Film review by Paul Cooke
Film maker Johnnie To steps into his Directors shoes and sets the tempo for an interesting slant on the buddy movie with the well paced , ‘ Running Out Of Time ’.
Andy Lau stars as the sharp-witted professional thief who is dying from cancer. When diagnosed as having just seventy two hours to live he intends to use the valuable time remaining to him in order to put the ghosts of his past to right.
Police Inspector Ho Sheung-Sang , as superbly played by Ching Wan Lau , is a respected Negotiator in hostage situations and has a code of honour attuned with an ability to succeed in pressure situations. His introduction immediately throws him into a hostage situation when a gang of armed bank robbers threaten to start killing people if their demands are not met. The intricate play off between Ho Sheung-Sang and the leader of the gang is meticulously played out and brandishes the Inspectors weapon of choice as being his undeniably quick thinking mind , backed up with sure fire dialogue a calibre all it’s own.
The worlds of both men collide when Andy Lau’s character , Cheung , takes the manager of a tower block finance company hostage. Manipulating the police presence it is not long before Ho Sheung-Sang is outside atop the building facing off with Cheung. The interaction between the two plays out in such a manner that the viewing audience will be transfixed and genuinely surprised at how the storyline unravels from this point on , as Director Johnnie To adroitly apportions the elements of solid story telling with character development to satisfying conclusion.
What appears to be a clever bomb hoax within the finance complex later proves to be all part of a scintillating plan , masterminded by Cheung to draw out underground arch criminals who were responsible for the death of his father.
The respectful bond that develops between Ching Wan Lau and Andy Lau’s luminaries is as diverse in nature to that of Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas’ in , ‘ Assassins ’, in so far as these men are both doing what they know best with honour and without malice to get through the day and begin tomorrow anew.
Amongst the intricate action is a dry humour that wryly appeals without ever spiralling into derision , and further endears the harmonious plights of both men as their bond cohesively proves to be mutually beneficial. With a fast paced car surge through the city , to try and get to the police station , a clever duplicitous reversal situation theme adds to the attention grabbing movie experience in true cat and mouse fashion.
The introduction of a love interest for Cheung , due to his predicament , is both touching and tragic as he meets his soul partner on a mini bus whilst attempting to elude the police. The girl , as played by the captivating Yo Yo Mung , knows not why he is evading capture but only that she senses in him a kindred spirit with a true heart , and so snuggles up next to him in a tender moment which draws attention away from a single man being hunted down.
By the films finale everything falls into place with the involved players having all affected each others existence , whether positively or negatively but unquestionably resoundingly , and most definitely for those experiencing from the comfort of a favoured chair in watching. The movie caters for a general audience of action lovers attracted to the themes of honour and the bond of devotion , that are sure to be rewarded by the feel good factor finale.
The general appeal will apply to the majority of both male and female patrons , and for the guys running out of time to impress their date this may just prove to be the entre for a perfect night in.
Film: 3 Bitch Slaps
Picture: 3 1/2 Bitch Slaps
Sound: 2 1/2 Bitch Slaps
Extras: 1 Bitch Slap
Overall: 3 Bitch Slaps
Film Reviewed: Running Out Of Time
Format : DVD
Release : MEI AH
Coding : NTSC All Region
Sound : Dolby Digital 5.1