Cold War II (2016) (DVD) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

The story picks up directly after events in the original, with Aaron Kwok returning as Police Commissioner Sean Lau, and Tony Leung Ka-fai back as his arch-rival M.B. Lee, who ended the first film being forced to hand over his son Joe (Eddie Peng) to the authorities for taking part in the theft of an armoured police van. Things immediately get tricky with Lau receiving a phone call telling him that his wife has been kidnapped, demanding that he go against protocol and have Joe transferred from prison. Unsurprisingly this turns out to be part of a plot to free the renegade officer, leaving Lau to take the blame, bringing his reputation and that of his department into dispute, prompting an investigation into the Cold War operation by Independent Legislator Justice Ngo-wai Kan (Chow Yun-fat). While Lau turns to ICAC investigator Billy Cheung (Aarif Rahman) to help him form a separate task force to get to the bottom of things, M.B. Lee is contacted by a former commissioner pushing him to try and take advantage of the situation and take control for himself.

Clearly there's a great deal going on in Cold War 2, and the above synopsis is really only the tip of what proves to be a very dense and multi-layered iceberg – watching or indeed re-watching the first film beforehand is highly recommended. In an age when many Chinese language blockbusters are going the Hollywood route and dumbing things down for the lowest common denominator, Longman Leung and Sunny Luk definitely deserve praise for taking the opposite approach, offering up a sequel which if anything is more complicated than the original, needing a great deal of concentration to really get the best out of it. Although the conflict between Lau and Lee is nominally what drives the film, this masks a labyrinth of Machiavellian manoeuvring and duplicity, with various factions all vying for power and position. Loyalties shift and deals are made throughout, the narrative tense, unpredictable and coming with a very satisfying dramatic payoff that leaves the door open for a third outing. The theme of the clash between duty and honour is very much central, though Leung and Luk thankfully don't milk it for too much in the way of melodrama, giving the film more of an intellectual, if perhaps at times a drier feel than most others of its type.

Significantly, the film does a great job of offering something which, unlike many other recent Hong Kong thrillers, has appeal for both the local and Mainland market, managing to do so without watering down its subject matter. While politics are central and allegories there for audiences looking for them, Leung and Luk are clever in this respect, with a sharp though subtle script that, in spite of a few too many glowing endorsements of Hong Kong as 'Asia's Safest City' and as a bastion of law and order, is even handed and not afraid to tackle tough questions.

The all-star cast is obviously a large part of the film's appeal, and its impressive collection of top talents and familiar faces are all on great form, giving their all in terms of staring, glaring and shouting at each other. Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Ka-fai are great value again in the lead roles, the clash between their straight-laced and combative characters making for some great scenes and confrontations. Crucially, though Kwok's Lau is on paper the more naturally heroic of the two, both are depicted as flawed and given to bad decision making, and Leung's Ka-fai emerges as equally sympathetic, making for a fascinating dynamic that nicely reflects the film's portrayal of the turmoil at the heart of the effort to provide a justice system that covers all outcomes. The supporting cast members who don't get lost in the mix similarly do well, Eddie Peng in particular, and it's good to see Chow Yun-fat taking on more than the kind of supporting role he has done of late, bringing to his role a welcome touch of stern gravitas.

Where Leung and Luk also succeed is in making what is essentially a dialogue-driven police procedural feel like a thriller, despite there being very little in the way of action, a few scattered set pieces aside. It's all very slick and fast moving, with some stylish editing helping to keep the suspense level high, ensuring that the film keeps the viewer gripped even when venturing into what might in other hands have been overly-detailed and dull territory. Excellent production values abound, and the film looks great from start to finish, with lots of swooping aerial shots of the Hong Kong skyline, and an accomplished use of light, shadow and colour which recalls the work of Michael Mann.

Though undeniably somewhat of a challenging watch, Cold War 2 is a superior sequel and a great film in its own right. Given the recent dip in quality of big budget Chinese language productions, it's pleasing to see a film unafraid to make its audience work, and the third act of Longman Leung and Sunny Luk's epic drama will hopefully stick to its guns in this regard.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com