Although the complete lack of comedy may disappoint some of Jackie Chan's fans, I found him quite fascinating to watch in this more serious part; he proves, once and for all, that he CAN act, and he handles his complex relationship with the chief villain (who is not as one-dimensional a character as you might expect) particularly well. Perhaps if you're unaccustomed to Hong Kong action cinema, the frenetic pacing and chaotic storytelling, combined with the (bad, of course, but not unacceptable this time) dubbing, can create a disorienting effect. But the action starts early on and never lets up, and the fight scenes, while not numerous, are AMAZING. (**1/2)

Swapping the role of the buffoon we all know and love from most of his other movies, Jackie Chan here takes on a more complex and serious part for one of the few times in his lengthy career. Don't worry, though, as the film's total lack of humour isn't a flaw at all; instead, it makes for gritty, realistic and suspenseful viewing, a police thriller with a plot kept simple like other Chan movies, but focused on plot development, characters and action instead of pranks and pitfalls. I loved it. The action sequences are ably staged by director Kirk Wong and there are some wonderful stunts and chases in this movie, which has more explosions and gunplay than martial arts. Highlights to watch out for include an exciting multi-car chase in which a determined Jackie refuses to give up, and some excellent hijinks on the roof of building which eventually blows up.

The action is dynamic and exciting and later on we get some hard-hitting, excellent fight sequences which all of Jackie's fans will know and love; Fat Chung and Ken Lo really shine in their villain roles. The choreography is once again perfect. Unlike a lot of action movies, this has exactly the right balance of plot and action and the two factors mingle nicely, and the super-fast pacing makes it incredibly breathless. The fiery climax is especially good and tense and the budget allows for some great shoot-outs and lots of explosions all over the place. The acting is also of a high calibre, especially for Jackie who shines in the role of the weary cop who is totally dedicated to his job. Kent Cheng makes for a great foil as the corrupt detective villain and the scenes which the actors share are great. For the most part this is hard, fast and tremendously gripping stuff. The running time just flies past. Highly recommended.

This Jackie Chan film, inspired by a real story, sees Chan playing Inspector Eddie Chan of the Royal Hong Kong Police. He is put on the case when a local business tycoon reports that he is being targeted by kidnappers. The police are initially sceptical, putting his fears down to the fact that he was kidnapped before... then he and his wife are snatched in an attack that leaves one police officer dead and another seriously injured. The wife is quickly released but the kidnappers demand a US$50,000,000 ransom for the tycoon. Chan is teamed up with Detective Hung Ting-bong, not knowing that he is involved with the kidnappers. Their investigation brings up links to Mainland China and takes them to Taiwan before they return to Hong Kong and Chan learns the truth about the man he is working with.

This film is one of the grittiest Jackie Chan films that I've seen, his character is somewhat conflicted and since it was inspired by real events the danger feels more real. That doesn't mean that this is without Jackie's trademark superbly choreographed action and fight sequences. These included some slightly amusing touches without feeling too unreal. They also include some unpleasant moments, one involving a fan on fire might disturb some viewers. The action includes the exciting kidnap sequence; a great fight in Taiwan, fights on a ship and a final confrontation in an exploding building. Jackie Chan is on top form, showing he can be more serious when needed and Kent Cheng impresses as the corrupt Detective Hung Ting-bong. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Jackie Chan and Hong Kong cinema.

These comments are based on watching the film in Cantonese with English subtitles.