cdoggy99
First off let me say that I love asian flicks and have for some time. Decided to watch Drug Wars after seeing reviews here and elsewhere. Lemme say that I have mixed feelings about it. Convoluted script and weak characters with some exceptions. Action scenes were also a letdown. Got a little dizzy trying to keep up with all the character switches going down during the drug deals. Loved the deaf guys in the movie. And I was majorly disappointed with the ending of this movie. I mean how much imagination does it take to show a lethal injection execution? And I get it, the main character still trying to make deals by selling out every drug dealer he knows even til the very end. A mixed bag for me.
Joe
So which side is our man on? That's the question in this drug mafia movie where the police have found a way to take down a major drug crew, but have to use one of their key arrests to help them. However, who is he playing for and with? This is a clever and ambitious little movie. Well directed and acted, this film takes influence from others in the genre (such as The Wire) but maps out its own story, and it's really interesting.The Far East has a rich history of mafia movies, and this isn't amongst the classics, but that doesn't devalue it. It still is a fine film, with good directing and acting. Some interesting characters too.Very much worth watching.
nokturnal-rapport
Gripping, smart, and a joy to watch. The acting is excellent and the main leads are my favorite. Honglei, a hardened narcotic cop, is collected, methodological, and intelligent. You can tell he has earned his keep and has seen some crazy things behind those eyes. He's like the calm before the storm, readily break loose. He leads a high profiled operation to bust possibly the largest drug ring in the counntry and his lead is Louis, a captured meth supplier. Louis is not to be outshone: calculated, cunning, and above all, selfish. I find his character to be easily one of the greatest villains for he appears harmless but you can't really know what he has in mind. One scene you might think he has repented, another scene he might convince you otherwise. He is a great villain because he's deceptive, cunning, selfish, and he's willing to do anything for survival, including turning against his own kin but the catch is that he doesn't look capable of such evil. That's why he's great. Appearance is deceiving. The two main leads are completely opposite. The cop appears cold, distanced, and seemingly emotionless yet pursues a good cause and cares for his underlings while the crook appears warmer, more expressive, seemingly harmless yet inhuman underneath. Great contrast. The story is tight, the actions are neat - the shootout between the mute brothers and the cops and the grand finale scene are superb. A battle of both brain and brawn.
drjgardner
"Drug War" is an interesting and compelling film, but it is far too long and there are far too many plot flaws to be memorable. Along with the plot flaws, there are literally dozens of "good guys" and "bad guys", so it can be hard to keep track of who's who, especially when the shooting starts and when you've got 3 seconds to see who bought the farm before the camera angle changes.That being said, the main characters do a good job and there are several minor characters ( a drug boss who laughs, two deaf mute low level gangsters) who give the film a certain charm. Moreover, the glance we get of law enforcement in China is certainly eye opening.Best of all is the ending, with a shootout that certainly rates in the top 10 of murder and mayhem, although falling short of such classics as "The Wild Bunch", "Yojimbo", "The Seven Samurai" and "The Beast of the City."
AD
