PTU

The first thing I noticed about this film was its 2003 HK theatrical release date and 2008 US DVD release date. With such a long gap in between, it seems that there wasn’t enough initial appeal to warrant US release, or it was just another Asian film buried in the typical old Miramax release hell (DVD is from current Weinstein brothers offshoot Dragon Dynasty). Either way, delayed release usually spells trouble of some sort, and sure enough, the film supports the stereotype.

PTU is from Hong Kong auteur Johnnie To, a director who has racked up a considerable string of strong releases over the past decade such as Election, Breaking News, and Exiled. Unfortunately, he’s also responsible for some less than stellar projects, and this one trends toward that camp. Although it features familiar players such as Simon Yam and Suet Lam that have been used to great effect in his other productions, the project itself is mostly a throwaway.

The title refers to a “Police Tactical Unit” led by veteran cops played by Yam and Lam. The team is responsible for controlling violent crime in their assigned area, bringing them into frequent contact with all nature of Triad nasties and other neighborhood hooligans. On a routine encounter with some thugs, Lam’s character loses his gun, leading to a mad scramble by the rest of the PTU to recover it before the end of the night. That’s it. The whole plot balances on recovering a cheap pistol. There’s no great intrigue or interpersonal character development, just a simple fetch quest that doesn’t seem terribly important in the grand scheme of police tactics.

While the cops are on their search, they get into some bloody battles culminating in a shootout at the end of the film that doesn’t really deliver any payoff or even logic, just acting as an excuse for popping off lots of squibs and blanks. The resolution of the plot is about as arbitrary and meaningless as all that transpired before, leaving absolutely no satisfaction for viewers. It almost seems like the film started production without a script in place, and regrettably it never found one along the way.

For their parts, the actors put in solid performances that give the film its only glimmer of credibility, especially the always-reliable Yam. It’s somewhat rewarding just to see some of the To repertory players on screen together, but there’s no real point to their actions other than just having them all together. To draw a parallel to another ensemble, PTU is like the abysmal Ocean’s Twelve, all flash and no substance, while To’s superior Exiled is Ocean’s Thirteen.

PTU is available on DVD on March 25th, 2008.

Exiled

Remember the good old days when Hong Kong productions were the top of the class in Asian cinema, especially their frequently stunning action and crime dramas? Since its handover to China, Hong Kong cinema has largely become a pathetic joke, with only occasional glimpses of its past glory. The chief architect currently giving HK any consistent legitimacy is director Johnnie To, and his latest release proves his value once again.

Appropriately, Exiled is set in 1998, around the tail end of Hong Kong’s days as a force in worldwide cinema. While it bears similarities to other gangster films in his oeuvre, it’s probably closest in spirit to his 1999 hit The Mission. In fact, it uses many of the same actors, most notably Anthony Wong and Simon Yam. Like The Mission, it centers on a group of Triad gangsters as they band together for a common goal, in this case the protection of one of their own.

As the film opens, Triad boss Fay (Yam) dispatches two of his goons to Macao take out a rogue associate who had attempted a hit on him. The hit men approach the home of their mark and former colleague, only to be apprehended by two other hit men out to protect the mark. A tense standoff ensues, leading to reconciliation as the five men realize their long-time camaraderie means more to them than even the iron rule of their boss. This sets them on a collision course with the enraged Fay, putting all of their lives in jeopardy.

While on the lam and wandering in the wilderness (don’t ask), they stumble across a chance to steal a fortune in gold, an odd diversion from the primary plot that eventually impacts the touching conclusion. There’s no question that a bloody shootout factors into the finale, but To stacks his cards in such a way that it’s not at all clear how things will work out until the end.

Admittedly, the central plot is nothing special, but the charming scripted fellowship of the gangsters and the relatively high production values, especially its cinematography and dramatic action set pieces, elevates this film far above the norm and makes it a true contender on the international platform. It’s one of those rare films where the simple sight of the stars quietly walking down a street (in a suitably staged formation) invites instant admiration and a strong desire to see where their adventure takes them. Anthony Wong and Simon Yam lead the class with their superb acting performances, with Wong the enigmatic leader of his motley band of brothers and Yam as the glowering, oily force of evil. Frankly, this cast could just sit around playing cards for two hours and still captivate viewers, but luckily they’re given great material to work with here.

Exiled is now playing in limited release, check below for additional information.