Fatal Move [夺帅]
This has to be one of the most meaningless and perhaps one of the more gory HK ‘Triad’ movies I have ever seen.

The story is about a triad founded by two brothers (played by Samo Hung and Simon Yam). The triad itself is watched by the HK Organised Crime Division which seeks to arrest the leaders and completely neutralise it. Naturally, there were car chases, pitched gun battles etc. all over the movie.

Also challenging the Triad is not the law enforcers but other Triads which are technically competitors. As such, there were several scenes of gory gang fights for the purpose of territorial control. These fights comes complete with digits and limps severed, throats slashed, people stabbed through the belly and lots of blood being splattered all over the place. In one scene, there was even a close up on an arm which is cut off half way, plus another showing how a woman was tortured in a gruesome manner.

There were also several scenes of murders which leave people wondering if Hong Kong is completely lawless. Definitely not for the faint hearted and please avoid watching after eating a good meal if you have a weak stomach.

Beyond that, there’s an element of ‘Infernal Affairs’ in the show, where there is a Triad plant within the police force itself, attempted betrayal and blackmail by the wife of a member of the Triad, and also internal dissent and infighting within the Triad itself. And in the end the infighting brought the Triad down, and all members were killed – even though who ended up in jail – in the end.

So what’s really so bad about it when there’s obviously quite a rich plot? It’s the fact that it is trying to do too many things at one go and it’s trying too hard to impress with all these gory scenes and sub-plots. In the end, none of them were done really well, and most people we left wondering who was behind the plot to kill every single one member of the Triad in the end.

If you have a liking for Hong Kong Triad movies, then this might be the one for you. But in general, there are better Triad Movies which is less gory being made. There is nothing really impressive in this movie and it’s best you give it a miss if you intend to get a VCD or DVD.