High-Octane
Summary
Shock Wave 2 may have a little too much CG in the action scenes but there are still several fights and shoot-outs with Andy Lau as impressive as ever.
Plot: After suffering life changing injuries in the line of duty, bomb disposal officer Poon Shing Fung (Andy Lau, Infernal Affairs, House of Flying Daggers) turns his back on the police. But when a devastating series of bombings sweep Hong Kong, the police suspect their former ally may be involved after he is found unconscious at a crime scene. Now faced with memory loss and recalling only fragments of his former life, Fung sets out to uncover the truth and find out who he really is.
Written and directed by cult cinema legend Herman Yau (The Untold Story, Ip Man: Final Fight) and co-starring Sean Lau (Call of Heroes), Ni Ni (The Flowers of War) and Philip Keung (Sheep Without a Shepherd), Shock Wave: Hong Kong Destruction is a must-see blockbuster full of twists, turns and explosive action from start to finish.
Review: I was surprised when Shock Wave 2 was announced especially after how the first movie ended but Andy Lau returns, this time playing a different character called Poon Shing Fung. He loses a leg in this movie and I thought the way the visual effects make it look so authentic was the most impressive aspect of the film.
This sequel wastes no time in getting going with a genuinely explosive opening sequence and it rarely goes more than a few minutes without something blowing up, a fight scene or a shoot-out. Andy Lau is as engaging as ever making us wonder if he is in fact a hero or villain. The story has plenty of twists and turns and at times it does get a little confusing, but it all makes sense for the finale.
I like the backstory between Fung and the main villain Ma Sai Kwan (Kwan-Ho Tse) as it gives the tale a bit more depth as we question just what Fung is up to.
As I stated the effects for Fung’s false leg are impressive but some of the other visuals aren’t quite as strong let down by gold old CG explosions which do take away from some of the excitement, but I’ve seen worse.
It’s well acted and there is a lot of shouting throughout giving it even more intensity so by the time it reaches the end you’ll be ready for the break.
Overall, Shock Wave 2 is a worthy sequel to the original with regular action scenes which are let down by noticeable CG at times but it’s still a fun ride.
Shock Wave: Hong Kong Destruction (aka Shock Wave 2) is released in the UK on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital by Trinity CineAsia
