Triple Tap (2010)

You won't be disappointed!

Simply Perfect

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The premise for Triple Tape is perfect for an action flick. I kept thinking that an American remake with Jason Statham would probably be a blockbuster hit. There were a few glaring plot holes that held the film back and one significant one that messed with the main concept and twist to the story but it all can be mostly overlooked to get a reasonably entertaining experience. Consider the film part mystery, part thriller with a splash of action and you'll enjoy it. The characters are solid and the mystery is riveting enough to keep you hooked throughout. The film is of course subtitled but also has a dubbed version. I usually just go with subtitles but decided to watch it with the dubbing and it was done decently well.Louis Koo gives a solid performance as the quiet, dark and mysterious champion marksman who appears to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to thwart a robbery and kill a robber. His character is sort of unlikable in some ways and then in other ways you empathize with him and I think that is what the goal is for the character so in this way he does well. Daniel Wu gives an excellent performance as the officer determined to get to the bottom of the crime. The cat and mouse game between Koo and Wu are what gives this film its edge. Their chemistry is terrific and Wu is a great hero. I instantly became a fan. The ladies in the film do an okay job but ultimately they are background and barely supporting. They don't stand out in the film.Secrets, lies, mystery and murder all are a plenty in the film. For awhile it will keep you guessing but as many reviewers have said the climax and ending is perhaps predictable. The problem is the great climax and twist is impossible because what they expect you to believe happened couldn't have because we saw the whole thing unfold. In addition to this there is an incredibly bizarre slapped together supernatural moment where Wu's mentor goes into some sort of psychic haze in order to find the killer. That really reduced the film's draw for me. However all that aside it is a solid Hong Kong thriller for those that love foreign films. It isn't brilliant but it is entertaining and sometimes that is enough. 7/10

"You told me it's worth millions, so I went for it. Now you get to play the hero, and me? I'm hiding all over." When competitive shooting champion Ken sees an armored van being robbed he uses his quick thinking and shooting to take out the robbers. After he is found not guilty in court he is attacked by the surviving robber. After a discussion unveils a hidden agenda can he overcome his fear and stop it before it's to late. This is another hard movie to review. I did like it, but I was expecting more of an action movie. While there was some action in this it's pretty much concentrated at the end. As a thriller though this is a very good mystery and is worth a watch. The twists keep you watching and interested. This however is another movie you must be in the mood for. Overall, a good thriller that is a good watch, when you are ready for it. I give it a B.

Above average police thriller from Hong Kong about gun expert who seems to be in deep trouble after disrupting what appears to be a heist of corporate bonds. This hero seems to be a brooding, introverted type of person, conflicted over his own actions. If my first few lines of description here suggest appearances prove wrong in the movie, then you have some idea of the film's plot development. Good performances and clever construction keep the film moving for a time but, unfortunately, it builds to an easily predictable climax that one almost wishes didn't happen. Additionally, some poorly developed romantic threads in the movie leave one wondering why the romance(s) ever developed in the first place, especially after the film's later revelations. Not bad, but not a good film either.

The first hour with its sprawling narrative and themes tackled will set you thinking just about how the film will rocket past its buildup and into the finale. There's a sharpshooter's competition at a gun club, where Daniel Wu's cop character Chang had assailed to the top of the standings despite slight hesitation at the final obstacle, only to have his joy cut shot when Louis Koo's Ken, a hot shot forex trader, pip him to the summit through a confident showcase with flair, and a triple tap to boot at the same obstacle that tripped Chang up. I'm not sure I've seen those handguns before, but even if they look gimmicky, they still do pack a punch.Which leads in very nicely to the root premise of the film, where a high stakes armoured vehicle robbery by a gang of thugs turn awry with inside jobs and mistrust dripping amongst the conspirators, to be thwarted by Ken, as a private citizen utilizing his competition gun to engage in a shootout with the robbers who had executed the security guards and about to take the life of a traffic policeman who responded to the scene of the crime. I'm pretty certain if the something similar were to happen in Singapore, you can bet that he'll likely be hailed as a hero who had stopped a crime and prevented the death of a civil servant, yet will be caught in the web of technicalities with a citizen having used a handgun to kill. I'm not sure how it'll play out here, but it sure will not be pretty.This allowed for the film to debate about moral ethics and justice, and presented the case for and against with some courtroom drama thrown in as well which will feature in post-film screening discussions amongst friends. As you can tell, those looking for action will be sorely disappointed, as Triple Tap goes beyond just the average action flick, to examine the basic greed of man, with interesting nuggets of dialogue about illegal money lending activities, and scenes that focused on the recent financial meltdown, coverups and such from the perspective of an individual, not to mention moments where man pits against man in a psychological battle of wits.And all these within the first hour, which left me impressed as Derek Yee neither overwhelms you into thinking he doesn't have a plan to get out of this narrative mess, since everything gets explained and addressed in due course, and by the time the final reel came along, all the cards fell into their rightful place, save a minor loophole or two that can be conveniently glossed over unless you're that stickler to scrutinize.What I utterly enjoyed about the film is how the leading characters are multi-dimensional in their roles, to reinforce that the film is about dilemmas. For instance, the subconsciousness of a cop who failed to allow good sense to prevail when dealing with a suspect who had earlier beaten him in a competition, concerned with how he himself will be generally perceived should he pursue an arrest. It's a damned if you do or you don't situation with an ally or friend to be made, or an adversary unwillingly formed. The dilemma earlier as discussed where one has to decide whether to use force to counter life-and-death threats in a split second, and once done, to ponder about whether the right thing was done, and on whose moral grounds this assessment will be made?The final dilemma presented will be that which has to justify having two female supporting roles with Charlene Choi as the simple nurse that Ken falls in love with, and Li Bing Bing as the alpha-female Anna Shaw, the VP of the private investment company that Ken works in, with her explicit infatuation with Ken being the reason behind his meteoric rise in the company, one where he has to trade dignity for material wealth, with the condition attached that he has to eventually leave his loved one. I suppose being caught in this situation with two women in your life, who you're ending up with will likely depend on the character that you are, or wish to become. A good problem to have though, if you ask me.Rounding up the supporting cast are actors in bit roles, such as Chapman To as the mysterious man who had escaped from the botched heist, Lam Suet as a man succumbing to greed, brought about by circumstance involving the economic downturn, and Michael Wong in a blink and you miss role as a shady investment trader. Alex Fong also makes that appearance as the mentor cum guru whom Chang turns to for advice, and I thought this was a nice touch to link up with its predecessor. Not all's doom and gloom in the film of course, though the obvious signs of comedy here in a scene between Louis Koo and Chapman To, has really exasperating undertones.An engaging storyline, some nice set action pieces, and great performances by Daniel Wu and Louis Koo, two actors who I am of the opinion that they are improving by leaps and bounds with each film, makes Triple Tap an entry worthy for contention into my top films for this year. Derek Yee has once again proved that he can craft a taut thriller, and Triple Tap is testament once more to that.