Highly Overrated But Still Good

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

City on Fire is another classic Hong Kong cinematic experience, but Reservoir Dogs is definitely not a rip off. People question Tarantino's originality because of this film, but other than the similarities in the ending gunpoint scene and the 'undercover cop' story their different movies entirely.City on Fire focuses on one man and only one man, we follow his struggle through the intensity and risk of being undercover and the slightly less focused point of balancing work and relationships. Yun Fat Chow is again outstanding, from the Hong Kong cinema I have seen there is no one quite like that man, and in City on Fire he really does show that he is a leading man and not a supporting one. His performance is up their with Hard Boiled and that is saying something.One thing Hong Kong crime thrillers seem to do so well is music and action, and City on Fire really does mix the slow paced, relaxing jazz with the powerful action and grittiness of the characters and plot.It's no wonder Tarantino got his 'inspiration' from this film because its a good watch with strong acting from the lead roll and also captures Hong Kong perfectly especially the underbelly of the crime world. If you're put off by subtitled films then don't be because you're missing out on great cinema.

Anybody that lambastes Tarantino for stealing ideas should also recommend that all of Shakespeare's works be ignored because either plot lines or situations are ignored. It clear to even the most casual observer that there are numerous things taken directly from "City on Fire" i.e. the three way standoff, the undercover cop taking one in the gut, and the likable thief taking out a squad car with a gun blazing in each hand.I'll even admit that these things were directly ripped off by Tarantino, but I firmly believe that "Dogs" absolutely stands on its own in terms of character exploration, and story structure, never mind acting, and cinematography. I liken it to "Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" which also directly lifts entire scenes from Hamlet, but is completely its own fully-fleshed work. Another reason this works is that old Billy himself didn't really invent any new stories because there are only about 14 stories anyway.Tarantino may have stolen more than a few ideas, but the Dog's story is made his own, and I mean come on, it's f***ing RESERVIOR DOGS. I didn't hear Steven Wright anywhere in City on Fire.The thing I enjoyed the most about COF is finally getting to see what went wrong in the Dog's heist.

CITY ON FIRE is not in the mold of A BETTER TOMORROW or FULL CONTACT. It's a drama about the emotional pressures an undercover police officer faces when he is ordered, against his better judgement, to infiltrate a gang of violent, gun-toting jewel robbers.That Ko Chow (Chow Yun Fat) is having problems with his fiancée makes the situation all the more difficult for him. He's unable to explain why it is he can never keep a date with Hung (Carrie Ng) as only secrecy is keeping him alive. Even his fellow officers don't know he is really an undercover cop and pursue him relentlessly as they (rightly) suspect him of supplying arms to the robbers.The negative points are that the drama between Ko Chow and Hung is never convincingly explored. Even if Ko Chow couldn't tell Hung that he was having meetings with the leader of the jewel thieves, he could at least tell her something. No wonder she leaves him for a sixty- year-old millionaire.Also, Ko Chow's deep bond of friendship with Fu (Danny Lee) is a bit easily formed. It just doesn't convince that one conversation between them about their childhoods would make them so close that one would die for the other.In this respect, the script construction of CITY ON FIRE is a little weak.However, credit should be given to director/writer Ringo Lam for bringing the theme of misplaced loyalty to the undercover cop genre.And though RESERVOIR DOGS is criticised here for stealing the core plot elements of CITY ON FIRE, it has to be said that the structure of Taratino's film is far superior to Lam's. But it would be nice to think Quentin had paid Ringo something for using his ideas.

I viewed this on late night TV and it immediately grabbed me. It was due to its interesting music, shoot outs, superior cinematography and a brilliant performance by Chow-Yun Fat as the undercover agent sent to join a gang headed by the excellent Danny Lee. Only the ending bears comparison to Reservoir Dogs with the rest of the film building up to this moment. In it's own right this is as good as Tarantino's effort and should be seen by as many people.