City War could have been a really great movie, but it just comes off as slightly above-average. Chow and Ti always have great chemistry together, and the prospect of seeing them in some Woo-style bloodshed is always enticing. However, the script and pacing of City War is really weak. It takes nearly an hour of the film's 90 minutes before the plot really gets moving, much of the time wasted in seemingly unnecessary subplots. What should have been a gripping crime drama sometimes comes off as a cheesy romantic comedy. To its credit, City War does finally start to gel together in the last half-hour or so, finishing off with a shootout that should please most HK action fans.

Why Would I Like This Movie? The exhilaration of seeing Ti Lung and Chow Yun Fat together: their great chemistry and talent. Some great scenes of mayhem. Some great moments of acting and characterization: one scene in particular has Chow Yun Fat demonstrating his mastery of ultra-hipness, flashing eyes, and charisma. I also enjoyed the romantic sub-plot between Chow Yun Fat's character and Black Widow': an unusual amount of flirtation and sexual tension for an HK flick.

Why Wouldn't I Like This Movie? The hilarious moral message: society is on the side of the bad guys; real heroes carry out vigilante justice. And the usual problems of heroic bloodshed: gore, sexism, some truly cheesy lines, the predictability of the plot, etc.