10. 2000AD (2000)
Around the time The Matrix was plundering Hong Kong movies for inspiration, cinema there had emerged from one of it’s biggest lulls to find it’s feet once again. It was as if the gauntlet had been laid down, and it was time for Hong Kong to reclaim the action crown.
Teen heartthrob Aaron Kwok and Daniel Wu are two unsuspecting computer nerds who become embroiled in a conspiracy to use the Y2K bug to bring down the banks in Asia, led by Andrew Lin (Black Sheep Affair). Gordon Chan’s direction matches Hollywood turn for turn, then adds a great amount of intelligence unfound in western action movies.
There’s a wonderfully understated performance by Francis Ng as the police chief who sacrifices his life to protect Kwok (in a scene inspired by Kurosawa). A car, rather than a person, performs wirework! Then of course theres the final showdown between Kwok and Lin atop a 33 storey building – for real!
Don’t you just love Hong Kong movies?
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Purple Storm (1999)
Daniel Wu gives a great performance as the deadly terrorist who loses his memory, convinced by an anti-terrorist unit that he is in fact an undercover agent with the terrorists so they can capture them.
Beast Cops (1998)
Gordon Chan directs Anthony Wong in one of the performances of his career in a gritty action thriller which leads to a very, very messy end.
Tokyo Raiders (2000)
Tony Leung Chui-wai and Ekin Cheng help Kelly Chen find her missing husband, but neither is quite what they say. Superb action comedy partly inspired by Charade.
Time and Tide (2000)
Tsui Hark’s tale of a bodyguard and a disillusioned mercenary who befriend each other is on a level with Fight Club for visual ingenuity. The incredible finale doesn’t let the pace drop through the last 40 odd minutes.
