Kill Zone - Paradox

Chopsocky (or chop-socky) is a colloquial term for martial arts movies and kung fu films made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Though I am in no way qualified to judge all that's come since then, I still feel safe calling this the pinnacle of the chop-socky form. The production qualities are near-impeccable, including the script, which includes all of the expected elements of the form but layers in depths of characterization and emotional involvement, if you want it. The mayhem, the point of it all, is brutal, batshit crazy, clever and choreographed better than I have seen. Typically I get bored with it before it's over but this time I didn't even think about it.

The opening fifteen minutes of Paradox's narrative is incredibly jarring and sets the stage for a film prioritizing visuals and action over story. Lee Chung Chi (Louis Koo) is having a birthday with his eight-year-old daughter, Wing; suddenly she's a teenager with a boyfriend; no he's her fiancé; no the father of her unborn child. Then Wing is in Thailand. Then she is kidnapped. Then we meet another man dining with his family. Then we're watching two politicians. And then; and then; and then. It all goes at breakneck speed, so much so I got whiplash.

The film does eventually slow down and returns to some of its opening sequences later by using a non-linear narrative structure. Chung (Koo) is a type of super cop in Hong Kong, whose daughter Wing (Hanna Chan), in typical teenager fashion, fueds with her father. She travels to Thailand to spend a holiday with her friend, Jenny (Iris Lam), but after disappearing for three days, Chung is notified.

Rushing to Thailand, Chung meets Kit (Yue Wu), a dedicated police officer, who accepts the case, alongside his partner Tak (Tony Jaa), who exhibits psychic abilities, and foresees this case will end violently. Kit's attempts to juggle the case, his wife, Soei's (Siraphan Wattanajinda) pregnancy, and pressure from his boss / father in law, Commisioner Cai (Vithaya Pansringarm) to wrap things up as quickly as can be, causes Chung to feel the investigation is not going fast enough.

When local cop Ban (Ken Low) seemingly knows more about the case then he's letting on, Chung is forced to take matters into his own hands, and assists the help of Siu Man (Jackie Cai), a prostitute, who can help him navigate the criminal underworld.

His investigation leads him to a human organ trafficking ring, led by the malicious Sacha (Chris Collins), but when Chung learns the corruption goes all the way to the top, with key political figures like Ka-Tung Lam (Gordon Lam) involved, he realises the fight to retrieve his missing child, will be so much harder than he ever imagined.

So many of the character's, like Siu Man, are there in service of the plot, with no discernible character ark. Other characters appear to say or do one thing, then disappear forever. This sacrifice is done to keep the narrative moving forward, and though the story is held together with little more than tissue paper, it is succesful in establishing an often brutal plot.

At other intervals, the film leans into melodrama, and though this can, at times, feel unnecessary, while making the otherwise raw seriousness of the story feel unintentionally like a comedy of errors, it likewise increases that sense of hopelessness.

The film touches on themes of corruption, the difficulties of being good in a harsh world, class victimisation, and a father's limitless rage, though so often this is mere window dressing, with the film having hardly anything substantial to say about any issue.

But, so many viewers are here for the action, right? What is *that* like? Fight sequences are directed by renowned martial artist Sammo Hung, his veteran experience bringing a strong sense of fluidity to the action. It's sort of like a dance, with characters moving like water, Tony Jaa especially executing some fantastic moves. That said, there is no major stand out sequence, and though fights become more visceral over time, viewers may be surprised by how few martial arts scenes there are.

There is also some obvious wire-work - example, could a person really execute a 180-degree spin in mid-air while falling? Fundamentally, the sequences never truly reach the highs of Flashpoint, or the likes of Ip Man 2.

Paradox clearly exhibits flashes of brilliance, but some of this feels bogged down. In the end, the film is appropriately named, as it seems unsure what it wants to be; an emotional thriller, or an action film, and this disconnect does more to hamper the film, than help it.

Another SPL, even if the english title does not suggest it. Now you may not be too involved when it comes to the story, but the action of the movie is amazing. There are quite some amazing stunts this can boost. It may be mostly predictable with at least one thing/twist most will not expect at all, which is able to break the movie or rather your perception of it - so there is that.

Tony Jaa may be referred as Guest appearance or something along those lines, but he has quite an extended role in the movie. And quite a few stunts to go with that screen time. If you like action movies and don't mind certain flaws the genre generally brings with it, you'll be thoroughly entertained

The 'SPL: Sha Po Lang' brand in Hong Kong action cinema has come to stand for brutal, bone-crunching action in such memorable duels as Donnie Yen and Wu Jing's alleyway brawl in the 2005 original, Yen and Sammo Hung's mano-a-mano on a nightclub stage in the same, and more recently Wu Jing, Tony Jaa and Zhang Jin's fight-to-the-death in the 2015 sequel.

'Paradox', the third in the 'SPL' canon, continues that grand tradition with director Wilson Yip returning at the helm and Hung as action director. Both franchise veterans ensure that the fights are just as fast, furious and fierce as their first film, but only judiciously bloody, so that the bloodletting never comes off as excessive. Among the highlights here are a daytime scuffle in an open bar that is followed by a breathless chase down Bangkok's busy streets, a close-quarter skirmish in a flat that continues into the dilapilated apartment building's corridor and onto its crowded rooftop, and last but not least a no-holds-barred showdown in a meat depot that is also a front for a mortuary of an illegal organ trafficking business. Each one of these action set-pieces are meticulously choreographed and beautifully executed, which is also credit to its stars Louis Koo, Wu Yue, Chris Collins and Jaa.

Besides Jaa, the rest are not quite as well-known for their martial arts skills, but the training, practice and hard work that each one has put in is clearly evident. In particular, Koo's months of intensive training have paid off tremendously especially in the extended climax, which sees his character turn absolutely badass on tens of baddies successively in a vengeful rampage. Yue also proves quite the revelation; better known for his roles in Mainland TV drama serials than in movies (remember him in Police Story 2013?), the actor who holds a National Martial Arts Championship grade in wushu is less showy than his predecessors Yen and Wu but is no less precise or ferocious than them. Notwithstanding, you should know that Koo and Yue's top billing here isn't misleading; whereas Jaa took centrestage alongside his Chinese stars in the last movie, his presence here is no more than a glorified cameo – and it should also be said that his absence is sorely felt, given that his one-on-one rooftop fight with Collins is arguably the most breathtaking sequence in the entire movie.

To Yip's credit, as much as the fighting is the movie's top draw, it never becomes its raison d'être but in service of the overall narrative. In that regard, all three movies have been thematically related, based upon the Chinese title's astrological reference of three individuals whose position relative to one another signified death and destruction. Here, these three are Hong Kong detective Lee Chung-chi (Koo), who has arrived in Bangkok to search for his missing teenage daughter (Hanna Chan); local Thai-Chinese cop Chui Kit (Yue), who has a six-month pregnant wife and whose father-in-law is the police commissioner Chai (Vithaya Pansringarm); and political aide Cheng Hon-Sau (Gordon Lam), who will resort to any means necessary to get an urgent heart transplant for the ailing Bangkok mayor in order to sustain the latter's re-election bid. Caught up in the ensuing melee is Chui Kit's fellow police colleagues Kit (Jaa) and Ban (Ken Low) as well as the leader of an illegal organ trafficking syndicate Sacha (Collins).

It isn't hard to guess just how the characters are connected to one another, but returning series writer Jill Leung builds the story nicely to have us empathise with Chi's desperation, grief and vengeance as a single father at the loss of his beloved daughter. Just as visceral is the sense of powerlessness he feels against the corruption of those more powerful than him, so much so that despite responding in shockingly vicious ways, our sympathies remain firmly with him and his fists. More so than the earlier two movies, the storytelling here is a lot more fluid, confident and propulsive, good enough at least for us to overlook some of the obvious coincidences (like how Chui Kit and Tak's vehicles seem to agree not to start one after another so both can end up at the same place at the same time).

So really, 'Paradox' is as solid an hard-boiled action thriller as it gets. The plotting is not just functional, endeavouring and largely succeeding to tell a story about karma, retribution and reconciliation. The acting is solid, each one of the performances a strong emotional anchor for the flawed characters whose relationships next to one another are defined by their respective choices and consequences. And perhaps most importantly to its fans, the action is as awesome as its predecessors, the fisticuffs often white-knuckle intense. This is as raw and real as it gets, set entirely against appropriately grimy backdrops in Thailand. As far as the 'SPL' canon is concerned, 'Paradox' is as fitting and satisfying an entry as it deserves, demonstrating not only that there is life yet to the series but that it is very much alive, kicking and definitive to Hong Kong action cinema itself.

This film had all the elements of a Hollywood production. The story was told well, had a lot of heart, with lots of twists and turns. The score could have been better and I would have loved to see more of Tony Jaa, but nevertheless, the directing and cinematography where on point and all the leads played their roles great. The action was not overwhelming and just right for the story being told. The pace and length of the film were perfect and the subtitles on screen at the right speed/length. Very enjoyable and a recommended viewing from me. A well deserved 9/10!