Chasing the Dragon is a gangster epic based upon real events that have inspired numerous similar movies in the past. It tells the rise and fall of Ho, an illegal immigrant to Hongkong who starts as a street fighter before his skills impress local police officer Lee Rock who gradually makes him a renowned boss of the underground. While his rise makes Ho a respected member of his community, he must fight ferocious opponents, loses many people around him and passionately hates the corrupt British police that is trying to control him.
Chasing the Dragon convinces with profound real-life characters played by some of Hongkong's greatest contemporary actors such as Andy Lau and Donnie Yen. The movie focuses on character developments and tense rivalry between crime syndicates and police forces instead of gratuitous action sequences. That being said, the film still includes a few quite tense and brutal gunfights and wild chases that are used in small doses and offer welcome breaks from the dramatic dialogues. The locations are particularly interesting, leading us from crowded and poor suburbs or cheap bars and casinos to lush mansions and exotic locations in Thailand. The camera work is precise and easy to follow. The jazzy soundtrack complements the settings accurately. It's also refreshing that the movie doesn't involve any distracting subplots such as love stories and rather focuses on the love-hate relationship between two men and their immediate collaborators.
Chasing the Dragon might not reinvent the gangster movie genre but it's among the best movies of its kind in recent memory. It's obvious that a lot of money, passion and thought was put into every single detail of this movie by the filmmakers, from the great set of casted actors over the realistic fight sequences to the choice of authentic locations. Fans of classic gangster movies such as The Godfather and the likes will certainly enjoy watching Chasing the Dragon.
Chasing the Dragon convinces with profound real-life characters played by some of Hongkong's greatest contemporary actors such as Andy Lau and Donnie Yen. The movie focuses on character developments and tense rivalry between crime syndicates and police forces instead of gratuitous action sequences. That being said, the film still includes a few quite tense and brutal gunfights and wild chases that are used in small doses and offer welcome breaks from the dramatic dialogues. The locations are particularly interesting, leading us from crowded and poor suburbs or cheap bars and casinos to lush mansions and exotic locations in Thailand. The camera work is precise and easy to follow. The jazzy soundtrack complements the settings accurately. It's also refreshing that the movie doesn't involve any distracting subplots such as love stories and rather focuses on the love-hate relationship between two men and their immediate collaborators.
Chasing the Dragon might not reinvent the gangster movie genre but it's among the best movies of its kind in recent memory. It's obvious that a lot of money, passion and thought was put into every single detail of this movie by the filmmakers, from the great set of casted actors over the realistic fight sequences to the choice of authentic locations. Fans of classic gangster movies such as The Godfather and the likes will certainly enjoy watching Chasing the Dragon.