Well i would like to start with the screenplay..like the previous part the story also somehow remains the same..two guys n one girl..guys fight and girl well she too..but on the other hand...the whole storyline was good but the only thing that was lacking is the climax..could have been much better like the previous one so a total letdown in the end but otherwise the director somehow manages to keep the audience engaged till the end.I would like to also talk about the cinematography. though HK cinema or any other cinemas are famous for their experimentation in the fight scenes and no matter where you go one will always find that Asian Stunt Directors always does superior jobs compared to Hollywood..but some times too many cooks spoils the broth..that's what happened here..i found that at some places fight scenes were not enough creative for which HK cinema is known for and moreover the camera angles in some fighting sequences were not great and i was not feeling at ease while watching them throw punches and kicks without proper lighting or too much slow motion spoiled the mood. so the action lets you down some where but still good situational stunts keeps the interest alive.Now the performance part..like previous part the Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Lam steals the show with his comical performance and daring stunts..and QI SHU as JJ stole the show..she was like a fresh air which entertained with her looks and performance and kept the movie entertaining during the whole time..Richie Ren as Owen Lee does OK..though there was nothing much to do for others!!It was overall a good experience..Tony and Richie Ren's comic scenes keeps the Pace alive so you don't feel the shortcomings of this annoying.. So one time watch but don't expect anything extraordinary..!!My Rating 7/10.
... View MoreOne thing I can say about this film is it's not entertaining except for watching the landscape around Seoul which is one of the cleanest city I've ever seen. Action is one of the worst I've seen, with characters I get to hate watching, and pretty bad music.Director just wasn't into putting in details that makes movie compelling. Movie is often a reflection of director's personality, and this guy either is a very boring guy, or wasn't into it when he made this.Owen character was pretty annoying to me. Yeah I would want to punch him in the face. That bad. With the main antagonist being of this caliber, there's no hope of movie getting off the ground.Rating this movie is a no win situation. The plot is totally boring which was seen many times before on other movies of counterfeit money plate being the plot ploy to keep the story going. I watched this movie till the end because I wanted to see more of Seoul's city scape.
... View MoreYeah, the comment above is very well worded and deep. This movie, while contains some fun dialogue, is certainly not deep. Perhaps in the English or Japanese version things come across differently but I watched it in Chinese, and Seoul Raiders is a run of the mill Hong Kong style action/comedy. That is not to say it was not enjoyable! Leung is superbly funny, and all of the gags that are pulled are hilarious. It definitely has a Stephen Chow feel. Also, i'm not sure if they translate well into English, but the jokes are nuanced and witty. I'd highly recommend this movie for a fun, up beat evening. But if you are looking for a dark character study, this is not the place to start.
... View More"Tokyo Raiders", made in 2000, was a fun, lightweight action film that didn't exactly cry out for a sequel. But after five whole years one was made anyway, and it is another fun, lightweight action film that manages to equal, if not top, its predecessor. There are some creative fight / chase scenes (in the subway, on the wings of a bi-plane, etc.), and most of them have a comic element as well. It's always nice to see a Hong Kong film with real martial arts and limited wire-work and CGI, though the editing can be confusing at times. Tony Leung is a cool and suave lead, like an Asian version of James Bond. Shu Qi is charming, if perhaps underused action-wise. And Richie Ren does a good job of replacing Ekin Cheng (not in the same role) from the first film. Overall, "Seoul Raiders" is a film that doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is - pure entertainment - and I enjoyed it on that level both times I saw it. (**1/2)
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