Ian Heath It's a good caper with some nice tension and action. Better acting than you would expect in a movie like this.

Tweekums I tend to associate the films of John Woo with non stop well choreographed violent action but this one is different. Yes, there is plenty of action, some of which is fairly violent but the over all tone feels much lighter as there are also plenty of gags, some of which had me laughing out loud.The film starts in France where we see a trio of thieves stealing a valuable painting from a moving lorry as it is transferred from a museum. When they give the painting to their French employer he asks them to steal another painting, the two men in the group say they are happy to take on the job but the woman, who is acting as translator tells their employer they have declined the offer.The two men proceed to steal the painting and escape in a thrilling car chase which ends in the apparent death of "Red Bean Pudding" (Chow Yun Fat). James (Leslie Cheung) and "Red Bean" (Cherie Chung) return to Hong Kong and after a while they are surprised to discover that their friend is still alive, it turns out he survived the crash but is now in a wheel chair. They also learn that the painting they stole in France is now the prized possession of their Fagin-like adoptive father. They are determined to steal it back off him which leads to several memorable scenes including attempting to steal a set of keys at a dance where Chow Yun Fat demonstrates that he is quite a dancer... in a wheel chair. The final shoot out is both exciting and hilarious.If you are a fan of John Woo's work I'd recommend this, it is also a great film to introduce his work to people one thinks might not be so keen on his purely action flicks. It probably isn't suitable for children though as there is quite a lot of shooting and some swearing.These comments are based on watching the film in Cantonese with English subtitles, an English dubbed version is also available.

Dave from Ottawa Chow Yun Fat, Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung make an attractive trio of art thieves who are double-crossed by gangsters after pulling off a job. Naturally they plot revenge. The story emphasis here is on elaborate and suspenseful heists being played out, and on charming banter amongst the main trio of characters, with the violent gun action largely reserved for the finale. The tone is lighter than most of Woo's film of this period, and the characters are more enjoyable. The glossy look reminds the viewer of the elaborate heist movies in vogue in the middle 60s, such as The Pink Panther or Topkapi and this one is similarly enjoyable time-passer.

kosmasp Once a thief how it was originally conceived by John Woo. And although it was nice that they let him remake(remade) his own work (but sadly for a TV audience as an appetizer for a TV show), this still is the real deal! Chow Yun Fat is captivating as ever, but you also have the great Leslie Cheung, who sadly took his own life a few years ago. But roles like this one make him unforgettable. Overall the movie is a little bit lighter than your average John Woo film, although that doesn't mean you won't recognize it as one! Normally this shouldn't be the first John Woo film you watch, but even if so, it doesn't matter, because you will enjoy it either way! :o) (at least that's what a Woo fan like me is saying/thinking!)