martial-6 I really enjoyed this movie. This time, it's not Chinese male who rule an action movie, but Chinese women. But above that I really enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters. How a movie is touching you depend of your life. I lost my parents I lost my daughter and may be this is why I was touched by this movie. I would like to have the version of close to you from this movie. I also liked the play with the camera. One of my favorite scene, is when Lynn (in the french version) jump out of the window (at the beginning) while her sister is asking her to not forget the cake.Martial

Kelly Maureen The writers get no points for creating a cohesive or logical plot. It's all over the place. A guy creates a worldwide spying device and then he's killed in an attempt to steal it. Years later his two daughters use the device to become hired assassins and get away with all their crimes. One of the sisters falls from some Korean sex symbol and decides she wants to stop killing people for money. The other sister wants to keep going and so she tries to do a job on her own and she screws up. There's a rookie cop who pretty much figures it all out and she's hot on the sisters' trail. One of the guys who paid for a hit decides he wants to wipe out the sisters and the cop and then it's all kicking and shooting and wire fu for the last exciting 20 minutes or so. Like I said, the story is pretty poorly put together but you will enjoy almost every moment any of the sisters or the cop is on the screen. Karen Mok is brilliant as the tough, smart, sassy and sexy cop. Shu Qi and Vicki Zhao make for the cutest sisters you'll ever see on screen. Whenever any of these characters are fighting with good guys, bad guys, one another or each other, you will be amazed at the stylized kung fu artistry. Yes, there's a lot of wires and camera trickery but it never takes away from the enjoyment. And how many movies can turn "Close To You" into a action theme? Don't watch the English dubbed version if you can avoid it. Watch it either in Mandarin or Cantonese for full enjoyment.

wierzbowskisteedman There was a vague suggestion of a plot here somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can remember enough to do a summary.Shu Qi and Zhao Wei play assassin sisters who have to screw over some important people for some reason. As this is the 21st century computers figure largely. Zhao has an impressive if rather daft office full of computers that enable her to see just about anything, anywhere, which is really helpful for her telling Shu when she has to get ready to plant her stiletto boot in some guy's face. Oh and there's some other woman played by Karen Mok, who is a policewomen trying to stop them. Ooh, the tension! The gaps in between the OTT but pretty decent fight scenes are taken up either by Karen Mok jibing at her partner, otherwise known as Goofy Girl Power Fodder Police Sidekick Model 101 Who Wears Glasses Because He's Goofy, or Shu and Zhao arguing with each other ("Waaa, waaa, I want to shoot the important people!") or occasionally fighting which at one point leads to a scene involving a full bath tub, soap, Zhao getting very wet, a naked Shu Qi and a carefully placed white towel that's as soft core as you can get without actually being soft core.So far you probably think I hated this film, but I did find it enjoyable. Action-wise, it's standard fare for anyone familiar with HK action, so that means it's much superior to anything Hollywood churns out in a similar vein. Unfortunately there's some lame CGI pasting things together now and then but there's enough neat martial arts and gun play to justify giving it a look. US actresses can try to be Shu Qi, but few come close in terms of charisma or looks. Along with the action she's the only significant factor holding the whole thing together.The major stumbling block is when the film goes dramatic into the third act. What started out as a fun, light hearted shampoo commercial come shoot em up almost regresses into an overly melodramatic vengeance piece that I felt didn't fit in with its initial attitude. Luckily vast hordes of people start getting shot soon afterwards which prevents the film from killing itself with its shoelaces.Don't feel you have to rush out and rent this. It's fun, but Infernal Affairs signalled the end of the post-John Woo HK crime recession which suggested they can do a lot better than this. But I don't want my money back because So Close achieved what it set out to be; brainless action with attractive women. Certainly choose this over Charlie's Angels.

crueltwistoffate Review: So Close(2002) Current mood: human I guess. Good action movies can be far and few inbetween...never more so than now a days. That's why I really liked this film...it looked modern but had a old school feel. I was first introduced to this film because of the director's film "The Transporter" which I thought was bad a$$. Don't let the front of the DVD fool you...Yes, there are 3 girls...with guns, kung fu,lots of flashy directing and wire works but trust me...this film is everything that Charlie's Angels wishes it was. Unlike the horrid Charlie's Angels So Close actually has a story to it and the action plays to the story rather than the story being fill in. The movie has really sweet moments that don't have action in it and the story is carried by the leads. The problem with female fronted action movies and comic films is that they try to be all things to all people. In a lot of these films the sexuality is used to get the guys in, then they use cheesy love story to get the girls and the PG-13 action to get the teenage boys. So what is it missing? Guts. That's what. The sexuality isn't over used in the movie, the romance is believable(and don't make them seem like sluts or tacked on like in Electra) and the action is wonderfully shot and violent. But with saying that there are hardly any killings on screen but the violence is balls to the walls. When 2 of the characters take on a sword carrying bad ass they hold up their own in this violent fight. It's no wire work dance ala Charlie's Angels...it's down to the ground dirty fighting that makes you cheer for the girls to beat the guy up badly. So if your in the mood for a fun popcorn flick with hot girls, guns and "ACTION" then this flick is for you. So instead of seeing another one of those PG-13 action films where they belong...gathering dust on a shelf and try this one out...you'll like it.