![]() ![]() You should be on the edge of your seat when Lau walks into a room, pours on the charm, and tricks a room full of already-on-edge auction attendants into leaving in a panic. Many scenes are over-edited, and generally lack rhythm. Unfortunately, Fung displays none of the bratty knack for hyper-stylized action scenes that he did in his recent "Tai Chi Zero" and "Tai Chi Hero" films. ![]() The fact that Lau, Reno, Qi, and their co-stars are stuck with such a poorly sketched-out narrative wouldn't matter if "The Adventurers" had even a couple of worthwhile set pieces, or some dazzling action choreography. Poor Reno is the saddest case: he's saddled with dismal, uninspired lines like "What are you up to this time" and "You're already too late!" I'd say that this kind of paint-by-numbers scenario should write itself, but you try telling that to director Stephen Fung ("House of Fury," "Tai Chi Hero") and his five credited co-writers. Meanwhile, Jean Reno, as Pierre, huffs and puffs as he trails after Zhang. And Kong is the dad-like fixer, the silent partner that sets everything up, and then promptly disappears. Red is the plucky femme fatale, cocky, and mysterious. Po is the young hacker, gutsy, and untrained. So it's no wonder that Zhang and colleagues Po Chen (Tony Yo-ning Yang), Red ( Shu Qi), and Kong ("Infernal Affairs" co-star Eric Tsang) are never developed beyond their formulaic roles. Everything you see in "The Adventurers" is essentially a leftover from earlier heist/chase films, right down to the lame John Barry-esque James Bond Lite score, and the uninspired " Thomas Crown Affair"-like set pieces. In fact, he playfully explains his motives for participating in the theft of the priceless three-piece "Gaia" necklace by cutting right to the heart of the matter: "I'm greedy, and I like money." This could have been more than just a throwaway line, but it's not since characters are never treated as anything more than archetype-flat character types. All we know about Zhang is that he likes money. Lau's a star, and you can see it any time that Zhang strides confidently into a room packed with tuxedo and ballroom-gown-clad gamblers and socialites.īut "The Adventurers" is otherwise far too skimpy to be memorable. But Lau's also stuck with a wan script, which does not give him many opportunities to charm viewers with his signature smile, or boyish, aw-shucks shoe-gazing. This is partly a language barrier problem: Lau exchanges choppy English with co-star Jean Reno, who plays the obligatory stubborn French detective that's hot on Zhang's heels, but always just one step behind. Lau always strains to appear cool in scenes that require an air of effortless yet contained gracefulness from him. But if "The Adventurers" is any indication, Lau has not aged gracefully. ![]() Now 56 years old, Lau reprises a role that Yun-Fat Chow originated back in 1991, when Chow was only 36 years old. The role of Zhang, the cocky, and quietly self-assured ex-con jewelry thief, might seem ideal for Lau. Stylish actioner’s tech credits are all feature-film top-notch, especially the camerawork by Bill Wong."The Adventurers," a sleepy globe-trotting adventure about a retired thief (Lau, of course) drawn in by the promise of "one last heist," is an underwhelming vanity project (Lau also produced the film). Holt, Lea and Wong also acquit themselves well in their up-to-the-minute outfits put together by the sharp-eyed costumer Donna Wong. Ivan Sergei is a real charmer, bringing a stellar sense of comic timing to his role, essential to a Woo pic (just check out John Travolta in “Broken Arrow”). There are innumerable twists in the course of “Thief’s” two hours, which sometimes slow the time between the expertly staged fights and explosions. ![]() The love triangle ends up a quadrangle in Vancouver with the introduction of hunky Victor (Nicholas Lea), an ex-cop engaged to Li Ann, and both work for a James Bondish type of international crime-fighting agency Whew!Ĭrystalline plotting is not the point. Mac and Michael both love Li Ann but she’s been promised in marriage to Michael, although she really loves Mac, and the lovers decide to split with the godfather’s money to start a new life. Michael is his biological son and heir apparent. The gorgeous thieves Li Ann (Sandrine Holt), Michael (Michael Wong) and Mac (Ivan Sergei) who have been raised as siblings by the Godfather of Hong Kong (Robert Ito) now are the main operatives in his criminal empire. Action begins in Hong Kong, with a daring heist pulled off by what seems to be a trio of refugees from an Aaron Spelling series. ![]()
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