Hon zin 2

I have watched this film more than 7 times, review, rewind to catch some of the moments, character and conversation that i missed out in previous viewing.

The 1st time when i saw it, i must admit, i was not able to catch the full meaning and why certain characters behaved the way they did and missed out some small conversations but are critical to the plot.

But with each viewing my understanding of each character, sequence, and the entire story improves.

This is a very well crafted movie that deserves nothing less than a 10/10 rating. The story is so well crafted, the characters so well acted, the conversations so well spoken and planned for you have to go through the film a few more times to fully appreciate if you find it hard to give it a 10/10 rating.

I am very sure you will appreciate it more if you take your time to know what it is trying to portray.

This is the only movie i have watched so many rounds and enjoy every session. The highlight is the exchange quick spats between Sean Lau and MB Lee when MB Lee came to confront Lau why Lau shot at his son.

This sequence is so difficult to do and as an artiste myself, i know it really takes a lot to do this sequence so perfectly well and yet these 2 veteran actors did it so effortlessly!

Go buy the original DVD and enjoy the show over and over again! This is one of the BEST the industry has to offer.

I can understand many got loss in their arguments, the plots, etc This movie cannot be fully appreciated with just 1 watch.

I have to watch it about 5 times, replay certain parts to know what they are saying because the acting by the actors were truly amazing!

Please hurry the next sequel

While I really enjoyed the first film in this series, this follow-up isn't anywhere near so good. It follows straight on from the first one but brings back characters whose arcs were already complete for a new story that feels like it was made up on the spot. All of the major players return (Andy Lau excepted) with newcomer Chow Yun Fat playing the role of a lawyer eager to prosecute corrupt cops. What we get is a needlessly complex, laboured and occasionally histrionic story that has a few cool action sequences (dodgy CGI aside) and very little else. The actors are fine but but the screenwriter not so...

The first movie was nice and complex but this second was simply made up, bad directed story and lots no illogical nonsense scenes stories. 1. MB Lee has gone so hard to meet the ex CP and his son but both of them drive him back? What a big laugh nonsense. 2. If they are so professional, why nobody guard that workshop backdoor? 3. The underground tunnel is another big laugh showing Rambo never dies even with machine guns and special guns. 4. Even I not a cop nor any near professional, also knows I will not fall for the CP tricks to lure the bad guys out. 5. When these bad guys so professional can make bombs and detector, why the junk yard has no other detectors? 6. A simple gangster has few phones and why top police has no money to carry any extra? Why there is no other to take the new position CP and still the same CP?

This movie is another ordinary simple actions, bombing, shootings, fightings that cannot grasp a real memory to audience. HK was never near the top 10 safest city or country. It was once known as no 1 in Asia and top 5 in the world as crime city or country. But this last decade had changed because China had took over and lessen democratic while increased dictatorship. HK is also a small place so governing is easier than most countries, hence crimes further reduced. This motto is to promote HK and cover the dark side of HK.

I very much disagree with the people here saying that the first film was better and strongly disparaging this one (such as the review by 'Uhungmax') Yes, in the first movie, technically, there was a lot more 'stuff' happening. And, in a sense, although it was indeed engaging and exciting, after it was over I felt that some of the key plot elements and character actions did not really make a lot of sense.

However in this 2nd film, although the plot is much more direct and simple, to me personally I thought that the story was much more tightly plotted and a lot better constructed. Here you didn't have the apparent twists and turns of the first film, usually an element that I like very much. But, like I said, AFTER watching the movie and thinking about it, there were certain character motivations and actions that didn't quite add up to me. Whereas with this movie, the story itself seemed to flow much more naturally. In my lowly and wretched opinion, I honestly felt that as a FILM in and of itself, it was put together and executed in a more streamlined and believable manner. Not that I mind AT ALL when movies are complex, or seemingly disjointed, or non-linear. I DO very much like that ***IF*** everything is well thought out and put together in such a way that it fits the internal logic of the film, and as a WHOLE all the parts work together.

I think the tricky thing about comparing the two films is that the first one had a LOT more going on and was more complex. NORMALLY, that would be something that would be very appealing to me. But in this movie, I had more of a feeling that I was being carried along by the story and much more involved in what was happening, and therefore the overall effect had more substance, and I felt that the tension of the story was much more compelling. It's like with the first movie they were almost trying to be TOO clever with the twists and turns of the story where maybe it at times had the effect of almost stumbling on itself. Don't get me wrong... I liked the first film and it was quite good. But, I feel that this one was better...

These 2 films seem somewhat different for movies coming out of Hong Kong in the sense that you normally would expect them to be a LOT more Action oriented. But, both films dealt more with inter-departmental politics and connections with highly placed officials than they were on action. But, with that said, there is ONE action scene in the middle of film that was quite effective and will blow your socks off (so to speak...)

So, that is why I feel that on the SURFACE some people may get an impression that the first film was better with more 'going on' and more twists and turns. But, I honestly feel that this one was put together in a much more cinematic way with better internal logic (being a simpler story) and more believable character interactions that had a more substantial impact in the long run...