| Unrelated sequels followed to the classic Andy Lau vehicle but this first follow-up skipped on his star factor and gave the audiences Aaron Kwok instead. A trade-off that is both good and bad depending on which camps of fans you talk to I guess. Wu Chien-Lien is back and elicits viewer sympathy easily but she's got a blank, pretty face to play against in the form of Kwok. True, Andy was not particularly tested by any director before A Moment Of Romance came along in 1990 but he rose to the challenge. Kwok doesn't and he's not aided by any of the subtle strength that came with the first film either. It's a minor moment of romance, not the chunk we loved so much 3 years earlier and this production clearly was green lit to cash in on a name only. To add further insult to injury, many opportunities are given to let Aaron "shine" with his singing talents on the soundtrack. Which is fine if it wasn't for the overload and when his character defies logic by walking away relatively unharmed from a major car crash, aggravation becomes an issue.
Some attractive Ardy Lam photography comes with the package however and at certain frames, excitement in the racing sequences. But with a camera speed in the lower numbers, the playback of death defying bike stunts register as more cartoony sadly. Good support by Paul Chun in a small role plus Anthony Wong (sporting a shaved head from his stint in The Untold Story), Roger Kwok and Kwan Hoi-San also appear. |
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