| 3 years into the then current triad boom started by Young And Dangerous and The Rules Of The Game comes out with a bland poster, stars that may or may not shine, the highest rating and a plot that inspires no one. However director Steve Cheng clearly is aiming for distinctive familiarity and it helps actually. David Chow (Louis Koo) and friends run a garage but are struggling financially. Their conflict with triad boss Shing (Alex Fong) results in one of them, Chun (Sam Lee), crippled and brain damaged and circumstances force the group to join Shing's Hung Lok Group. David vows to only do it for Chun's sake and underneath the notion of revenge is brewing. It starts to draw the once tight group apart. Especially Ann (Kristy Yeung), who's the object of desire for Shing, feels more and more detached from the scheming David...
Within a trend, who craves effort? Then again having cinematographer Joe Chan make matters look pretty solid and because of the choice of shooting in synch sound, Steve Cheng at least makes us watch on for the above average professionalism on display. The darker turns the story takes engages and although some of the effects of the out of control spiral of violence gets taken down fully by some awful choices of music, The Rules Of The Game can indeed be argued to be familiar in a good way. Louis Koo and Alex Fong display the cool and emotional in solid ways but positive glimpses sporadically in a familiar production doesn't make for a full movie. Unexpected but not approved. Also with Edmond So, Ronald Wong, Simon Loui, Frankie Ng, Wayne Lai and Berg Ng. |
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