Ching yan (The Beast Stalker) (2008)

There are a number of Hong Kong crime thriller movies seen from year to year and Dante Lam delivers a great one known as The Beast Stalker.

At a high level there is nothing out of the ordinary in regards to the story, but when it comes down to it, there is more than meets the eye. This 1 hour 45 minute production will not fly by and this is not surprising. These types of films out of Hong Kong, the better ones anyway, tend to be slower paced with emphasis on characters.

After a more than decent action sequence in the beginning, the next hour and 15 minutes play out like a typical police investigation, with the exception that the lead investigator works on his own rather than having a whole squad working under him. The good camerawork and interesting story help this part from becoming a bore. The final half an hour is one impressive piece of work. The action picks up and the suspense factor is really high. The conclusion is also nicely written.

Nicholas Tse is no stranger to this type of lead role, however he doesn't really impress until the ending, when he brings out the drama. Nick Cheung is a suitable villain and the makeup work is well done. Jingchu Zhang has already proven to me that she is one of the better young actresses out of Hong Kong and she is fantastic in here. It almost seems as if this is an easy role for her to pull off too. Wong Suet-Yin is just adorable as Ling.

The Beast Stalker isn't an explosive blockbuster thriller. It is merely a solid piece of work that delivers from all sides. This is a film to consider watching if the situation arises.