| Overview: | A solid piece of filmmaking by Director Johnny To follows a firefighting unit considered a jinxed hardluck outfit by the rest of the Department. Lau Ching Wan is Boss, a hardened veteran who does not share the Department's view that a fireman should let victims burn if the odds are against rescue. He is at odds with his new commander (Alex Fong Chung-sun), a "By-The-Book" officer and involved with a doctor (Carmen Lee), who is distraught over a recent break-up. LIFELINE follows the unit's personal lives and compels the viewers to be involved with their stories. Ruby Wong Chui-mei is particularly good as a female firefighter at odds with her husband over her career and starting a family. Not to say that there aren't incredible special effects.
Throughout the first half of the movie, there are disasters every once in a while that call for eye-catching effects. And then comes the finale... 40 minutes of burning, collapsing, exploding building, that ranks among Hong Kong's most Hollywood-shaming technical achievements. Supplementing the visual eye candy, the climax also sets up includes some fine performances: in a wonderful balcony scene, Carman Lee pulls off her richest dramatic performance to date. And Lau gives another of his effective gentle charmers.
Overall, an excellent film, Lifeline is also a technical accomplishment, and is worth watching for its special effects alone.
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