Basic plot: Ng is a brooding, psychotic killer that offs 7 people at the very opening scene. We don't really know why (later we find out about a drug deal gone bad) but the muddiness of purpose in the emotions of the main characters is what ultimately sinks the film. Simon Lui is the stereotypical conscience of the two of them (buddies from way back) but we don't really see his motives for sticking by Francis Ng, other than some goofy childhood scenes that really don't clear up much.

Then there is the requisite cop vs. cop tension between an almost completely unbilled Yu Rong Guang (yep, The Iron Monkey himself!) and, basically the rest of the force.

The performances are fine, and Ng's portrayal of a spiralling demented criminal does occasionally elicit squirms of discomfort. It is the lack of a powerful unified storyline that ultimately makes the film almost a series of vignettes on individuals rather than a whole movie. It does get simplistic at times, with poor Simon taking a beating and somehow coming back for more, Ng playing the nasty role a little too manic, but Yu Rong Guang does crank up the intensity, apparently attempting his best Ti Lung impression.

So there you have it, what could have been a better film gets dragged down to mediocrity by a ho-hum script that leaves out the details and instead focuses on Francis Ng's criminal head trip. Sometimes scary, but ultimately forgettable.