Movie: Running Out of Time (or Am zim) starts out like may "super" cop movies. Inspector Ho Sheung-Sang (played by Chin Wan Lau) is called in to negotiate a hostage situation and boldly handles the crisis with ease. Little does he know, he's being closely watched by a mysterious man named Cheung (Andy Lau). Cheung soon robs a finance company and takes a hostage to lure Inspector Ho to the scene. Soon the two are face to face and Cheung tells inspector Ho that he wants to "play a game with him for 72 hours". Cheung then deftly escapes the building filled with police and the game is on. The rest of film is for the most part, a "Cat and Mouse" extravaganza. There are of course some Yakuza in the film which complicates matters, but that's secondary to the game Cheung and Ho are playing. Both Cheung and Ho are very intelligent and as soon as you think one has the other cornered, the roles are reversed. Their relationship becomes more complicated as the film goes on, but in the end the two know where each stands.

Most of Running Out of Time is recycled from various western films that you've probably seen dozens of times. What really makes the film work is Andy Lau and Chin Wan Lau's performances. Both actors play off each others strengths and really make the movie enjoyable. Jonnie To also does a great job in taking this familiar material and breathing new life into it. The pacing and editing of the film is very good and the short running time (93 minutes) doesn't leave much room for superfluous scenes. Siu-keung Cheng provides the cinematography for Running Out of Time and it fits the film perfectly. The shot selection is solid throughout the film and really helps bring out the two main characters. There are also some beautifully shot scenes like the rooftop hostage situation and the car crash aftermath. Siu-keung Cheng has shot almost all of Jonnie To's film since 1997's Fireline including Fulltime Killer, PTU and Election .

I also feel I must mention Raymond Wong's original score for Running Out of Time. I really enjoyed Wong's music and I felt it complemented the film greatly. More importantly, it's used sparingly and only at the right time during the film. Wong gracefully switches from more conventional scoring to very atmospheric pieces that utilize bagpipes, airy choruses and synthesizers. Besides scoring several other of Jonnie To's films, Raymond Wong has also scored several of Stephen Chow's films such as Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer and The King Of Comedy.

Final Words: Running Out of Time is easily one of the best Action/Drama/Crime films to come out of Hong Kong in the last 10 years. This movie is well worth your time and I highly recommend you see it...

The chemistry between these two actors is great, you can tell they were enjoying themselves. I read that Andy Lau won a Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for this role and it was well deserved, I must say. He's both vulnerable and smooth as Peter Cheung, staying ahead of his enemies as well as the police. But he was matched every step with Ching Wan Lau as well.

If I have any complaints, I would say it wasn't explained exactly why Cheung chose this particular policeman for his game. We see that he has some newspaper clippings of some of the Inspector's famous busts but that's all. My only other complaint is comic relief of Shiu Hung Hui, who plays Chief Inspector Wong. I don't know why it's funny to have the main cop in charge be such an idiot but that's really a faint complaint because it works with the scenes between Lau Ching Wan and Shiu Hung Hui. There's a slight romance hinted at but not played out between Lau and a young woman on a bus that he uses to evade police, Yo Yo Mung played the lucky woman and their few scenes had a bittersweet taste to them with you the viewer, knowing that Peter Cheung is indeed running out of time.

Waise Lee plays Baldy, the crime boss that wronged Peter Cheung's father and is the focus of his payback. The set-up was quite elaborate and very well thought out. And it's truly a hoot to see Andy Lau in drag too! This has truly become one of my favorite films and like I said before, has made me quite a fan of Ching Wau Lan too. He plays Inspector Ho Sheung-Sang as a man waiting for something more exciting to come his way, his enjoyment of the game Cheung sets up shows on his face. And he gets emotionally involved when he finds out Peter's story, piece by piece, they don't become friends exactly, but you can tell they respect each other. I definitely recommend Running Out Of Time for the good story and very good performances.

Cheung (Andy Lau) receives the diagnosis from his doctor that he has cancer and only 14 days left to live. He contemplates killing himself but instead decides to go ahead with an elaborate game of cat and mouse with hostage negotiator Ho (Lau Ching Wan). A three day game that Ho has to and will follow through but the question is what Cheung's real motives are for pulling Ho into this game...

Without any setup other than a basic one for our criminal of the piece, embodied by Andy Lau, Hong Kong's arguably greatest moviestar, it's quite amazing how Johnnie To draws us into the world of Running Out Of Time. Clearly shot on a restricted budget and utilizing office spaces owned by Chinastar and Milkyway (as you'll learn in the commentary), you have talented and established personnel to make this Milkyway production look, sound and behave dependently. Thriller may be the genre and you'll find much generic (commercial?) elements early such as hostage negotiations, bloodshed, an overblown Hans Zimmer-esque score but it's Johnnie To behind the wheel people! One not set out to spin his film purely down the commercial path. What he's clearly balancing are his trademark cinema quirks, not full out straining comedy however, with sensibilities and elements that do work and reside in your everyday blockbuster. Even the excessive sped-up shots that appear for no other reasons than to look cool may be perceived as To really utilizing silly crowd pleasing elements with a wink in his eye. Or the less forgiven may claim that it's a sign of laziness by a filmmaker who didn't shoot enough exciting footage on set that day. You be the judge.

So that lack of character initially on Cheung's behalf doesn't really bother and even if the payoff is slight, it's there, which counts. However Lau Ching Wan receives more of a script as Ho, Hong Kong's best and brightest cop who babysits an entire force of policemen with little experience. Be aware though that wisely enough To doesn't even go the full on the silly comedic route in his portrayal of the police force. It's as much a funny aspect to the film, especially in the total and surprising disregard Ho shows for the elder cop that Hui Siu-Hung's plays as much as it is a comment on perhaps a police force that aren't receiving the best training due to lack of funds. I wouldn't know but it's important to note that Johnnie isn't doing the expected in all areas, just putting cool and if you're that kind of viewer, thoughtful spins of what we usually expect.

However this is again a thriller in intent, your age old cat vs. mouse plot (but the motivations are not as clear as you would think) but with Johnnie To's off-beat touches. But I don't really mean that either as this is no The Mission in pure amped cinema style yet his forays into comedy, both human and downright slapstick in nature, succeeds and comes with a certain subtlety that allows scenes to retain mood when they're clearly breaking into risky silliness (much of it which is supplied superbly by Lam Suet and also Hui Siu-Hung). To knows suspense to an enough degree to make proceedings tense yet, save for a few scenes of death shootings and Cheung displaying a sadistic edge, Running Out Of Time comes off as a strangely lighthearted (even between the characters of Ho and Cheung, save for those unevitable darker character turns for Cheung) star vehicle that somehow gathers all these different blacks and whites into a coherent whole. Johnnie To has an eye, skill and knack for presenting what on paper seems rather generic, but with, in this case, an ice-cool edge.

It's funny that in the casting you might interpret that it's the young vs. the new in Andy Lau and Lau Ching Wan's case. Truth of the matter is, both are veterans of the industry, more so in the case of Andy and image-wise, it isn't about the old guard vs. the new boy on the street. What both Lau's are called upon to do in order to bring the movie home is something very simple to describe but without charisma, is not the easiest task to pull off: bring the laid back coolness. They both have character arcs sure, merely 90 minute ones but it's serviceable when we do get the ever so slight background to Cheung's behaviour and more so in the more fleshed out Ho. Neither are bad or unpleasant guys, which they both recognize, but it does bring up a questionable moral decision process in Ho as he really aids Cheung's game but as the saying goes: it's only a movie. Also, I can easily see a Francis Ng, Anthony Wong or Simon Yam taking on any of these roles and the results would've been as entertaining, cool and compelling. They have every reason NOT to feel cheated however as they were cast for Johnnie To's absolute finest movie so far, The Mission.

With Yoyo Mung in a supporting role, writer Yau Nai-Hoi and French natives Juliet Carbon & Laurent Courtiaud bring up that common theme of how you utilize your time and if there's any flaw in the framework, it has to be that very short bonding that takes place between Andy and Yoyo's characters. It certainly speaks to the fact that he's made up his mind regarding his final steps in life but Johnnie To's direction leans a little too much on unlikely circumstances than aren't truly right for the movie. Having said that, it's not that bothersome as such and certainly a thought that rightfully belongs thematically speaking.

During this late 90s streak of Milkyway productions, Johnnie To seemed like an unstoppable force, not necessarily commercially, but Running Out Of Time proves to be one of Johnnie To's best movies on that level. Accessible, yet offbeat, which is a combination To strikes well.

The film's plot has Andy Lau as a high-class jewel thief who has cancer and only four weeks to live, and so decides to pull off one last daring heist. To complete his job, he needs a patsy, and so ropes in a workaholic cop (Lau Ching-Wan), who doesn't realize until too late that he has become part of the crime. The two begin a cat-and-mouse game, even though both of their goals are similar. As you might expect, the two become reluctant partners of a sort and seem to work well together, but the problem of Andy's disease always looms in the background and they wonder if the job can be completed in time.

While the plot isn't really original (excepting the cancer bit, it's the usual heist-and-chase stuff we've seen before), I thought it worked for the most part, especially with the strong script present here. Lau Ching-Wan and Andy Lau both give good performances. This is especially suprising in Andy's case, since usually he's more concerned with looking good rather than polishing his acting skills -- one story had him refusing to laugh in a scene because the action made his wrinkles more visible. There is also nice comic relief in the form of Lam Suet as an inept (and forgetful) Triad hood, good action sequences and solid cinematography and editing.

So why doesn't this movie -- which some people claim is To's best work -- get a higher rating? As I said before, Running Out of Time is a good movie but lacking in parts. It seems that almost every positive in the film has a negative component to go along with it. For instance, even though the script for the most part is well-written, there are some scenes (especially the ending) which slip almost haphazardly into melodrama and there are a few elements that, while entertaining, don't really add to the movie as a whole and tend to slow it down. Even though the film runs at a short 89 minutes, the pacing feels sluggish in parts. It felt more like a two-hour movie rather than a 90 minute one.

As for the comedy, most of it works, but some of it just isn't funny and again takes away from the tight pacing that marks a great thriller. One scene in particular, when Andy dresses up as what has to be the world's ugliest woman during a trade for a jewel, stands out. It's good for a few chuckles, but To lets it go on too long and really starts to squash the momentum in what could have been a very suspenseful scene.

Overall though, despite my complaints, Running Out of Time is a pretty solid crime movie. It's just with its' pedigree and gushing reviews it recieved, I expected a bit more out of it. Still, you could do much worse. Hey, any Andy Lau movie where I don't want to punch him in the mush halfway through is doing a good job in my book.

Wah (Andy Lau) has just been told he has 2 weeks left to live. Dying of cancer, he decides to play a game of cat and mouse with the police. Wah makes the first move when he makes a jewel heist from a financier's office and takes a hostage. When negotiations break down, the police bring in Sang (Wan), their best negotiator. Despite the police's vigilance, Wah kills the hostage and easily escapes their trap. At first, Sang is puzzled by Wah's actions, since they don't seem to be driven by any criminal motives. And then the dead hostage turns out to still be alive, things grow more confusing.

When Wah steals a large diamond from a vicious gang, Sang realizes that he's been a tool the whole time. Wah may be dying, but he's not slowing down at all. As Wah makes his final plans for Sang, the jewel, and the gangsters, it's obvious that noone has any idea what he's going to do next. And Wah takes a certain satisfaction in that, egging Sang with little clues here and there. And further complicating things is the fact that Sang finds himself allied with Wah, wanting to understand him as much as he wants to arrest him.

This movie took no time drawing me in, it's opening scenes promising a great thriller. In one corner, there's a criminal whose intelligent and collected, but the fact that he has nothing to lose also leaves the possibility that he could do something crazy at any minute. In the other is an unorthodox negotiator, one who breaks the rules whenever he feels it will help him solve a case. And for the first half, I was completely intrigued by Wah's games. I was right there with Sang, trying to figure out Wah's next move, trying to figure out the reasoning behind Wah's crimes. And the fact that Wah is a complete enigma (all we know is that he's dying) makes it all the more interesting.

Unfortunately, the movie just can remain a sleek thriller, but has to throw in some melodrama and poignancy. Wah's impending death is mishandled to try and add some sort of tragedy to the movie's final act. That feels completely at odds with how Wah's character is set up. When he's introduced, he's cold and brutally efficient (and played perfectly by Lau). Not once in the movie does he ever feel sorry for himself, or seem too concerned with the tragedy of his circumstances. So why does director Johnnie To ("The Heroic Trio") insist on making us feel that way? Perhaps he felt there needed to be some sort of emotional grip to the film so it'd resonate with viewers. Personally, I think the movie would've played out just fine if it had stayed more calculated and "intellectual", focusing on the battle of wits between Sang and Wah.

Perhaps this emotionalism wouldn't have been so bad if To hadn't handled it so poorly. The obvious example of this is the burgeoning friendship between Wah and Sang, two men on opposite sides of the law who find they have something in common. But this kind of relationship has been explored before in films like "The Killer" and "Heat", and much more effectively. Despite To's attempts to beat it into the viewer, it doesn't feel like any connection is made between the two. If anything, Sang comes off like an utter tool, because Wah plays him like a cheap violin.

But even more awkward is the relationship between Wah and a girl he meets on the bus (and briefly uses as a hostage). He uses her to get past a police blockade, and she suddenly falls for him. Yeah, I've heard of the "Stockholm Syndrome", but this is a little hard to swallow. Later in the film, she helps him again and they go on a date. Unfortunately, it's ruined when Wah starts coughing up blood at the restaurant (bummer of a time for the cancer to kick in). The whole setup feels completely random and painfully awkward, and like another "Heat" homage/ripoff.

And then there's the movie's conclusion. I guess I was completely fooled. Here I thought Wah was this cold, calculating guy, and it turns out he only wanted to make a big donation to the Children's Cancer Fund... and avenge his father. This attempt to wrap everything, especially this strange story involving Wah's family and the gangsters, still feels confused at best. Despite the movie's solid beginning, and it's slick camerawork and editing (including a lot of sudden shifts in film speeds, which seems to be all the rage these days), it all falls apart in the last act.

I found myself waiting for Wah's last defiant stand (the one we get doesn't count), a final confrontation between Wah and Sang, a gunfight, a sacrifice... anything but the way the movie just peters out in the last 5 minutes. The movie's first 20 minutes promises it'll end with a bang... instead, I got a whimper.

To say anymore would really give the story away which would be a shame cos its probably one of the most intricate and intriguing plots I've seen in a Hong Kong film in ages. The acting is absolutely top notch, although I may be biased as I think Andy Lau and Lau Ching-Wan are currently the two finest actors working in Hong Kong cinema today. Andy Lau plays his character with his usual collected calm and coolness while Lau Ching-Wan seems to be in a state of constant frustration. The rest of the cast also provide strong support.

Johnny To received lots of praise for this movie, according to what I've read on the net, and its definitely deserved. The story remains believable throughout and the sense of tension is never lost. The film has a very stylish look with clever use of speeded up footage mixed with slow motion shots. Exciting action sequences are interjected with comic moments that don't detract from the excitement but add that little bit extra.

Altogether a very entertaining movie.

Running Out of Time is a fascinating, slick little thriller starring Asian Pop singer Andy Lau. In a major change of pace, the handsome Lau (star of such films as God of Gamblers, Savior of Souls and As Tears Go By) stars as a ruthless, unnamed gangster who discovers he is dying of some terminal form of cancer. With less than four weeks to live, our mysterious criminal realizes he has nothing left in life to fear, and so sets about getting his affairs in order. Natty, organized and ever-cool -- even when he's coughing up blood -- our anti-hero decides it's time to go out with a bang.

For starters, he begins trailing a hotshot cop/hostage negotiator named Inspector Ho (played with a perfect balance of cleverness and nonchalance by Lau Ching Wan of Longest Night and A Hero Never Dies). He then organizes an elaborate bank robbery which apparently nets him nothing. It does, however, catch the attention of Inspector Ho. As cop and criminal stare at each other for the first time down the barrel of a gun, our dying protagonist lays out his plan: "I want to play a game with you for the next 72 hours." It's Ho's job to catch the wily criminal and toss him in jail. It's the gangster's job to not die behind bars. Evenly matched and equally suave, it's hard to decide which of these two combatants to root for.

As this tense game of cat-and-mouse grows, though, it becomes clear that the crook has something else in mind. Ho is being led around town by the nose. But for what purpose? Could it be that Ho is merely a pawn in a more complex revenge plot?

Director To nails all the sexy visuals of the typical HK gangster saga, but he's going for a different, more philosophical kind of film here. Rather than the action-packed explosiveness of mid-'80s bullet ballets (John Woo's A Better Tomorrow, Ringo Lam's Full Contact), To builds a slow, moody tension akin to the work of '90s hipster Wong Kar-Wai (Ashes of Time, Chungking Express). To's been in the moviemaking business for a long time, though, and a handful of HK clichés still cling to his work (the bumbling police chief played by Hsu Chao Hung, for example, is a total throwback). As usual, a good memory and a quick eye for reading subtitles are needed to sort out Time's various characters, plots and mysterious doings. Nonetheless, To's landed himself a couple of magnetic stars and stamped the film with his own unique visual flair. Rapid compressions of time in which the camera speeds through the film's slower moments hint neatly at the truncated lifespan Andy Lau's dying gangster must contend with.

Those raised solely on the simple slapstick fun of Jackie Chan (Rumble in the Bronx) or the incendiary action of John Woo (The Killer), may be a tad disappointed by Running Out of Time's occasionally confusing storyline and low-key action sequences. On the other hand, longtime fans of Hong Kong cinema looking for a more mature take on a genre long-dominated by unlimited shell casings and too-cool guys in sunglasses may find hope for the future in this eye-catching, curiosity-arousing 1999 escapee from the Far East.