Follow up to the immensely enjoyable ‘The Heroic Trio’, ‘Executioners’ goes a more serious/darker route (albeit with ample over-the-top action!) that while not as fun as its predecessor, is nevertheless an entertaining ride, mainly due to the over-the-top action.

Director Johnnie To and action coordinator/co-director Ching Siu-Tung return to helm along with a good chunk of the core cast from ‘The Heroic Trio’, including leading ladies Yeoh, Cheung, and Mui. Set in what appears to now be a post-apocalyptic future, the once heroic crime-fighting women are all leading separate lives, and water is in short supply and now a precious commodity. With a disfigured, seemingly super-human, wannabe dictator (Wong) vying for control of the land and water, the trio of battling beauties must find a way to take up arms once again and re-unite to save the land from imperialism and seek out a fabled source of clean water for all the people.

A slick, burnt out desert future world is impressively practically rendered by To and his crew, the film having a dark future vibe where Wong’s perpetually-on-the-brink-of-madness bad guy reigns supreme. ‘Executioners’ carries over the comic book vibe of the previous instalment but ladens on the seriousness and melodramatics this time around. ‘The Heroic Trio’ wasn’t without its overt sentimentality, but ‘Executioners’ is so wayward in tone and heavy handed on occasion, it interrupts the fun to be had when the action kicks in and Wong chews up the scenery. Some misplaced song choices don’t help either, ruining the vibe and diluting the tension.

While the above render the sequel inferior, To and Siu-Tung still deliver enough creativity and kinetic action to get one through the wonkier moments. Beautifully shot and mounted with creative verve, the future world looks great, the camerawork is slick, and the action delivers. While the action scenes aren’t overly sustained, they’re certainly plentiful, creative, and full of impressive practical stunts and wire enhanced choreography. They amp up the comic book vibe and allow the three leading ladies to strut their stuff.

The leading trio acquit themselves well, though Cheung stands out getting most of the best scenes as the sprightly, ever energetic of the trio, and Wong seems to be having a blast as the maniacal bad guy. There’s also great support from the likes of Damien Lau, Eddy Ko, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Lau Ching-Wan. A mixed bag for sure but still a fun romp thanks to the leading cast, some slick production value, and rollicking action.