# Ko dou gai bei (1997)

### reviewed by
Jun Yan

                            FULL ALERT (1997)

    Story by Ringo Lam
    Screenplay by Ringo Lam and W.K. Lau
    Cinematography by Ardy Lam
    Directed by Ringo Lam
    Actors: Lau Ching-Wan, Francis Ng

I was hesitant to rent this movie, because I know Ringo Lam has the capability of depressing me and affecting me. And this time he did not let me down, either.

Lau Ching-Wan plays inspector Pao, the leading officer of the Serious Crime Squad of Hong Kong police, investigating a crime involved with a body of an architect found in the water tank of a resident building. Soon the murderer is captured, and we learn that a big robbery is going to happen. A police officer dies on duty while pursuing the gang of robbers. The suspect Mak Kwan, who is an essential member of this robbery, escapes from the prison with the help of his devoted girlfriend. Pao is on the trail of the criminals, while both he and the escaped villain are haunted by their experience of killing. Hence, the cat-and-mouse game goes on around a safe room full of cash.

Some of Ringo Lam's style of his crime dramas remind me of "French Connection" and the good parts of "Heat". It's a cold, gruesome and almost documentary-like fashion to display violence and danger. There is a genuine intensity and suspense hanging over the entire film. There are very very few scenes in which the action sequences do not feel real. The cinematography remains dark throughout the film, never losing the mood and atmosphere of tension. There is a great sequence of Lau pursuing the suspect on foot and almost shot a motorcyclist passing by. It's long and realistic, unlike any similar sequence done in the usual way. There is very little music, and many of the intense scenes are carried out in complete silence. It works wonderfully in Ringo Lam's gritty, almost brutal style of filming the actions.

The screenplay is very well-written, too. Although the setup sounds routine with cop-and-robber stuff, it makes the process fascinating because neither side is particularly smarter than the other, and the police remains only half a step behind the robbers. Almost perfect pace of unfolding the plot of the crime, the script never loses its realistic touch. Some very intriguing action sequences, but they never feel staged or crafted. The screenplay does not glamourize either side of the law. Both the cops and the criminals are immersed in a sense of desperation and weariness. The mood is shown with minimalistic fashion most effectively.

However, the very best thing about this movie is not the style, nor the story, but the characters, especially Inspector Pao, who is a soft-hearted, vulnerable man with very few words. He is tired of the ugliness of his job and of the world. He loves his wife and baby son and feels guilty for the danger caused by his job. He is every bit believable and intimate as a character can be. Lau Ching-wan is at his very best as I have seen playing such a real and complicated family man. There is a thin line between being stoic and being subtle. Although he had been accused of being wooden before, Lau is most competent and subtle in this role. He successfuly mixes all the toughness and gentleness, sadness and pride, and all the inner conflicts, then presents it in a subtle but convincing way, but not so subtle that you'd miss it. The numerous memonts where he let his vulnerability out are the most moving and refreshing, yet never ever one bit overdone. The amazing strength of this film is its pricision in handling both the violent scenes and the tender scenes, never feeling a bit over-the-top or manipulative. It's done just right.

Compared to Lau Ching-Wan, Francis Ng's Mak Kwan is far less impressive, thus one of the few flaws of this film. The main villain does not carry the same weight as the main hero, as was better done in Lam's other classic "City on Fire". His relationship with the girlfriend, which is obviously intended to mirror Pao's family ties, do not work nearly as convincing and effective. Although written in a relatively ambiguous and sympathetic way, this character pales in comparison of Danny Lee's in "City on Fire" and Ng's performance did not hold his own opposite Lau. This flaw may not be severe, but it does hurt the power of the finale of the face-off between the two.

Subtlety and realism are Ringo Lam's strength, and Lau Ching-wan is the perfect cast to fit in this style. I even consider his performance here rivals that of Chow Yun-Fat's in "City on Fire" as well as the writing. At the last shot with Lau breaking down in tears, I almost had tears in my eyes too.

    Grade: A.

    jun

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