Alan Mak comes back again as director of new film, Extraordinary Mission. He is the most well known for his films such as Cold War, the Overheard series and his international smash hit films Internal Affairs. Extraordinary Mission stars Huang Xuan, Daun Yihong, and, Lang Yueting. It grossed over 105 million dollars in China. The film was released internationally last month.
Alan Mak wrote a hell of a script if you think about his work in Internal Affairs. So you can just guess ahead of time what this film is going to consist of. The plot has to do with a cop once again going undercover to catch a major drug operation. Things pick up pretty fact after the films titles is shown. You have to wonder how a film can gain so much momentum off of not much backstory but there's major backtracking in the form of flashbacks. Don't mistake this film for a mindless action thriller without getting to the core of the plot first. Much of this film's experience has to do with detailed character stories that when get to see so vividly during flashback sequences. I actually had to sit back in my seat and state how Extraordinary Mission actually took a decent amount of time to explain to viewers the much needed, Who?, What?, When? and Why? of the whole situation. thus causing the story to really have a detailed emotional undertaking about it. I've also seen so many action films showing gun fights that I don't even consider them to be great action for my days anymore. This film shows you some gun battles… then some more and some more after that. Action in the film only heats up toward the end and let me tell you….. Shit hits the fan so much so that you might grip your seat. A few scenes pass the opening is a solid second place on the action scale as well. Very solidly excited store and ending for the most part though.
Much of the characters are a mystery. Even the main character has been undercover for such a long time that you don't know if her could become a turncoat and turn on the police for drugs. The actors present stone cold expressions most of the time which is understandable. When you're in a world like that, it takes away you're reason to smile or show any kind of emotion. I became a viewer that carved seeing human emotion from all of the characters because of their hollowness. The script given to the actors and actresses leaves them room to grow as characters, even revealing each characters deepest darkest wounds in their hearts. Each and every one of them did well bringing sold mysterious characters to life.
Where was the places that they filmed at, I wonder….. The scenery was one of the ghetto filled places I have ever seen in my life. I believe some of the filming took place in Thailand their native language was spoken a lot in certain scenes. The scenes truly show that you've come down to the nitty gritty level of society. I liked how the camera made sure to rotate around inside buildings and above buildings to create a feel like you can come through the screen and touch the buildings. Not that I would want to….. There's a lot of overhead shots to show the action from below, plus that slow-motion shot of the bullet sailing through the air never gets old when done right[INSERT ME LAUGHING].
Extraordinary Mission was steps away from being an extraordinary film. So many films are about undercover cops in the same way this film is but at least Mak tried to had a little something different to what's already out there. I like this film and would watch it again.
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