The Mission (1999)

Very disappointing...

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

THE MISSION is an HK film about men with guns. In this case they're hired shooters, chosen as bodyguards for a Triad boss after an assassination attempt. Their job is to keep him safe and work out who in his organisation was behind the failed hit. Basically this means a film of two halves. One half is a gentle comedy about (a very unusual) workplace, as the gunmen get bored and do things like covertly play football with a scrunched up piece of paper. The other half is a stylish action film, with it's standout scene being an ultra-cool shootout in a deserted shopping mall after hours; it's all angles and mirrors as the two sides try to outmaneuver and kill each other. It's short, unpretentious and not especially incident-packed but it makes up for that with some wry smiles and clever gunfights.

A group of criminals are united by a Triad to protect his brother. I honestly fell asleep after twenty minutes. The opening did not captivate me and I honestly did not feel at any moment that these guys were the best at their jobs...Too many characters in my opinion..Anthony Wong is one actor I admire and have found his performances in the past nothing short of excellent, but even he cannot do justice to this role.No character really stands out, they're all quite boring, there is no banter nor is there any good strong dialogue, just a bunch of men walking around.

"The Mission" steers away from the usual plot types of the Hong Kong Cinema New Wave and does not rely on martial arts for thrills. Instead, what we have here is a sort of marginal "Reservoir Dogs" since there is a sense of comradery between the five assigned hit men (though a cigarette prank isn't as charming as its played to be). Consider the scene where a sniper catches the five hit men off guard as they escort their boss to a car. One of the hit men veers off and is left behind on the conscience decision of the lead hit-man. When this left behind man returns to base, he slaps the lead man in the most offending manner for minutes. The lead man, a tough guy named "Ice," allows himself to be beaten. Why? Because in their world of corrupt organizations and tight hit groups, one does not leave a man behind. This sense of loyalty arises to a full extent in the third act, where the men must question what is the "right" thing to do.The film also contains a couple of shoot out scenes. But don't be fooled; you are not gonna watch "The Matrix." Instead, look for the wide angle lense shots of various suited hit men standing in very specific places, barely moving their feet, but the sequences are very exciting because if you step back, it's orchestrated skillfully and cued beautifully to the--music.From the opening scroll a sort of 'laughable' techno beat pumps, and all sorts of upbeat synthesized sounds fill the soundtrack to an unexpected result: an acceptance. After a while, you look forward to hearing what kind of sound matches up with what sort of scene. This type of tough, nitty genre relies on music, and the setting of the film calls for this amped up sound.

What an outstanding film this is. Yes, the music is way out of place. But hey. It stars Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Francis Ng, Simon Yam, and Eddy Ko. This has some of the coolest gun fights that I have seen in a long time. The shootout in the mall is just amazing. Listen for the echo of the of the single shot sidearm. Very very cool. The plot is about five people who are in the Triad that must protect a boss at all costs. They come from different walks of life. One is a gun enthusiast, another is wanting to make a name for himself as a gunmen, another owns a club and is being constantly harassed by some guys who think they are tough. Anthony Wong points out their mistake the hard way. Oh yes. And Anthony Wong is a hair stylist...don't let that fool you one bit. If anyone has seen "Untold Story" and John Woo's "Hard Boiled", then you know what I am talking about. Just see this movie with another great film by director Johnnie To called "Fulltime Killer". This movie gets a 10 out 10.