Wong gok hak yau (One Night in Mongkok) (2004)

Sinks us into the muddied moral line between cops and criminals, beaten down by a callous, bottom-line system . . . holds a mirror up to the Hong Kong action thriller and asks us to look beyond the flash of violence.

When street violence spirals out of control, a police unit attempts to cope with the situation and track down a hired killer who proves rather more resourceful than the double-crossing contractor who sells him out had counted on. One Night In Mongkok centres around the criminal underbelly of a district in one of the most densely populated areas of Hong Kong. It involves a dash of social commentary in its portrayal of how rural Chinese flock to the bright lights of Hong Kong to escape poverty only to become treated as a disposable commodity by the ruthless criminals who rule there. Its approach will be familiar to any who have seen the likes of Infernal Affairs or City Of God, falling somewhere between the two in plot and execution. The direction is just the right combination of gritty realism and style and the cast are all strong. The plot relies a little too heavily on coincidence and the usual combination of brutal violence and grey morality all round won't win any awards for originality, but to anyone who enjoys this type of film it's a solid example.

The story was unexpected. The dialogues were deeply philosophical and unforgettable. The movie truly unearthed the most crowded underground slum near Hong Kong and unveiled the heart of men and women who live in it. Excellent story plot. Highly recommanded.