Starring: Lau Ching-wan, Daniel Wu, Louis Koo, Huang Yi, Michelle Ye

Directors: Alan Mak, Felix Chong

TO say that Hong Kong people are obsessed with the stock market may be an understatement. According to business reports, the majority of Hong Kong residents invest in shares, with some taking such big risks that they are essentially gambling with their life savings. So the subject of the share market is dear to the hearts of many Hong Kong people, which makes creating a thriller surrounding this an incredibly clever idea. This concept was realized by creative duo Alan Mak and Felix Chong in their superb crime thriller “Overheard” in 2009.

“Overheard 2” is really a sequel in name only, as it tells an entirely different story that does not involve any of the characters from the original “Overheard” film. However, it is not hard to appreciate the similarities between the two films. Besides the setting involving the stock market, the same key cast and crew are involved in both films. Actors Lau Ching-wan (“Mad Detective,” “Detective,” “Running Out of Time”), Louis Koo (“Election 1” and “Election 2”) and Daniel Wu (“Protégé,” “One Nite in Mongkok”) all return, as does the production team consisting of producer Derek Yee and directors and writers Alan Mak and Felix Chong.

Mak and Chong have been working together continuously since their classic thriller “Infernal Affairs,” creating films such as “Once A Gangster” and “The Lost Bladesman.” Their best work since they separated from “Infernal Affairs” co-director Andrew Lau used to be “Overheard,” but that title now belongs to their new film, “Overheard 2.”

In “Overheard 2,” the financial world is portrayed as full of greed and betrayals, with people mainly concerned about stretching the profit margin. When Manson Law (Lau Ching-wan), a famous stockbroker, is injured in a car accident, it is discovered that he has been under surveillance by a mysterious man called Joe (Daniel Wu). As a team of police headed by Inspector Jack Ho (Louis Koo) begins to investigate, the fate of these three men starts to intertwine. The film plays out like a classic game of cat and mouse, and offers lots of suspense and edge-of-the-seat thrills. The plot about the illegal practices of powerful stockbrokers, and the gradually-unfolding truth surrounding Joe’s identity and motives, are used to form the basis of this intense and effective thriller.

The film’s production value is high. It looks great thanks to experienced cinematographer Anthony Pun. The action scenes are wonderful, and include an extended chase scene on busy streets and some very exciting car chases. The acting is great all round. Lau and Koo give solid performances as usual, while Wu is given a bigger role than in the first film. Wu does a good job and demonstrates that he really has the potential to become a much bigger star than he is now. The two female leads Huang Yi and Michelle Ye are both wonderful in their relatively small roles. It is also a delight to see many veteran actors (most of whom are semi-retired from acting), such as Kenneth Tsang, Woo Fung, Kong Ngai, Felix Lok and Kwok Fung, being given roles that allow them to shine with their truly fantastic performances.

The ending feels relatively subdued, but it does tie the loose ends together neatly. Overall, this is a gripping drama and another solid crime thriller to come out of Hong Kong. The filmmakers ought to be congratulated for their efforts in continuing to make films that have a distinct Hong Kong flavor. Let’s hope it will not be too long before we get to see “Overheard 3.”

The movie is now being screened in Shenzhen.

(SD-Agencies)