Gangsters
and fish just seem to go together. It is a connection that goes way back, like
when the mob used to control the Fulton Fish Market, until Rudy Giuliani
cleaned it out. Over in Hong Kong, scores of supposed fishermen are really part
of a gold smuggling operation. Shing is a former trawler who has adapted to
crime so well, he usurps the entire operation, but that means he will have to
contend with the wildest cop on the Hong Kong force in Jonathan Li’s The Brink (trailer here), which screens
during the 2018 New York Asian Film Festival.
A
suspect dies while Sai Gui is bringing him in, but he is eventually cleared of
criminal responsibility, in the most legalistic sense possible. Of course, nobody
wants anything to do with him, including Chan, his strictly by-the-book captain
and his partner, A-de, who is literally due to retire tomorrow, so do not get
too emotionally attached to him.
For
some reason, Sai Gui gets a bee in his bonnet over the gold-smuggling ring
Shing runs for the ingrate Shui, who rather arrogantly assumes he can turn over
the operation to his entitled son with no consequences. Instead, Shing turns
the tables on Shui and son. If Kui, the Triad pulling the strings from his casino
cruise ship will except Shing as his new guy, he will be a much more dangerous
target for Sai Gui to take down, but the chaotic transition also represents an
opportunity for the cop to expose the operation.
So,
game on. The Brink is intended to be
Max Zhang Jin’s big debut as an action leading man, after he stole the show in Kill Zone (SPL) 2, but it is hard to
recognize him with the bleach blond surfer coif he sports this time around.
Regardless, he has massive chops. Whenever he goes toe-to-toe with a bad guy,
the film is on rock solid ground (even when the action takes place on
typhoon-swept fishing boats).
Shawn
Yue is nearly as durable and moody as Shing. Frankly, their antagonism might
have played better with more personality contrast. Yet, Yue develops some
intriguing chemistry with Janice Man (showing some nice chops of her own), as the
unnamed protégé Shing’s takes an uncharacteristically protective interest in.
Of
course, Yasuaki Kurata struts through the film with authority as the
all-business Kui and Gordon Lam adds an element of humanity as the
long-suffering Chan. However, the whole point of the film is to showcase Zhang,
by letting his fists do the talking. The
Brink has its ragged edges, but frankly that is part of its throwback,
throw-down charm. Recommended as a watery thrill ride, with absolutely no pretensions,
The Brink screens Wednesday night
(like Fourth of July fireworks) at the Walter Reade, as part of this year’s
NYAFF.
