Flash Point (2007) – REVIEW

by Jordache Wee

Original Mandarin Title: 導火綫
Release Date: August 9, 2007 
Directed by: Wilson Yip
Language: Cantonese
Music by: Chan Kwong-Wing
Starring: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin Chou, Ray Lui, Xing Yu, Fan Bingbing, Kent Cheng, Xu Qing, Teresa Ha, Law Lan, Tony Ho, Irene Wong, Timmy Hung, Liang Zhenhui, Ben Lam, Austin Wai, Wilson Tsui, Huang Zhiwei, Tanigaki Kenji, Yu Kang, Damian Green, Damon Howe, Min Yoo, Drafus Chow, Dus Luu, Zen Berimbau, Shimomura Yuji, Fanny Lee, Siu Hung, Victy Wong, Kam Loi-kwan, Chang Kin-yung, Sherwin Ming 

Three brothers Archer (Ray Lui), Tony (Collin Chou) and Tiger (Xing Yu) discusses rival gang leader, Sam (Ben Lam), a rival gang leader on a drug deal.

While Inspector Ma Jun (Donnie Yen) and a team of police officers, raids the nightclub for investigation, and fights with Wilson (Louis Koo), who is his undercover agent.

Inspector Ma Jun (Donnie Yen)

Soon, the brothers are betrayed and attacked by Sam and his gang who are impatient on receiving the drugs from Vietnam. Archer and his brothers threaten the elder leaders of their gang when they try to intervene. Tiger is assigned to kill Sam in public but Wilson intervenes.

At the hospital, Sam agrees to testify in court against the three brothers. On the night of their mother’s birthday, the brothers plan to recover their drug loot, but Archer is arrested by the Hong Kong police. This incident make Tony and Tiger realizes Wilson is a mole.

While in court, Archer is forced to turn in his travel documents, so that he will not escape from Hong Kong before his hearing. Tony and Tiger brutally murder Sam along with several other witnesses and crime figures who can testify against them to the police investigation.

Their  initial plan to kill Wilson fails, Tony and Tiger decide to sneak into a hospital guarded by police. Inspector Ma discovers that Tiger, has disguised as a janitor, is within the building and chase after him, they both end up being in the same elevator where Tiger tries to kill Ma with a silenced pistol.

They engage in a fight but a  unfortunate female police officer was shot by a stray bullet after hesitating to shoot Tiger. Tony kidnapped Wilson’s girlfriend, Julie (Fan Bingbing)and threatens to kill her, because  Wilson is the last surviving witness.

Tiger (Xing Yu) trying to escape from Inspector Ma after throwing a little girl to a concrete

Inspector Ma chases Tiger when he tries to escape and brutally beats him to death in front of a crowd after Tiger severely injures a little girl by throwing her on the concrete. During the court hearing, Wilson refuses to testify, and the case is dismissed for lack of evidence. Wilson attempts to rescue Julie, but is captured by Tony and his gang.

Tony (Collin Chou) giving his best to defeat Inspector Ma

Happily Archer walks free but Inspector Ma holds him captive, and calls his brother, Tony, for an exchange of hostages, at a rural Chinese village. Inspector Ma exchanges Tony for Wilson and Julie, while he and Tiger goes across to Tony’s side, to take them all down. Wilson drives Julie to a safe point and returns to help Inspector Ma but he got killed during his pursuit with Archer. The final battle ends with Inspector Ma and Tony, with Tony defeated after a long and tough fight.

Reviewer’s Note:
Flash Point was made to be a prequel to SPL: Sha Po Lang, reusing same actors from SPL. Flash Point follows the story of Inspector Ma’s feat on capturing the drug dealers, but his operation went wrong when his mole is discovered.

It is no doubt that the extreme violence in this film intensified since SPL. Despite being a law enforcer, Inspector Ma neglect the rules by brutally killing one of the drug dealers with his bare hands. Though justice has been held but it’s not his verdict to do so.

Although, the story is not as enjoyable as SPL. It still shows significant fight scenes of Yen’s potential.

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