"Drug War" is an interesting and compelling film, but it is far too long and there are far too many plot flaws to be memorable. Along with the plot flaws, there are literally dozens of "good guys" and "bad guys", so it can be hard to keep track of who's who, especially when the shooting starts and when you've got 3 seconds to see who bought the farm before the camera angle changes.
That being said, the main characters do a good job and there are several minor characters ( a drug boss who laughs, two deaf mute low level gangsters) who give the film a certain charm. Moreover, the glance we get of law enforcement in China is certainly eye opening.
Best of all is the ending, with a shootout that certainly rates in the top 10 of murder and mayhem, although falling short of such classics as "The Wild Bunch", "Yojimbo", "The Seven Samurai" and "The Beast of the City."
That being said, the main characters do a good job and there are several minor characters ( a drug boss who laughs, two deaf mute low level gangsters) who give the film a certain charm. Moreover, the glance we get of law enforcement in China is certainly eye opening.
Best of all is the ending, with a shootout that certainly rates in the top 10 of murder and mayhem, although falling short of such classics as "The Wild Bunch", "Yojimbo", "The Seven Samurai" and "The Beast of the City."