Shun liu ni liu

The effect of music videos over the past two decades on the film industry has been phenomenal. Directors such as Spike Jonze ("Being John Malcovich") & Tarsem ("The Cell") started their careers in the music video game. Soundtracks and their accompanying videos are as much part of the advertising of a movie as the trailers themselves. Most importantly, techniques used in popular music videos are often mimicked in feature films. Economy has played a large part too, and now with the popularity and relative low-cost of digital cameras and effects almost anyone can create a visually alluring piece of eye-candy.

David Fincher upped the ante of digital effects with "Fight Club". A original storyline with an even more original script, it initially received a lukewarm response before becoming a cult favourite. Mr. Fincher is an example of a director using a new medium with a combination of precise care and wonderful abandon.

And then there is Guy Ritchie. A mostly talentless hack who in "Snatch" proved that fancy camera effects and funny accents will wear themselves out if there is nothing to support it.

"Time & Tide" by Tsui Hark is both a homage to the films that helped popularize a new visual style and it raises the bar a few more (large) notches. It is by turns brilliant, relentless, and breathtaking.

"Time & Tide" follows the interweaving lives of a pregnant lesbian cop, two mercenary friends and their underworld dealings, and a pregnant surrogate woman drawn into their world. Thematically it delves into issues ranging from mafia-like loyalty to Peckinpah-esuqe themes of man entering manhood through violence. But what is most impressive in "Time & Tide" is the delicate balance of tension and release. Something that flashy directors like Guy Ritchie should be paying attention too. The last two action sequences are phenomenal and take up a good half of the movie, but with Mr. Hark's careful direction you hardly notice. The first sequence is simply unequaled, taking place in three apartment towers in the tenements of Hong Kong. The second in a train station and stadium downtown. It is in these sequences that requires characters to hold back their flaring emotions in order to survive that Mr. Hark clearly flexes his directorial muscles. In a sequence which involves a young man trapped in an apartment slowly filling with gas, its conclusion is one of the most clever bits of action in recent memory.

"Time & Tide" is the real deal. An action film that delivers from beginning to end and doesn't blow its load halfway through. It is also truly cares about its characters and valiantly tries to delve into large issues. However, it never takes itself too seriously and for any action fan this is a must.

Highly recommended. Do not pass this up.

Having read some reviews that called this film "out of control" and "messily plotted", I was expecting some John Woo style craziness with giant plot holes and inconsistencies, which was nonetheless fun-to-watch.

Well it was fun-to-watch, but for different reasons. Time and Tide actually has a very well crafted story full of great characters and sharp dialogue. It is not at all mindless action. The mood of much of the film is quite droll, very noirish. And the action scenes thrill with creativity and intelligence rather than mayhem and body count.

It is filmed in a wild avant-garde style. Indeed the story is TOLD in a very novel visual style that requires great attention to detail to pick up. Its as if Tsui Hark considered how every scene would be typically and familiarily shot, then conveys what happens in a totally unexpected way. Hong Kong filmakers are great experimenters with perspective. Often, for example, you will only get a hint of what happened and the film moves off in an unexpected direction, only to return and more fully tell you what happened earlier. No block building here, one must jump in and and go with the flow.

The film makes no pretentions to day to day realities, and there are some ludicrous scenes paying homage to imagination run riot, but I think these add to the fun, especially since they are delivered with typical Tsui Hark absurd charm.

I originally gave this film a 9/10, and the more I consider it, the more I like it. In fact I'm going for a second viewing tonight. It's shaping up to be one of my favorite Hong Kong actioners.

The only thing about this movie I didn't understand was why people found it incoherent (not a single mainstream reviewer got it). It's not linear, paint-by-numbers Hollywood exposition - but there IS a definite plot and if you pay attention there's actually some very nice subtle storytelling. Surrounded of course by some very kinetic, "let's see you rip this off" action scenes. Tsui Hark is out ahead of the curve again.

Version: Cantonese, with English subtitles (by SBS).

'Time and Tide' is easily one of the best action movies I've ever seen. Nic Tse plays a regular guy trying to make money for his child, and is way out of his element as a bartender when he joins a protection service. Tse is the hero of the story, but it is Wu Bai who rules most of the action.

Despite other comments about the movie's plot, I thought it was pretty good. Simply put, we have an everyday guy just trying to help someone out, and befriends a bad guy, the action hero, who is working for similar reasons.

However, the action is where its at, and 'Time and Tide' delivers. There are some great, kinetic action scenes, including one inside/on a building, which I think is one of the best action scenes ever made.

9/10 - Great action movie, but may not appeal to fans of the genre. The awesome genre.

Most people will say I'm crazy but I actually liked this movie. I think Tsui Hark is a very clever action director. I seen his American efforts with Van Damme, even though I hated both movies i did like some of the action sequences. Like in Knock Off I really liked the last shootout and in Double Team, when Van Damme's character escaped from that island.

As for this movie Tsui Hark is really given the chance to shine and this time with better actors. I thought Nicholas Tse and Wu Bai did a great job with they're roles as did Candy Lo. I was expecting more screen time with Cathy Liu's character. The acting is pretty good for a Hong Kong action movie. In other words it seem more naturalistic than compared to many other Hong Kong movies where a lot of the time the actors overact. I really liked how the movie was shot. There was this one shot where Wu bai's character jumps from the window of a apartment building and the camera follows him as he decends. It just makes me wonder how they did that.

Now for the flaws, there are a lot of characters that just show up. The plot gets confusing at times and what could of really made this movie better was a better script. I wished they could of build of the Tse and Liu's story a lot more. It was a good attention grabber in the beginning but then it gets ignored at the end and maybe more of Tse's narration of the movie. Despites all these flaws this movie was still good because of the stylish action scenes. So basically look for the action scenes and good performances by Tse, Wu Bai, Lo, and Liu. It's a good popcorn flick to just enjoy.