With his father and other cell members now on the run with the most powerful biological weapon known to man, the CT team leader Ma Li (Chow Wah-Kin) manages to convince Todd, using the expert services of psychiatrist Shirley Kwan (Joan Chen, "The Last Emperor"), that he is actually an undercover cop sent to infiltrate his former terrorist cell.

With the weapon now out in the open, the authorities use Todd as bait to lure the terrorists out into the firing line. As fragments of Todd's shattered memory return, he is forced to choos between his dark past and his one and only chance for redemption: a situation which will put him at odds with his father, his wife, and ultimately himself!

Tense, dynamic, and utterly compelling, this acclaimed action-drama is the ideal cross-over ttile to bring new converts into the exciting world of Asian action cinema!

REVIEW:
Purple Storm is your standard terrorist-conspiracy action film. With Hong Kong film tradition and the higher production values of a recent HK film, it certainly raises itself above your average Hollywood entry into this genre. The main gag of this film is the moral questions raised by the "reprogramming" of Todd's memories. It is a solid film, but lacks a certain grasp that a truly great film of this type needs to climb to the top. Still, it is an above average effort that makes for some good viewing.

The main question that this film will make you ask yourself is "Is it okay to falsify the memories of a bad person, to make them work for a good purpose?" In fact, you will later ask yourself if a bad person who loses his memory can choose to take on a new life as a good person. These questions are the main draw of the film and what makes it stand out from many other action films. Even knowing that he was doing bad things, one can not help but question the morality of lying to him about his identity and giving him false memories. There is also the hope that he will eventually choose to run with his new life and become a good person. These questions are pervasive throughout the film and make it interesting, but not "preachy."

One of the film's downsides, though, is its inability to grab the viewer. While the moral questions raised are interesting, the viewer does not truly become attached to any of the characters. Some of the subplots, such as that of Todd's son, are also underdeveloped. The plot structure is at a reasonable pace to keep the viewer's attention, but it does flow like so many other similar films, which makes it feel generic at some points. The performances of the actors, themselves, were solid, but not amazing. All in all, the plot definitely has a lot to it and is better than many similar films, but it needed some tweaking to truly grab the viewers.

Action is solid HK fare. Lots of shootouts and a little martial arts. The shootouts look like those of many HK films and are shot in an appropriately realistic style rather than an overly dramatic style. This may not make for the tension of a "heroic bloodshed" film, but is more fitting here and done as well as one would expect from a modern HK film. The little bits of martial arts are also done more realistically, and are kept to a couple punches, kicks, and grabs here and there. Overall, the action is solid stuff that is appropriately conservative for this type of film.

Purple Storm has some good things going for it, but it also lacks the personality to become a classic. The moral questions of the plot and the nice production values certainly give it a boost. If only it could have packed in a little something that grabbed viewers, it would be much, much better. Still, this is one of the better entries into the genre and you could do much worse than to check this title out. If you are looking for some solid action films in this vein, make sure to get "Shiri" above all, and then afterwards, you may want to give the solid "Purple Storm" a shot.

Purple Storm is one of the more successful recent big-budget Hollywood-style HK action movies, mostly because it has a solid script. No one's going to mistake this film for something like A Better Tomorrow, but it's far above empty films like A Man Called Hero. The plot is at least somewhat original and allows for some nice character development over the course of the movie.

Performance-wise, the actors do well in the movie. Veterans such as Joan Chen and Emil Chow provide a nice base for some of the younger actors, such as Josie Ho, who lights up the screen as Todd's wife and Soong's number one assassin. However, the actor who stands out the most is Daniel Wu. After a lukewarm performance in Gen-X Cops (where it seems he was selected for his English-language skills rather than acting ability), he delivers a very solid performance that impressed me. Wu shows the germinations of a good acting career ahead, if he can use some discretion in picking out scripts.

Featuring a good cast, well-written script and some tight action sequences, Purple Storm has all the makings of a good night's (or at least a hour and a half's) entertainment.

Daniel Wu plays Todd a Cambodian terrorist who loses his memory, after being knocked unconscious in a gun fight, and is picked up by the police. During Todd's interrogation the police decide to exploit his insomnia and, through hypnotism and mind control, brainwash him and turn him against his former terrorist colleagues who have instigated a bombing campaign in Hong Kong. The Purple Storm of the title refers to the chemical weapon Ricin-X, the formula for which is contained on a disk that was found on Todd at the time of his arrest. The terrorists intend to use this deadly weapon to cause mass murder.

Daniel Wu really does a good job here as the troubled Todd torn between his new-found morals and a former life as a member of the Khmer Rouge. Whoever played the villain (don't know his name) is also excellent.

The film's many gunplay sequences are expertly executed with all the excesses of the best Hong Kong action flicks of the late eighties/early nineties (guns blazing from all sides, high body count and flashy camerawork) while still adding a fresh modern look. The standout scene for me comes when the master villain and the main police officer in charge of the case, Emil Chow, shoot it out in the middle of a crowd of screaming people. The tight camera work gives a feeling of tremendous claustrophobia and proximity which greatly increases the tension. The film's also got an excellent opener which brilliantly sets the mood for the film. My only complaint is that the ending seems to be over a little too quickly.

As I said before though, the best Hong Kong action movie I've seen in long while.

Though underdeveloped, this plot is holds up surprisingly well. Khmer Rouge references are accompanied by quick skims over Cambodian recent history. But it's fair to say the emphasis is on the action and it makes for no more than a pleasantly enjoyable no-brainer. Gunfights fill the screen, frequently. The opening shootemup action on a freighter is nicely staged, as are the sequences that follow. Also included is an incredibly bizarre car crash sequence that's a creative bonus in the action department and testament that seatbelts save lives. There's humour amid all the shooting, too; after the Arts Centre explodes and a gunfight ensues, the police spokesman's excuse for the incident is an amusing caricature of HK officialdom's public relations skills. Characters have little depth or background but Daniel Wu handles the lead role capably and Theresa Lee's cameo appearance is a welcome dose of silliness. Crooner Emil Chow stands out too; injecting his lighter touch to the hardline anti-terrorist speak he dishes out.