Baan sau chuk dak hin dui

The 2002 movie "Shark Busters" (aka "Baan sau chuk dak hin dui") from director Herman Yau is actually a movie that very well translates to Hong Kong society, even now in 2020.

The movie's storyline revolves around the police force and some organized collectors working for loan sharks. And I will say that the storyline was actually well written by writer Chi Hang Ho and proved to be interesting, enjoyable and to the point.

There is a good pacing to the storyline and a very natural flow to the script, which definitely paid off for the movie in terms of it being watchable and enjoyable.

There are some nice talents to the cast list, and if you are familiar with the Hong Kong cinema, then you will be pleased to see the likes of Shiu Hung Hui and Suet Lam on the cast list.

"Shark Busters", while the title of the movie is lame, was actually rather enjoyable, and I am rating it a six out of ten stars. This is definitely a movie well worth watching if you enjoy Hong Kong cinema. There is a good mixture of drama, comedy, action and proper storytelling to be enjoyed in this movie.

A stereotyped criticism between the economic relations of banks, and their infamous loans, the violence of loan sharks, the devaluation of the police, the economic crisis that devastated Hong Kong at the time and that still haunts Brazil and the world, exaggerated, a little tiring, but super valid...

If there's one thing you will leave this movie thinking, it's, "Who the heck is that white guy who speaks fluent Cantonese?" The answer would be Brian Ireland, a Hong Kong businessman and friend of Danny Lee, making his acting debut as a lawyer who wants to become a police officer, because he likes guns. Meanwhile, the rest of the force, led by Danny Lee, are saddled with debt (like everyone else in Hong Kong) and the loan sharks (led by an over-the-top Lam Suet who has half his dialogue bleeped out it's so foul) are getting vicious. A very modest film with small ambitions, SHARK BUSTERS captures the current economic state of Hong Kong, and leads the debtors through feelings of helplessness and suicidal tendencies to empowerment and a willingness to fight back. The cops become Hong Kong's modern answer to Robin Hood. More engaging as a social commentary than as a movie, the action scenes barely heat up despite liberal application of some loud hip-hop LMF on the soundtrack.

the film is shot in a humorous, impertinent style. using its story of policemen in debt ( virtually every officer owes money to loan sharks ) to reflect upon hong kong's current economic malaise and the loss of moral values. danny lee heads an ensemble cast of fine supporting actors with brian ireland standing out as a white lawyer-turned-cop who works both sides of the fence. herman yau's witty direction underscores the fact that the current malaise affects all sectors of hong kong society.

9 of 10