Cast Member: Liu Kai-Chi

While Derek Chiu’s latest film is an acceptable blockbuster, the wit and style of the director’s earlier works is sadly fading away from him.

Not just one of the best thrillers to emerge from Hong Kong in a good few years, but also as good as many that have been released throughout Asia over the artistically-rich 21st century.

Jacob Cheung’s celebrated drama is that magical juxtaposition of gritty social commentary and absorbing character study that many lesser directors aspire to replicate.

Superbly paced, mounted and executed, one should simply sit back and enjoy this kung fu spectacle.

Full of humanity and interest, it remarkably manages to takes three or four strong sub-plots and amalgamate them together without letting any of them suffer.

While the narrative and tone get a little muddled and the pace dips here and there, ‘Fire of Conscience’ is still a good tough-as-nails cop thriller with some brutal action.

By avoiding Hollywood histrionics or schmaltz, a well-worn plot again manages to seem fresh and deeply moving.

This is superior entertainment of a light and fluffy nature that somehow feels more sophisticated than anything out at the moment (even though it probably isn’t).

It’s a solid study of the strains that sudden fame has on friendship, especially when the screaming girls and management team are favouring two members over the whole five.

‘I Love Hong Kong’ doesn’t steer too far away from the usual New Year hi-jinks – it is an entertaining 2011 release, but will probably not be remembered come 2012.

You really feel a lot of the hits in this film which is all in all, a hugely enjoyable action flick, jam-packed with trademark Woo Ping fight scenes, thankfully sans wires!

Herman Yau’s conclusion to the story deserves its place among its contemporaries. And any film with Anthony Wong giving his all is well worth adding to your collection.