My opinion lies somewhere in between. How could I forget the perfection of To’s direction in films like All About Ah Long, A Hero Never Dies or Fulltime Killer. Then you got the ones I’m trying to remember (or maybe trying to forget), like Throwdown, Breaking News or PTU. To be fair, if I could think of one word that sums up his body of work, that word would be 'diverse'.

Johnny To is basically the "White Album" of Hong Kong cinema - an artist with lot of tracks, with each one being very different and engaging, but only about half of them truly showcase his real cinematic talent.

This brings us to Sparrow, a film about a gang of professional pickpockets (Simon Yam, Gordon Lam, Law Wing-Cheong and Kenneth Cheung) who, one by one, come across a beautiful, but mysterious, woman named Chung Chun Lei (Kelly Lin). Little do they know, she has her own motives for the them, which leads to a crucial situation where the pickpockets must put their skills to the test.

One critic described Sparrow as being “Johnny To's love letter to Hong Kong”. Eh, whatever. I think the person who wrote that was intentionally trying to get his/her words on the DVD case or trailer (and they did get their wish). I didn’t exactly read that review in its entirety, but a better statement would be “Johnny To's love letter to French films of the 1960’s”...

Sparrow is filmed with elegance, style and retro in mind. Single long shots. Close ups. Brilliantly choreographed situations. The look of the film is refreshing, bright and clean. Even the soundtrack is a soothing blend of jazz, mixed with Eastern and Western musical influences.

Sparrow is part comedy, part drama with some mystery thrown in. There might not be any action in the movie, but there is a suspenseful, slow-motion scene towards the end that can almost qualify as the film’s action-packed finale.

My only real gripe with Sparrow is that it's missing any sense of closure or ground when it comes to the plot. By the time the movie ends, it’s as if nothing was really solved or gained, especially for the main characters. And this is where I say that it’s too much of a novelty-movie to be considered a masterpiece. Don’t get me wrong, it's fun, artsy, keeps a great pace, but it’s not what I’d expect of a movie that Johnny To spent 3 years making. - Mighty Peking Man, cityonfire.com

This movie is sooo freakin' beautiful and well made, it hurts to know that another movie of this caliber will not hit screens for quite some time. You only get a film this good every year or so (Johnnie To does work fast).

The whole style over substance argument seems silly here. Yes, it is all style, but there is plenty of substance here. You don't need a long backstory to explain the characters, there is no important theme or lesson to be taught, it doesn't matter what happens and why. This is an enertaining movie with all but the minimum needed to tell a story. No more, no less.

Same thing with "Exiled", another movie with style over substance. I don't know what people wanted. It's the same story. You get wonderfully different characters, unique locations and views of Hong Kong, interaction from everyone, and fresh ideas of how to handle mundane film genres.

Whatever the case may be, this is an absolutely brilliant film that looks good, plays good, has good acting, and a story that makes sense (at least in terms of movie logic). If you want a deeper experience, watch "There Will Be Blood" or "Election" 1 and 2 (all great movies as well). But here you get something that is so unique and different that it is a masterpiece.

While the film does involve crooks (4 pickpockets), it does it with much less darkness than films like "Election" or "PTU". This film is reminiscent of Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief"--all the suspense and plot twists without ever becoming too heavy for itself or ever losing its playful nature. Simon Yam as Cary Grant. Kelly Lin as Grace Kelly. Perfect.

The cast is chockfull of To regulars. And, as usual, each turns out a fantastic performance. But what makes this film great is its old-school sensibility. The morals, the honor code of thieves, the dialogue, it all harkens back to a time when you didn't have to worry about everyone pulling a gun out. The finale of this film is brilliant and wholly original. I'll give nothing away, but the final "showdown" is unlike anything you've ever seen before. An original concept brilliantly orchestrated by a true maestro.

It's light-hearted, to be sure. But that doesn't mean that it isn't smart. Quite the contrary. Most of the film is spent with the viewer wondering what will happen next. We, the viewers, are usually a few steps behind the action. And that makes the experience all the much more rewarding. What's great is that once you figure it all out, you're able to appreciate the film on other levels. It, like most To films, holds up well under multiple viewings.

If you're into smart films that have an air of fun and simplicity akin to the Hollywood of the 40's and 50's, performed brilliantly and executed deftly, then "Sparrow" is not to be missed. Who knew Johnnie To could do sentimental and playful? It just goes to show that he really is that good. This one will definitely get repeat viewings.