Jimmy however has no real desire to lead the Society, yet is under extreme pressure from Uncle Teng (Wang Tian-lin), in essence the Godfather of the triads, and the Chinese authorities, who both feel they have much to gain should Jimmy become Chairman. Teng believes it is Jimmy's duty to become Chairman so that he can preserve the traditions of the past. The Chinese authorities on the other hand believe Jimmy has the right mind-set and attitude to helm the coveted position and will only do business with him should he win.

Jimmy's primary competitor for the position is the current holder of the Dragon Head Baton, Lok (Simon Yam), who will stop at nothing to win Chairman for a second term. Feared and respected in his early days for a vicious ruthlessness, Lok feels his advanced years may call for drastic measures if he is to reestablish his dominance, and crush the competition. Lok's win-at-any-cost campaign will force Jimmy to put aside his morals and noble plans for professional legitimacy, while also forcing him to make tough decisions and implement some seriously painful actions. An incredibly bloody and brutal election campaign is about to be launched as each party will do whatever it takes to gain the upper hand.

Cutting edge Hong Kong director Johnnie To brings a realist's gaze to the mechanics and rigid mores of the gangster's way of life. Severe negotiations and action scenes are staged with a slow-burn menace. Sudden jolts of violence are intense and riveting, while justice and remorse are all but absent in the triads. Anchored with strong performances by Koo and Yam, this forceful drama, demonstrates the inevitable breakdown of tradition and discipline in the face of limitless power, as greed and ambition continue to corrupt fundamental human values in a tragically vicious cycle.

This was the tagline in the teaser trailer for Election 2, the sequel to Johnnie To's hot triad drama from 2005. Ending on a shocking but appropriately thematic note, it probably could've stopped there and the entire populous wouldn't have noticed some stones were still unturned. But in the end, it's very clear Election was designed to be continued.

Armed with another Category III rating, most of the attractive cast plus a few new faces to accompany the saga, Election 2 sees Lok (Simon Yam) in the wake of having usurped power his way in the Wo Shing Triad Society. 2 years have passed and it's time for another election of a new chairman. Having clearly been a society of harmony in the minds of some, the plates starts shifting under everyone's feet as the struggle for power and the search for the leadership Baton is on once again...

Fitting to continue story-wise and thematically, we also know what kind of stylistic territory we will be in as well as the feel of Johnnie To's particular triad story (some doses of absurd, deadpan humour remains in the vision by the way). Again no gloss of the Young And Dangerous kind, cinematographer Cheng Siu-Keung playing with contrasts of light and dark and Johnnie To's scriptwriters furthering their downbeat portrayal of lost loyalty. Aiming for harmony by abandoning tradition and hypocritically preaching it at the same time. This time in the face of the coming 1997 handover so To have managed to sneak in a not so subtle but fitting, downbeat social commentary about the effects of a Chinese ruling over the triad world (applicable to the real world as well). Albeit talky and dangerously close to being a repetition of the first film, Election 2 pushes into overdrive in its second half and delivers a rousing statement worthy to be immersed in and worthy to criticize. You be the judge.

New election on the horizon and the on the surface a unified triad society has characters coming out of their holes to grab opportunities and power, with extreme measures utilized. Johnnie To's furthers Simon Yam's Lok in this regard as he is considered out of control despite his calm exterior. There's future changes ahead in an already turbulent hierarchy and as Louis Koo is now also a focus on the film, we see someone trying to play the new Chinese system in his favour. Jimmy clearly is a businessman first, just one in need to sink to low levels in order to achieve his goals and perhaps even make a difference. With new Big D's (I.e. the name of the character Tony Leung Ka-Fai played in Election) basically waiting for their shot, Jimmy has his plate full, Johnnie To has and in the end we as an audience as well.

With To favouring casting distinct figures, meaning he and Cheng Siu-Keung can rely on sparse source light to conjure up atmosphere around them, you begin to see a worrying similarity between the films slowly manifesting itself. Since its main story is the same, you will see various characters wanting to take center stage, using violence while the old guard (main one being Wong Tin-Lam's Uncle Teng) is trying to fulfill the need for harmony and tradition. If Election saw these old men watching their built up legacy harking back to the Ming Dynasty spiral out of control, there's precious little they can do to prevent sinking this time around. It's a free for all power struggle where few are safe but Johnnie To's status is.

In a way an ultimate showdown, To decides to echo the sudden, callous but sparse violent acts of the first film, only taken up quite a few notches. He establishes atmosphere throughout that is subdued in a very alluring way but that only registers favourably when we finally see a different film emerge. This established atmosphere stays reserved yet events register as extreme, high pitched noise in a stunning reel of true Category III rated violence. I do believe that To watches and creates scenarios that makes him sad. He and we are watching the true definition of loyalty vaporizing. Is anybody thinking ahead or is violence watched upon as puzzles solved for the next 2 steps ahead? It definitely feels like it and it's hardly the central characters who are controlling the final outcome. As for the mentioned criticism, I can only put up a warning flag that especially the violence could also be viewed upon as naive statement just wanting to draw attention to itself but that's all up to you. I know where I stand.

I was sad to see Lam Suet being utilized very little in this film but his character briefly brings up the very central point of the triad lifestyle being an endless cycle and a one-way ticket. This notion trickles down between the cracks to the characters of Lok and Jimmy, both portrayed with suitable stone cold craziness by Simon Yam and Louis Koo. There's even time to examine the effect our behaviour has on the children born into this world, main focus on that coming through Yam's character. Whether or not he truly cares, that's a point you have to ponder and it can even be disturbing to do so. With my reservations of the first film being light on Koo's and also Nick Cheung's story, Johnnie To closes the arcs fairly well here, establishing Koo's agenda and desires as well as Cheung's position as a supporting player in the story. Worth noting is a semi-comeback for Mark Cheng who turned to Category III psycho roles during the late 90s and while this is such a role, it's a fitting contribution to To's frame of mind here.

While not classic Milkyway, despite having 2 movies to try and accomplish that, Johnnie To closes the Election saga in fine fashion. Conclusion is downbeat, corresponding to real life concerns of the Hong Kong people approaching 1997 and he rightfully allows himself to opt for an intensified portrayal of all things concerned. Stylistically familiar yet compelling in the way he uses profiles and figures in the dark, literally and thematically, few does atmosphere better than Johnnie To when in his element. "Safe" at home in Hong Kong that is.

Election 2, like the first film, is a fairly slow-paced affair, so those expecting a flashy Young and Dangerous-esque affair might be disappointed. But the solid acting and the lovingly crafted cinematography make the process worthwhile. And for those who do enjoy a bit of the spilled claret, there are some brutal scenes which should satisfy your craving for bloodshed. This isn't one of the greats in the pantheon of HK gangster films, but it at least has a glimmer of those classics, which is a lot more than many recent releases could hope to say.