San ying hung boon sik

RETURN TO A BETTER TOMORROW is a surprisingly enjoyable little gangster movie from Wong Jing, although be warned that it has nothing to do with the John Woo series of the 1980s. Instead, this tells a stand-alone story of rival gangsters working out of Hong Kong. Lau Ching Wan and Ekin Cheng are the leads, working under the aegis of a mysterious boss, while Michael Wong plays one of his goofiest characters. It's a fast-paced, densely plotted affair of shifting allegiances and treachery, with hardly any of Jing's trademark comedy. Although Jing's action sequences are mere child's play compared to the masterful Woo, this does have a focus on bodily disfigurement and some very dark moments. Chingmy Yau, Parkman Wong, Lo Meng and Paul Chun co-star.