A review of 'Overheard 2'
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CRI, August 25, 2011
In 1973, against the backdrop of one of the worst stock market downturns in history, a group of young talented stock brokers in Hong Kong joined forces to help local Chinese companies fight against the hostile takeover of foreign investors. As time went by, the young stock managers become stock moguls. With Szema Cheung (Wu Fung) and Wong Sai Tung (Kenneth Tsang) leading the way as brothers, they form a small group known as "Di Zhu Hui" (literally Landlord Gang). As the group becomes more and more powerful, they soon realize that they can control the local market and generate huge personal profits for themselves. Facing the possibility of huge financial benefits, Szema Cheung (Wu Fung) and Wong Sai Tung (Kenneth Tsang) made different life choices.
This is the background story that movie "Overheard 2" (Qie Ting Feng Yun 2) is trying to tell.
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A still from crime movie "Overheard 2" [sina.com] |
Named as the sequel to the 2009 crime thriller "Overheard", few movie-goers would have expected "Overheard 2" to be a totally different and much more complicated story. The film's co-directors Alan Mak and Felix Chong assembles the same cast of the first installment, however, they also added two heavyweight actors to take two important supporting roles, Wu Fung and Kenneth Tsang.
The film begins with a car crash, involving stock manager Ho Man Sang (Lau Ching Wan), who hits a truck as he tries to lose a suspicious car that is tailing him. A military issue surveillance bug is later found in his car by the police, who then call in an inspector from the anti-terrorism force, Ho Chi Keung (Louis Koo). Investigation reveals that a retired solider Szema Nim Cho (Daniel Woo) is the main suspect for installing the surveillance bugs. The guy is also wiretapping on other members from the "Di Zhu Hui". What follows is a series of exciting but typical scenarios often associated with crime thrillers, including the inevitable street bombs and car chases.
The casting of Daniel Woo makes it hard for audiences to believe that he was a clear-cut villain, especially with scenes showing Woo taking care of his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's. After watching the movie however, I was touched by Daniel Woo's excellent performance. For me, "Overheard 2" is the best of Woo's film that I have seen, and the film certainly benefits from Woo's extra few pounds of weight, which stopped many female movie-goers from just focusing on his face.
As the film progresses, viewers realize that Woo's plan is not only to uncover cases of illegal trading, when his mother reveals in conversation that he is "trying to find uncle Tung (Wong Sai Tung)."
After Szema Cheung (Wu Fung) is arrested for a conspiracy carried out by the "Di Zhu Hui", Wong Sai Tung took over all his business, including some charity fund he is managing. Szema Cheung was later murdered in the prison.
Though many years have passed, Ho Man Sang (Lau Ching Wan) still remembers that he was introduced to the group by Szema Cheung (Wu Fung) because of his part in attempting to save a Chinese company from a hostile takeover.
When the retired soldier Szema Nim Cho (Daniel Woo) and Wong Sai Tung (Kenneth Tsang) finally meet, audience members come to the sudden realization that the film is not a story about financial crime at all; it is a story of revenge. Szema Nim Cho's real plan is to find the truth of his father's death and to help those stock holders of the charity fund.
Just like the first installment of the series, "Overheard 2" is a sad tale. Long-time friends finally turn enemies when faced with the prospect of huge financial profits, and on the way to pursuing justice, large sacrifices must be made; even life.
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