Finally a formulaic film to get excited about. For whilst it may be nothing more than a sophisticated thriller about moles in the deadly opposed Hong Kong police force and a triad gang it is also a new story, well plotted, stylishly set and slickly shot. As such it is a joy to watch when so many films today appear to be either a remake or a sequel or worse, a prequel to which you cannot help but know the ending.

The story follows Chan, a cop who has been deep undercover for ten years and on whom the strain is beginning to show; and Lau, the Triad’s mole in the police department who is facing a moral crisis. As the stakes escalate in the war between the Triads and the Cops each mole must find and eliminate the other.

Shot amongst the skyscrapers and streets of Hong Kong with black suited cops and stylish gangsters the film has a look of a grittier and more lethal matrix where death tends to be shocking and unexpected. The tension is consistently increased and with the two unstable characters it becomes difficult to predict the plot or decide who to root for. Initially confusing at the start as the histories of the two moles are related swiftly in a series of key flashbacks whilst you try to focus on who the different characters are. Once the story gets underway the anecdotal way in which girlfriends are introduced and relationships formed shows good storytelling by not letting up on the tension.

Somewhat inevitably there are now a sequel and a prequel already shot and a Hollywood remake on the way. Depressing though this may be, see the original for inventive and stylish filmmaking that is also just good fun.