Exiled (a.k.a. Fong Juk) makes me feel as if the memorable French gangster/Italian Spaghetti Western genre is being revisited.
Director Johnny To has the wisdom to reunite the same 4 out of the 5 main actors in The Mission, his 1999 gangster classic. For some unknown reason one actor was left out and substituted by Nick Cheung (playing Wo in this movie). It seems a pity to me because, not saying Nick Cheung is no good, the original cast of five could have made it possible for making Exiled a genuine sequel to The Mission.
As it stands, Exiled tells a self-contained story (not exactly well-written but reasonable enough as a vehicle for the excellent gunfights it stages): When a Hong Kong mob boss Fay sends two killers, Blaze and Fat, after a renegade ex-gangster Wo found hiding out in Macau, another two hard men, Tai and Cat, turn up to intervene. The five actually know each other. In the face of Wo's wife Jin and baby son, Blaze and his sidekick Fat unwittingly agree to change plan, inadvertently setting things into a violent downward spiral. The final confrontation inside a hotel captured in slow motion is expertly crafted. After the dust is settled the viewers are abruptly reminded that what has just happened only takes as much time for a can of Red Bull drink being tossed up in the air and drops back down on the floor.
There are evidences to prove that Director Johnny To did not dwell in past success of The Mission, because Exile has adopted new techniques not seen before. Being made on location in Macau, Exiled smartly uses a lot of Look-down shots in overcoming the lack of open space provided by this former Portugese enclave some 40 miles west of Hong Kong. The exotic background scenery chosen gives people a surreal sensation, especially for those who know Macau, much more akin to what I'd get from those French and Italian movies of years gone by. The gun play action in Exile is yet another level above that seen in The Mission.
Although overall speaking Exiled did not surpass The Mission, mainly due to its storyline is even weaker than that of the already flimsy Mission, fans of Johnny To would still find it very enjoyable for the directing, acting, editing, music and of course, explosive action.
Director Johnny To has the wisdom to reunite the same 4 out of the 5 main actors in The Mission, his 1999 gangster classic. For some unknown reason one actor was left out and substituted by Nick Cheung (playing Wo in this movie). It seems a pity to me because, not saying Nick Cheung is no good, the original cast of five could have made it possible for making Exiled a genuine sequel to The Mission.
As it stands, Exiled tells a self-contained story (not exactly well-written but reasonable enough as a vehicle for the excellent gunfights it stages): When a Hong Kong mob boss Fay sends two killers, Blaze and Fat, after a renegade ex-gangster Wo found hiding out in Macau, another two hard men, Tai and Cat, turn up to intervene. The five actually know each other. In the face of Wo's wife Jin and baby son, Blaze and his sidekick Fat unwittingly agree to change plan, inadvertently setting things into a violent downward spiral. The final confrontation inside a hotel captured in slow motion is expertly crafted. After the dust is settled the viewers are abruptly reminded that what has just happened only takes as much time for a can of Red Bull drink being tossed up in the air and drops back down on the floor.
There are evidences to prove that Director Johnny To did not dwell in past success of The Mission, because Exile has adopted new techniques not seen before. Being made on location in Macau, Exiled smartly uses a lot of Look-down shots in overcoming the lack of open space provided by this former Portugese enclave some 40 miles west of Hong Kong. The exotic background scenery chosen gives people a surreal sensation, especially for those who know Macau, much more akin to what I'd get from those French and Italian movies of years gone by. The gun play action in Exile is yet another level above that seen in The Mission.
Although overall speaking Exiled did not surpass The Mission, mainly due to its storyline is even weaker than that of the already flimsy Mission, fans of Johnny To would still find it very enjoyable for the directing, acting, editing, music and of course, explosive action.