Review: PTU is, without a doubt, a true return to form for Johnnie To. PTU has all of the elements that one would come to expect from one of To's more personal films. It contains an amazing story, simple yet complex; some really nice cinematography, including excelent use of lighting; and a strong veteran cast.

PTU, with its 88 minute running time, wastes no time in setting up its story. at first you might think to yourself that the film is slim on story, but this is Johnnie To we're talking about, after all. The film definitely takes its time in letting its audience know what exactly the screenwriters have in store for us, but the payoff is well worth the wait. As I just said, the film takes its time, but that's not to say it's slow, per se. PTU remains intriguing throughout and there really isn't a dull moment.

Acting is about par for a dark, dramatic Johnnie To film (i.e. it's excellent). Coming out the strongest would be the always reliable Simon Yam (everyone needs to check him out in TOMB RAIDER 2, by the way). His role as the PTU captain (as I'll call him) is what I'd call one of his best performances in recent years. Very subtle, very understated. Lam Suet, who we all know gets too much work as of late (understandable - he likes to make money), certainly knows how to turn on the acting abilities when they're required. His character here is sort of a sad oaf, and Lam does a great job expressing that.

In terms of the supporting cast, Ruby Wong (seen recently as Yam's partner in LOOKING FOR MISTER PERFECT) is fairly strong as the CID captain, Maggie Shiu has a nice presence as one of Yam's PTU officers, and Raymond Wong (seen recently in...everything) has a good, albeit small, role as another fellow PTU officer. Speaking of Raymond Wong: he seems to be in a lot of films lately, but I'm not complaining - he's a fine young actor who I hope to see expanding into bigger, possibly starring, roles.

If some people were disappointed in the lack of action in Johnnie To's THE MISSION, they may be even more disappointed in PTU. Don't go in expecting an action film and you should do just fine. There is, however, a single action sequence, shot in a hypnotic, realistic style. This single sequence is absolutely amazing, and for fans of To's THE MISSION, might prove to be a nice little treat, as it is done in basically the same way as the aformentioned film's action scenes.

Johnnie To has a flair for making films with a thick atmosphere of dread. Setting PTU in a single night, in which the typically dark surroundings seem even more so, To and his cinematographer, Cheng Siu Keung, are given the chance to experiment with various techniques. Like I said earlier, the way that lighting is used in the film is pretty extraordinary, alternating between complete darkness and the bright white light of the streetposts. When the lighting and cinematography are so powerful that they speak louder than words, you know you're in for one hell of a visual ride. What's even more amazing is that the acting is just as powerful.

Overall: A definite no-brainer purchase for many of us HK cinema fans, PTU is an excellent piece of cinema by one of its masters, Johnnie To. The lighting, cinematography, and storyline hook you in, while the strong performances make the sale. PTU is a must-see.

The movie begins with a slam-bang sequence that recalls why To garned so much critical adoration in the first place. It's violent yet comic, confusing but intriguing, and it's gorgeous to look at -- more or less, the first reel of PTU is quintessential Hong Kong cinema. After the initial scene, we settle into the story proper, which has Lam Suet as a cop who loses his gun after a scuffle with some Triad hooligans. Afraid for his job, Lam enlists the aid of his friend Simon Yam, who plays a PTU (Police Tactical Unit) sargeant. As the body count around the missing gun begins to pile up, new groups of gangsters and cops come into the mix to try and solve the mystery, until they all meet up for a final confrontation.

The brilliant beginning, which manages to set up the characters and story in a rapid and exciting fashion, is let down by a meandering second act. One is never quite sure exactly who's who or what's what. Perhaps this was To's intention, but the slow pacing of the middle of the movie nearly kills the momentum of the opening scenes. To its' credit, PTU does end (literally) with a bang that should satisfy most Hong Kong movie fans, but it just seems to take so long to get there. It just feels like there's too many characters in the mix, and too many short scenes that are supposed to add characterization, but just end up seeming like filler.

Johnnie To is a great director, but his films almost always seem a bit bloated, and PTU is a prime example. With a little trimming, this could have been one of the greats. The movie looks spectacular, the musical score is excellent, there are several scenes of just pure bad-ass attitude, and Lam Suet and Simon Yam deliver the goods. It's just that there seems to be so much that To wanted to throw in that the main story gets a bit muddled as a result. Still, you could do much worse than a viewing of PTU. It's definitely one of the better cop/crime movies to come out this year from anywhere and is worth a look if you're into the genre, or just want to see a solid film that doesn't rely on special-effects gimmickry or cute pop stars to sell itself.

Sergeant Lo (Lam Suet from The Mission) loses his gun after being ambushed by triad Ponytail's henchmen. Meeting up with the Police Tactical Unit (PTU), headed by Mike (Simon Yam from Bullet In The Head), an aquaintance of Lo's, it's decided to not report the gun theft until dawn. The search for it begins on the quiet night street of Tsimshatsui where triads, CID and the PTU roam...

Thriller is the genre but because it's a real Johnnie To film, there's no convential filmmaking on display here. First thing that strikes you is the slick and professional look of PTU. The scope photography does enhance that but bear in mind that this level of technical professionalism can not carry a movie all the way through. In the midst of our enjoyment of the look, To slowly begins to show evidence of his return to aspects that made movies like The Mission so good; being and doing very little.

It's not like PTU it's a rollicking comedy but in between the serious search for the gun, To injects comedy I respond very well to. It's not humour that will take you out of this thriller, it's realistic humour created through the situation. To doesn't like to draw attention to himself and audiences may miss the comedy because of it with no harm done in any way. Others can sit back and enjoy the subtetly of it, the restaurant scene near the beginning being a very good example. The pursuit on foot by Lo that sets the main plot in motion is another highlight of how To shoots comedy in this type of film. He also skillfully weaves together the different smaller plot strands that sometimes goes on within the frame and outside of it, edited and directed so the viewer still feels safe, not lost. The directors none rush to the proceedings may not be to everyone's liking but I just love how To is not afraid to linger on people and events. When it's happening in a compelling visual palette, I certainly have no problem with it. There lies a problem in the narrative to an extent though, a character problem.

It's a short film, clocking in at only 88 minutes, so I don't exepct fully developed character arcs, nor is that To's intention either. The PTU team behind Mike, Yam's character, are one dimensional but To makes sure they're a heavy precense instead, a wise and well-made choice of direction here. There's little dialogue but Lo and Mike are the characters the movie hinges on and unless I missed something, Mike's reason for helping his beat-up friend remains unclear. There lies a feeling in the air of past history and it's the starting point for the search. That history we never get any information regarding, something that was needed in my opinion. To conciously steers clear off expository dialogue but in this case, a line or a small scene was needed to clarify this crucial thing. Maybe it's the unspoken codex between cops of either status but ultimately it is a flaw, one that didnd't hurt the experience for me though.

The fact that exposition is not present makes the audience not aware of next step in the hunt. The PTU team hits different spots but we're not, at first, clear of what connection it has until closer to the end of a scene. It creates the odd moment of boredom but the scene with the cages is an example of To seriously grabbing our attention again. That scene has striking visual images and comes, almost wonderfully, out of nowhere. It's what's hidden within the Tsimshatsui's buildings at night. You can't talk about PTU without mentioning Cheng Siu Keung's cinematography that portrays the Hong Kong night like never before. There's activity near the beginning but as soon as the shops close, people disappear and the streets almost go dead execept for the law enforcing teams inhabiting it. It's not eerie, not tense but a look not gone overboard with. It's suberbly integrated with To's original direction. From watching the trailer, I always found the contrasting between bright light and pitch black highly compelling and from watching it in the film, I have to say, in my mind, that it ranks as the best work in the film by Cheng.

This isn't a cop vs. robbers story as such and To chooses not to portray the police as clean cut heroes. Like so many other films, they use violence to get the information they want but by the created mood, To manages to avoid any obvious cliché trappings. It is in particular effective when the violence hits within the quiet nature of a scene. How many times have we seen witness interrogations like the one in the arcade hall? That alone is very distanced from genre conventions. No heroes as said but the film isn't about that as a theme. It's one story, in one night, showing the characters in it, sympathetic or not. I see a spin off oppurtunity...

A good dose of Milkyway's regular acting troupe turns up , starting with Simon Yam. There's not much to the character of Mike but what Simon so nicely radiates is the authoity and menace of the PTU officer. A menace that perhaps is of the explosive kind in one situation or the subtle one in another. Yam is literally an even bigger precense when almost being surrounded by complete darkness, a big compliment to this accomplished veteran actor. Lam Suet gets to create more of a character than usual because he's given a chance to do a starring role really. Lo, a fairly well respected sergeant on the streets becomes reduced to almost nothing in his gun-less, beat-up state. That leads into a very funny and sad scene where he's sawing of the end of a bought gun and spraypaints it black to pass it off as his while the hunt goes on. It's a desperate character, the To-comedy relief character and Lam plays it with the right mood to suit the film. In other words, slightly out there but far from over the top, the latter would've hurt the film obviously. If anything PTU proves Lam is very capable, when given chance, to star or co-star. Ruby Wong's performance is a good example of a stock character that, under the direction of To, will remain compelling even without a big arc.

That To directs alone I think matter but not in the biggest of ways even if his best works are his own so to say. PTU is definitely a sign of Johnnie To getting back on form, or even back on it depending on who you ask. It's a very accomplished, despite flaws mentioned, high quality Milkyway thriller and Johnnie...let us not wait another 2 years for your next real film!