Johnnie To's "The Mission" is a masterpiece that deserves exposure beyond the generic boundaries of the Hong Kong gangster film. Challenging the viewer to forget about the cliches of bad shoot 'em ups, it etches the screen with unforgettable character portraits that break down barriers between classes and between East and West. With its tour de force performances, particularly that of Anthony Wong Chau Sang, its spare and elegant cinematography, and its piercing sense of what honor means when it is subjected to the pressures of a violent, materialistic society, The Mission speaks with astonishing poetic simplicity to the modern condition. |
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