Chasing the Dragon

1 / 2 directing & technical aspect
1 / 1 story
1 / 1 act I
1 / 1 act II
1 / 1 act III
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 writing
0 / 1 originality
0 / 1 lasting ability to make you think

-.5 / 1 misc

6.5 out of 10

The story and action is entertaining, if lacking anything to make it special.

It's also a bit far-fetched and jarring how it portrays the starring criminals (including the corrupt police officers) as wholesome, likeable and patriotic despite having built their massive fortunes on the drug trade and regularly committing cold-blooded murder. Meanwhile, the English police officers are portrayed as not just corrupt but evil and vindictive to the core. Hence we have our villains.

It's impressive that our heroes remain likeable despite their flaws, but regardless it's a bit hard to be invested in their goals or their fates once they've crossed too many lines, and after Crippled Ho blames everyone except himself for the fates of his loved ones. The only true hero in the film was [spoiler]the ICAC anti-corruption commission[/spoiler], which enters the plot and disappears again within the space of about 2 minutes.