Raging Fire

There is nothing to be picky about at the production and action levels. The overall completion is very smooth. It is also a good work in Hong Kong action films in recent years. It is gratifying that in recent years, Hong Kong directors have become more and more brave in shaping the characters in the gray area. After Infernal Affairs, many directors have been assimilated or hidden by capital and began to make some relatively safe works. In recent years, because of the change of the general environment, the "anger" in the creators' hearts has been aroused again, so there are very representative figures such as pan Chengfeng and AO. They can't be defined by a simple dualism of good and evil. This is the most real place of human nature. From the perspective of Chen Musheng's own works, it can be regarded as an upgrade of the new police story. In essence, there is no great new idea. There is little ink on the inner struggle of the characters, which can only be defined by cool films. However, as a creator, it is a happy thing that the posthumous work will be so widely recognized. I would like to pay tribute to the director and thank him for creating so many romantic and warm dreams.

Hong Kong police are well known to be -and always have been- as corrupt as the politicians and criminals they mix with. At least that was the case way back when in the time of this 19080's style Cops & Robbers outing (and I very much doubt it has changed any in this day and age). Anyway what we get is an action filled manic paced bullets and blood thriller. What little script there is for the actors is all really by the by and of no importance whatsoever. I say that because this is meant to be nothing else but a pure 100 mile per hour action gobsmacker. Its not a brilliant film actioneer (if you have seen any John Woo films you'll know what I mean) but it is certainly not rubbish either. Its just what it is and its very engrossing and entertaining.

Donnie Yen's fight choreography, for all the cast, is superb (and I'm sure he'll pick up an award or 2 for it) and the camera work is flawless in its accentuation of the vicious array of martial arts mayhem.

Its a great finale to a very good man of Asian Cinema and guarentee's that Benny Chan went out with a monumental big bang! R. I. P Benny and thankyou for all your input to the cinema of Asia!

Good editing can improve on a so-so script but not even the best editor can improve on a convoluted, disjointed mess like this one. Good production values are no substitute for a solid story that hooks the viewer. An hour into this, you may still be wondering who you are supposed to root for. Yen playing a stoic cop looks lost.

RAGING FIRE is a fitting swansong for Hong Kong director Benny Chan, who died during post-production. It's a cop thriller throwback to the likes of NEW POLICE STORY and INVINCIBLE TARGET, with Donnie Yen typically playing a dedicated cop on the trail of a gang of robbers headed by Nicholas Tse. The film suffers from being overlong - half an hour out would have improved that - and from over-complexifying a rather straightforward scenario. But the action zings, particularly in Donnie's two fight scenes, and the climax is a real delight. It tends to avoid cheese and overwhelming sentiment which is good too.

Raging Fire is a gripping cops-and-robbers action movie that is elevated by late director Benny Chan's attentive direction of its drama and explores its theme earnestly. Donnie Yen's riveting action sequences set a new standard for Hollywood-level production values in a Hong Kong action film.

Bong, an officer of the Regional Crime Unit, is an outcast in the police force due to his overly righteous attitude and a refusal to conform to the legal grey zone, much to the frustration of his superiors. Bong is left out of a police drug bust, where the entire police team is massacred by a masked gang of thieves.

The crew is led by Ngo, an ex-cop-turned-criminal and former protege of Bong. Ngo once beat an informant to death and Bong's unwillingness to lie in court cost him a five-year prison sentence. Ngo sets on exacting vengeance on Bong and the police department.

Benny Chan directs the drama with delicate hands, surrounding star Donnie Yen with character actors Ray Lui and the always underrated Patrick Tam. Chan effectively brings the audience deep into Yen's character moral dilemma, "Is it justifiable to do a bad thing to do some good?" Yen's cop says no while Tse's thief says yes.

Benny Chan ensures that every fight is dramatically motivated. The action sequences, including gun fights, car chases and martial arts, leap off the screen in a glorious adrenaline-pumping fashion and consistently feel dangerous. Through a combination of shooting on-location and CGI, the film makes great use of the Hong Kong locales that brings a consistent tactility and realism. It is also doubly fun if you know Hong Kong.

Nicholas Tse, despite putting in a huge effort in giving a complex performance, never finds proper footing for his villain. He acts as the calm and cool collected mastermind but goes completely unhinged in other moments. The film does a solid job earning the audience's sympathy by showing Ngo's backstory as a cop. However, that crumbles in the present story as we witness who the villain has become and the incongruities in his grand plan. Is the character desperate for revenge, wanting to score cash, or just completely nuts? It all falls somewhere between. As the third act rolls in, there's no more time for the script to clarify Tse's intentions.

That being said, Raging Fire has a lot to offer. Nostalgic Hong Kong action movie fans will walk away satisfied. The film ultimately won me over with its overwhelming ambition to break new ground. I wonder now what Benny Chan would have done with his next action picture.

Rest in peace, Benny Chan.