We begin in medias res as our protagonist, Mike (Daniel Wu), is being buried alive in a shallow grave.
As his Henry Hill-esque voice-over begins to explain, he had always wanted to be a somebody – even if now he looks about to become a nobody…
But, let's begin at the beginning, as the young cop's over-enthusiastic enforcement of the law – a restaurant shoot-out that leaves some low-ranking lowlifes dead – brings him to the attention of his superior as the ideal man to go undercover and infiltrate the Hung Hing Triad.
With bravery, wit and a stroke of good fortune, Mike's mission is swiftly accomplished. True, it costs him his relationship with girlfriend Anya, but the gangster life brings plenty of compensations, not least boss Tin's (Eric Tsang's) wife, Pauline (Suki Kwan).
Soon, Mike is in way too deep, so enamoured with his new lifestyle that his mission changes from breaking the gang to becoming its number one…
Watching Cop on a Mission comparisons with Infernal Affairs are inevitable. Divided loyalties, duplicity, double-crosses and the formidable presence of Eric Tsang. Okay, it's not quite as good, with the fact that the script is credited to "not a woman" gives some idea of the film-makers aspirations here – or apparent lack thereof – but, then, what is?
Long time Tsui Hark editor Marco Mak directs with confidence and flair, drawing the spectator in with Mike in the best Goodfellas tradition, and is ably assisted by his three leads, with Daniel Wu and Suki Kwan showing more dramatic range and guts than their pretty boy/girl status might lead one to expect while Tsang – ex-footballer turned stuntman, writer, producer, director and actor – once again gives Danny De Vito a run for his money in the small guy with big talent contest.
If the scenario is laden with cliches and improbabilities, Mike's rise and fall too rapid to be credible even if we can accept that he does in a few months what took Donnie Brasco several years, there are also countervailing nuances.
Note, for instance, Tin's sexual dysfunction – the legacy of a rival triad's blade – and the way it not only provides a plausible, if perverse, rationale for his unerticulated feelings towards Mike – is the young man son and heir or something else? – but also perhaps taps into the evil eunuch idea found in many wuxia. After all, the idea of xia or chivalry permeates both the pian to which it gives its name – casual viewers can think of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of the Flying Daggers , long-term enthusiasts the old and new Dragon Gate Inn s – but also the "Heroic Bloodshed" of John Woo, Ringo Lam from which Cop on a Mission can perhaps most clearly trace its lineage.)
In sum, if Infernal Affairs is the Godfather or Goodfellas of the Hong Kong crime film, Cop on a Mission is its Carlito's Way – not quite there with the all-time greats, but certainly worthy of attention.
Marking Tai Seng Entertainment's debut the Region 2 DVD, the Cop on a Mission disc serves as a clear statement of intent, with a decent OAR transfer and sound options – Cantonese 5.1, Mandarin and Vietnamese stereo, plus optional English subtitles – and a nice package of extras.
The commentary by Frank Djeng (also responsible for the effective English subtitle translations) is dry but insightful, bringing out aspects of the film that the viewer might easily miss – our protagonist's dubious personality is immediately signalled on by his making calls from a public phone, something a regular Hong Kong policeman concerned with propriety and right conduct would never do, for example – connections to other films, and providing a wealth of detail on the cast and crew.
The liner notes – "Tai Seng's Things to Know About Cop on a mission" – are a nice idea, further contextualising the film with bits of trivia and background, noting – for instance – how a green taxi signals that we are in the New Territories in the north, away from the gangsters' main haunts in the south.
The package is rounded off by a selection of biographies, an artwork/stills gallery and the original and US export trailers, plus those for forthcoming releases Run 2U , Ring Virus and Red Trousers .
A solid debut release of a solid film.
Copyright © K H Brown 2002-2005
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