“Full Alert” Chinese Theatrical Poster
Director: Ringo Lam
Producer: Ringo Lam
Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Francis Ng Chun-yu, Peter Yung Kam-Cheung, Chin Kar-Lok, Monica Chan
Running Time: 98 min.
By Barey Gusey
After making his Hollywood debut in Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Maximum Risk (which was heavily tampered with by the studio), director Ringo Lam (City on Fire) returned to his native Hong Kong to film Full Alert, a dark, superbly written crime drama.
Other than a very long and realistic car chase, action is almost beside the point. Instead, the viewer is treated to a screenplay that blends emotion and intelligence, accented by finely textured performances by two of the best character actors in the business: Lau Ching-wan (A Hero Never Dies) and Francis Ng (9413).
Style is something Lam could care less for. No flashy cars, no young heartthrobs, no cliched love story, no funky camera angles, and no jumping in the air while shooting fifty rounds before hitting the ground. Still, Ringo delivers the excitement and energy without all the extra pizzazz and shine.
Raw, intense and gritty as hell are the words that make up this movie. Earning multiple nominations at the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards, Full Alert certainly ranks as one of Lam’s most accomplished efforts to date.
Barey Gusey’s Rating: 9/10
