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When a robbery goes horribly wrong a policeman is witnessed
surrendering before being killed. Captured live by the media,
Hong Kong's police forces reputation looks to be irredeemably
tarnished. When they corner the gang in a labyrinthine apartment
block the police see it as an opportunity to orchestrate a
media show which will regain them their pride. However in
this day and age of Internet access, the police soon realise
that they do not have as much control as they would wish,
when the gang start broadcasting their own webcam show...
Breaking
News (Daai si gin, 2004) is a stylish action film
directed by Johnny To, who has been successfully making films
since the early eighties. The film has won four awards and
been nominated for a further eight.
Breaking
News has the distinction of being an action film, with
a ludicrous amount of gun fire, which actually has something
to say about the media's relationship with law enforcement.
Visually inventive from the first seven minute tracking shot,
this isn't just another no brainer cop film.
What
starts as an action film soon turns into something else. When
we join the fun Inspector Cheung (Nick Cheung) who is staking
out Yuen (Richie Ren). When he is interrupted by two bumbling
street cops all hell breaks loose and Cheung chases Yuen through
the streets of Hong Kong. Here we have the signpost that tells
us who is the good guy and who the bad. However, this premise
does not hold up. Soon, the character of Cheung is relegated
to the role of running around and shooting things, whilst
Yuen starts to come over as a criminal, but a very charismatic
one, with a sense of humour, who takes a professional pride
in his work.
The
real duel is not between Yuen and Cheung, but between Yuen
and the female inspector whose idea it is to hold the siege
in front of the cameras. Kelly Chen plays Commissioner Rebecca
Fong, who starts out as the hard nosed woman in a man's world
trying to make a difference, whose relationship with Yuen
changes as she gets to know him.
Ultimately,
Richie Ren plays Yuen with such conviction and panache that
you find yourself rooting for the bad guy, hoping that he
will get away and woo Rebecca, though anyone who has seen
Leon knows this is not the way these stories end.
The
film has a nice print with the option of stereo, 5.1 or DTS
soundtrack, all with English subtitles. There is a behind
the scenes featurette, which is little more than a three minute
promo for the film, and the original theatrical trailer.
So
what we have here is a stylish thriller with something to
say. Another little gem dug up by Tartan for your enjoyment.
Charles
Packer
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