Released in 2019, The Fatal Raid was originally intended as a sequel to 2016’s Special Female Force. A couple of that film’s performers reappear, notably Jade Leung as Wong, an undercover cop. But The Fatal Raid is essentially a standalone project. Directed by Jacky Lee, it’s an old-fashioned cop thriller that spans some twenty years.
Patrick Tam dominates the film as a Hong Kong police inspector investigating an arms-smuggling gang in Macao. When his team is wiped out, including his best friend Hard Gor (Michael Tong), Tam represses his anger and sense of betrayal to focus on his career.
Twenty years later, Tam oversees an assignment in Macao. This time his team is to provide security for government officials. But, as a title notifies viewers, “Karma is unforgiving and always gets it payback.”
Things go south, cops end up in a warehouse where amateur terrorists are hiding out, but real gangsters show up and gunfire erupts.
Lee orchestrates several large-scale shootouts in the movie. Unfortunately, the crooks and terrorists are the worst shots in the world, their thousands of rounds hitting no one but cars, trucks, walls, offices, etc.
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Some of the hand-to-hand fights are credible, but the heavy emphasis on male bonding quickly becomes tiresome. Just like a Hong Kong film from the 1990s, the last part of the film unfolds long flashbacks that repeat a story that wasn’t that complicated to begin with.
It’s great to see Jade Leung again, and Michael Tong brings more nuance than expected to his role.
Fans of guns and explosions will find just enough here to keep them occupied. Well Go USA Entertainment is Available from Well Go USA Entertainment on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD formats, starting August 24.
