacle of the chop-socky form. The production qualities are near-impeccable, including the script, which includes all of the expected elements of the form but layers in depths of characterization and emotional involvement, if you want it. The mayhem, the point of it all, is brutal, batshit crazy, clever and choreographed better than I have seen. Typically I get bored with it before it's over but this time I didn't even think about it.

Directed by Wilson Yip the man behind Ip Man and action choreographed by the legendary Sammo Hung you will know this movie gonna be good.Kill Zone:Paradox almost like a recreation of the last movie with the same actors but with different background and motivation.Louis Koo now as the new main character team up with Yue Wu to rescue his daughter and busting a illegal organ trafficking in Thailand.Tony Jaa for some reason starring in this movie too but his role is small and i guess the movie need his imagine to draw viewers but the action scene with him is quite nice so i'm not complaining.Apart from the top notch action as usual the movie is very depressing with one of the best performance by Louis Koo this year.The pacing is better and more easy to follow than Kill Zone 2 so fan of the series will have a blast while watching this movie

Movie about a Hong Kong cop who tries to find his by an organ trafficking gang kidnapped daughter in Thailand. The father had to fight not only against the gang but also against the corrupt government in Pattaya (Thailand). Government and gang work together.

There are many good exaggerated action scenes - this is an action thriller from Hong Kong!

The actors especially the father perform fine. Cinematography is very well also.

Although there's a lot of action the basic mood is hard boiled, dark and sad. Don't expect a happy ending!

I had the opportunity to sit down to watch the 2017 Hong Kong movie "Paradox" (aka "Saat po long: Taam long") here in 2021. Needless to say that with my fascination and love of the Hong Kong cinema, then I needed no persuasion to do so.

And I must admit that I am glad that I did, because "Paradox" turned out to be a very enjoyable and entertaining movie. The storyline written by Nick Cheuk and Lai-Yin Leung was really good and interesting. The story had be spellbound from the very beginning, and I never lost interest in the movie, nor did it feel like the movie ever lost its speed and momentum. So thumbs up to director Wilson Yip on that account.

The storyline told in "Paradox" is a little bit rough, so it might not be overly suitable for everyone, so viewer discretion should be considered. But trust me, this is a very compelling story, and an entertaining one too. Without giving away anything of the storyline, I can say that it is a movie that deals with kidnapping and organ trafficking.

Now, the storyline is a good combination of genres, that included drama, crime, thriller, action and martial arts. And director Wilson Yip was good at managing to incorporate all the different genres and elements into the blend, making a greatly entertaining movie in the process.

"Paradox" has a rather impressive cast ensemble, with the likes of Louis Koo, Yue Wu, Ka Tung Lam, Tony Jaa and Ken Lo. So if you are familiar with the Hong Kong cinema, then you know you are in for some stellar performances here. And I must say that this 2017 movie has the most amazing performance by Louis Koo that I have ever witnessed; he was nothing short of phenomenal in this movie. Tony Jaa was also in the movie, but as a minor support role only, a shame really, because he is always great in his movies. Now, this movie was the first time I saw Hanna Chan act, and she is definitely an actress worth taking notice of.

Visually then this movie is nice to watch. The action scenes and sequences are vivid and filled with adrenaline, making it feel like you are right there in the chaos. And the dramatic scenes are very nicely set up and executed, making the movie feel very realistic and makes you care about the characters and events.

I found "Paradox" to be a huge surprise of an entertaining movie, and I can warmly recommend that you take the time to sit down to watch this movie if you have the chance. It is really well-worth the time, money and effort.

My rating of the 2017 movie "Paradox" lands on a very well-deserved eight out of ten stars.