I plead with you, China. Plead. Please, please, please give me a reason to watch a film like this. I’m at the theater; I want to see something I haven’t seen. I’ll even take something I’ve seen but with a new twist or something. This? This is TV in movie form. And not pay cable TV, something much lamer, like network television in the late 1980s.
The sleek opening credits invoke Casino Royale. Oooo, is this a Bond-type tale? Hmmm, Louis Koo is in it, so you know it’s a police procedural of some sort. Ah, I see it’s all about money laundering. Ok, as crimes go, that isn’t super sexy. The money laundering taking place at an actual laundromat, well, that’s a new one, huh? Mischief with cars … small chase … knife fight at the beach. I’m half-paying attention here. This isn’t bad, it’s just … not exactly good, either.
ICAC Investigator William Luk (Koo) is following a money trail that leads back to … himself. OK, that’s kind of fun. So the investigators want to lock him up, but his own team gets there first to lock him up. So, this is an action movie in which you cannot wait to put the star in jail. Do you know how action films work? I’m not entirely sure you do.
Half this picture is one group of dudes in business suits cha
sing after another group of dudes in business suits. It’s like a giant game of CEO team tag. And now the good guys team is looking for a guy literally named “Fat Fook.” I know you don’t consider American audiences when you film in Hong Kong, but, I dunno, consider it, maybe?
L Storm represents the growing pains of China’s expanding entertainment market. This film might satisfy a very forgiving audience, but people who see a lot of films are going to question the greenlighting. This film is like when a cop crime show has a throw away episode. It’s not that L Storm is a terrible film. It was put together by professionals, people who clearly know how to film, direct, and act; it just isn’t terribly engaging. Each scene feels like filler while the audience awaits that big moment for why we’re all here – a kick-ass fight scene? A giant twist? A soul-searching confession? Somebody falls in love? A character we fell in love with dies? C’mon film; you’ve done all the hard work of pasting together all the other stuff; now give me a reason to be here. It’s now a day later and I’m still waiting.
Your products I wish not to dismiss
But this venture does not make a Frog’s bliss
Where was the kung fu?
Or a sweet death or two?
C’mon China, you’re better than this
Not Rated, 97 Minutes
Director: David Lam
Writer: Man-lung Ho, Ho-Wah Wong
Genre: Non-sweeps episode
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Someone unfamiliar with police procedurals
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Standard American audiences
