The title says it all. Drug War is a film about both law enforcement and drug criminals trying to outplay each other, and their intricate maneuvers. Who better to direct this Hong Kong gangster movie than Johnnie To? In the U.S., the director has yet to achieve cult status (like John Woo), but his incredible filmography (if not this film alone) should hopefully change that.
Not one to waste any time, the film opens with several drug mules being apprehended during a sting operation, while simultaneously having Timmy Choi (Louis Koo) — a big time meth producer — end up in police custody at a hospital after barely surviving a chemical explosion. And that’s just the beginning. Timmy instantly agrees to cooperate with the authorities to avoid the death penalty, yet his eagerness seems too good to be true: how can both sides of the war be forced to trust each other? Yes, the plot seems a little thin, but the movie doesn’t pretend to be an intellectual commentary on drug trade. On the contrary, To fills his audience with suspense, as we get to follow the police desperately try to adapt to the information presented by Choi.
The film is bare in the sense that there are no real backstories or convoluted plot twists. Instead, conflicts and plot points arise randomly and almost aimlessly to push the plot forward. Under a different director, the movie might have seemed lazy, but its hyperrealism and phenomenal acting hooks the audience immediately, focusing only on the police and their mission. Such a script layout also gives To the opportunity to really show his talent: Suspense is part of every scene, since at any moment we might get to know Timmy’s real intentions. And that’s the best thing about it — we only see as much as the police do throughout the entire film. That is how the audience remains hooked: through a real-time, singular perspective of the events.
Despite his crafty direction, To doesn’t forget his roots, amply providing us in fantastic action scenes and shootouts… not to mention an amazing build-up to a 15 minute shootout scene, complete with To’s signature gritty style. And yet, the movie can’t quite be described as part of the action genre; it’s too sophisticated for that. A big feature of the film is the precise steps that the police have to take while Louis and his captor — vice policeman Zhang Lei (Honglei Sun) — try to outsmart each other.
Though the film may be a little slow for some, To adds some color with great side characters. Thus, one scene has a drug importer suffering from compulsive laughter, while another shows a team of loyal and deadly deaf-mutes operating a meth laboratory. And it doesn’t just stop there, as the cold and calculating police are occasionally forced to go undercover and change face completely — usually to emulate their on screen counterparts.
If you have yet to see a Johnnie To film, then starting with Drug War is a pretty decent choice. The movie is available on Netflix for instant streaming, unlike his other works which are often harder to come across.
— Ilya Kundin
