Product Description

After a failed assassination attempt on mob boss lung he hires five killers of diverse backgrounds as bodyguards and to seek out the enemy. The danger that comes with the job gradually brings the men closer until an unexpected turn of events put their friendship and loyalty to the test. Studio: Tai Seng Entertainment Release Date: 09/21/2004 Starring: Anthony Wong Simon Yam Run time: 88 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Johnny To

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85961 in DVD
• Brand: Mission
• Released on: 2000-04-25
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 81 minutes

Amazon.com
This rewarding Hong Kong action movie has a sleek yet realistic style that lifts it above the average crime thriller. When someone attempts to take out a mob boss named Mr. Lung, the boss's brother Frank (played by the great Simon Yam) puts together a team of five bodyguards to protect Lung. At first the team is bored as nothing happens. They bicker among themselves and run errands. After a close call, they pull themselves into a ruthlessly efficient unit. Both the mundanity and the high tension of their lives are vividly evoked. Slowly, the personalities of the individual bodyguards come to light in snapshot scenes. But when the threat to Mr. Lung is resolved, their troubles really begin; one of them is accused of having an affair with Lung's wife, and the others must kill him or be killed themselves. The Mission seems confusing at first because it doesn't follow the usual rules for a thriller of this kind. The jagged yet riveting scenes, enhanced by low-key yet compelling performances and superb cinematography, come together like fragments of a shattered picture. Without seeming to tell you anything, The Mission paints a tense portrait of these men's mutual bond. Despite the melodramatic elements of the plot, the movie's attention to realistic detail makes the stakes matter. Well worth viewing. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

A warning about the DVD subtitles
I loved the film, but a word of warning about the english subtitles. The translation is very strange in parts - substitution of completely wrong words with a similar spelling. Also the subtitles linger only just long enough for you to be able to read them if you happen to be looking at the bottom of the screen waiting in anticipation.

The Mission, an alternative to the action genre.
Everyone loves a great shootout in their action film right? How about four to five? Johnny To directs this clever and thoughful film about five men hired to guard a highly-ranked Triad boss. Each man has his own story and thus makes this action film a character driven one as well. Although the film has only 81 minutes to enthrall you, every minute is worth it. The acting, especially Francis Ng's and Anthony Wong's performances are sleek, stylish and humorous. Although the DVD isn't loaded with extras, it's the best format-- especially since the VHS version will have you using magnifying glasses when reading the subtitles. An amazing action film at any rate and a must see for any Hong Kong film fan or pure gangster movie buff.

A sleek masterpiece
First things first: don't go into this expecting a kinetic action flick, a la Time and Tide or The Big Heat. There are few flashy action scenes to be found here, the dialogue is sparse, the camera rarely moves and when it does, it creeps along slowly. All of which makes the film more exciting and more tense. There are a handful of action scenes here, and the three major ones are all incredibly well done. The standoffs at the mall, the deserted building, and in the alley are all examples of what is lost when actions scenes rely too heavily on Michael Bay-esque pyrotechnics and camera movement.

The acting is top notch, with most of the major actors playing against type to a certain extent: they're all rather quiet. Anthony Wong is a quietly effecient assassin, Roy Cheung is the quiet nice guy, Lam Suet is the quiet peanut-eating gun expert....these roles all play off nicely against Francis Ng's edgy, tempestuous character and Simon Yam's weirdly humorous gangster (who really seems to be running the show, not his brother, whom the hired guns are protecting).

All in all, this film is ample evidence that Hong Kong cinema is alive and well, even after the mass exodus of talent.