So duk 2: Tin dei duei kuet

The plot is thin, the characters are facial, and the emotions are pale. All the backgrounds are clearly explained by a few lines, and even a one-second picture is not willing to be shaped. Except for violence, all the supporting roles are redundant. This script is estimated to be over and over again, and it has not been polished.

All the leading actors in this movie did a great job. Unlike "The Invincible Dragon (2019)" that turned out to be a nothing-is-right big laughable joke, this movie about the Hong Kong drug cartel on the contrary, turned out to be everything-is-right serious and decent enough to be tagged as a "Pretty Good Movie" in 2019. The screenplay, the scenarios, the plots and the dialog are all quite mature, the casting, the acting, the directing, the stunt as well as the special effect, the editing, and the subtle soundtrack....all of them, one word: GOOD.

Though billed as a sequel to the 2013 crime thriller 'The White Storm', there is in fact very little which this movie shares with its predecessor, besides the fact that both revolve thematically around the war on drugs which entwines the lives of a group of convicted individuals. Yet it is not difficult to guess why Universe Entertainment, which is behind both films, had wanted the association - not only was it widely praised for the excellent performances by Sean Lau, Louis Koo and Nick Cheung, that movie also boasted director Benny Chan's signature high-octane action choreography, which was recognised as among the best that Hong Kong cinema had to offer in recent years.

Except for Koo, none of the other contributors return for this standalone sequel; instead, taking over from Chan is prolific director Herman Yau, whose 'Shock Wave' catapulted him from the B-leagues into big-budget filmmaking. Yau's collaborators from that earlier movie are also on board this similarly-sized undertaking, which sees writers Erica Lee and Eric Lee retain the narrative structure of Chan's original by setting its events around three males - here played by Andy Lau, Koo and Michael Miu - whose paths will intersect with fateful consequences.

Their ill-fated connection is established right from the beginning, with an extended prologue set in 2004 that shows how the sworn brotherhood between Yu Shun Tin (Andy Lau) and Dizang (Koo) is torn asunder when the former is forced by his uncle Yu Nam (Kent Cheng) - and head of their gang Ching Hing - to punish the latter for selling drugs at the nightclub he manages. Besides cutting off three of Dizang's fingers from his right hand, Shun Tin also calls the police to raid Dizang's premises, which results in an unfortunate operation that claims the life of Narcotics Bureau chief Lam Ching-fung's (Miu) wife and colleague.

Fast forward fifteen years later, Shun Tin has transformed into a financial whiz thanks to his wife and mentor (Karena Lam), while Dizang has grown to become one of the most powerful drug barons in Hong Kong. Alas Shun Tin's past life continues to haunt him, including a drug-addicted teenage son he never knew existed until his ex-girlfriend (Chrissie Chau) appeals for his help on her deathbed to take care of, which in turn fuels his present-day determination to take drastic measures against the four big drug lords in Hong Kong - which besides Koo's Dizang, are represented in guest appearances by MC Jin, Cherrie Ying and Jun Kung.

Though Shun Tin is very aware that his actions will eventually set him up on a collision course with Dizang, it will be some time before Dizang finds out that it is his former best friend who is behind the series of guerrilla raids on his goods and factories. If you've seen the trailer, you would know that their personal vendetta will culminate in Shun Tin offering a $100 million bounty on Dizang's life. Meanwhile, even as he is frustrated by how the known drug lords continue to evade the arm of the law, Fung continues to uphold the integrity of due process, which puts him at odds with Shun Tin's unorthodox (and perhaps unlawful) methods.

Like his most recent 'Shock Wave' and 'The Leakers', Yau keeps the pace fast, even frenetic, throughout the movie. To Yau's credit, the speediness of the storytelling doesn't come at the expense of coherence, so there is perfect logic and order in the way the proceedings are organised. At the same time, it also means, for the casual viewer, that there is hardly a dull moment to be found within the duration of the film; in fact, even though there are a couple of memorable action scenes within, you'd probably feel as if the entire movie were itself a 100-minute continuous action-packed sequence that hardly pauses for you to take a breath.

But equally, it isn't long before you realise that the sheer momentum comes at the expense of meaningful character motivation and development, so much so that you never at any point fully grasp or empathise with any one of the three main characters, much less the supporting ones. How does Shun Tin feel about losing a sworn brother? Is he at all conflicted about exploiting his wealth to take the law into his own hands? How does he reconcile his past life with his present? What does Dizang feel about Shun Tin's betrayal? What drives Fung, other than to uphold the law? Does Fung sympathise with Shun Tin or deplore his methods? As inevitable as these questions are, you'll quickly find that you'll have to cast them aside if you're going to enjoy the film for what it is worth.

And yes, once you forgo any expectation of narrative or character depth, you'll probably be able to appreciate the fleeting pleasures it offers. For one, the three male leads each bring their own charisma, chemistry and gravitas to their respective roles, with Lau further honing his characteristically stoic persona, Koo chewing up the scenery as a baddie and Miu rehashing the righteous cop role from his TVB past. For another, the action is glorious old-school Hong Kong style, with shootouts, car chases and even a climactic setpiece right inside the heart of the Central MTR station. And last but not least, there is also the thrill of seeing a who's who list of Hong Kong actors in this, including Carlos Chan, Michelle Wai, Cheung Kwok-cheng, Lam Ka-tung and Sam Lee in varying blink-and-miss cameos.

Given how unrelated they are, it is almost unfair to compare 'The White Storm 2' with the earlier movie, but between them, the original is probably the better one. Yet, like we've said, this economical thriller does offer simple and straightforward gratification, especially if you're in the mood for an undemanding action thriller. But anyone expecting the likes of 'Infernal Affairs' will most certainly be disappointed, for there is little to no attempt to develop any of the weighty themes of crime and justice within in any meaningful way. If there should be another sequel, we hope it is a lot less superficial than this storm in a teacup.

Six years ago, The White Storm was a surprise hit that I remember very positively with its profound characters, exotic locations and gripping plot. I didn't expect a sequel to ever come around and the similarities between the movies are indeed rather shallow. In terms of quality, the first movie is largely superior while The White Storm 2 - Drug Lords is only just good for genre fans.

Fifteen years ago, reckless Jizo got his fingers cut off by his colleague Tin after he betrayed the Ching Hing Gang by running a secret drug business in his club. Jizo left the gang and swore to have his revenge as he eventually became the biggest regional drug dealer. Tin on the other side became a philanthropist and tycoon who supported numerous projects fighting drug abuse. In present day, Tin loses his estranged son to drug addiction which further fuels his hatred for drug abuse. Jizo on the other side wants to see hin former gang vanish and former colleague suffer and attempts to expand his drug business even further. After the two enemies clash at the funeral of their former boss, their conflict escalates frantically. Jizo tries to go after Tin's wife while Tin publicly offers a bounty to assassinate Jizo. Police chief inspector Lam gets caught between both sides and tries to prevent that Hong Kong becomes the bloody battlefield of the two men's bitter rivalry.

The White Storm 2 - Drug Lords convinces on a few levels. The breathtaking and brutal action scenes should be enjoyed at your local cinema. The body count is particularly elevated and the film is quite graphic even by genre standards. The sound and special effects are captivating and intense. The two lead characters and their backgrounds are interesting enough to keep the audience watching until the end.

The movie however also has several flaws. The plot is an extremely thin tale of revenge that justifies massive violence. The film entirely focuses on extremely negative emotions which makes it hard to emphasize with any character. The morally debatable movie at times feels like a Rodrigo Duterte propaganda flick as the protagonist openly idolizes the pitiless anti-drug campaign of the president of the Philippines.

In the end, this sequel was rather unnecessary as it never equals the creativity, depth and emotion of the first film at all. You may like this movie if you are looking for a particularly brutal action-thriller but its message is too bland and debatable to make it artistically relevant or even recommendable beyond faithful genre fans. Give the first movie a try and ignore the sequel.

The raison d'être for this movie is that it showcases Hong Kong's classic film style of drug gang, extensive car chase/wreck, shoot-out, action scenes at an extreme level. So many fight scenes it, at times, was difficult to tell who's bad, who's good, and who's either both or neither. Great at what it was meant to be.