Time and Tide

The plot of Hong Kong action master Tsui Hark’s film is pretty much incomprehensible—something about a young bartender-turned-bodyguard (Nicholas Tse), a gangster (Wu Bai), the women in each of their lives (Cathy Chui and Candy Lo, respectively), a lot of gunfire, treachery, betrayal and some truly awe-inspiring stunts. Yet the film is undeniably entertaining. For one thing, it really does make a difference knowing that what we see is really being done—if only by unsung stuntmen—and not just generated by computer dweebs flexing their pixels. Tsui plows through all his action set-pieces without pause or dawdle; his visual panache, breakneck energy and wry humor make the film an entertaining ride, even if we don’t know where we’re going or recognize the scenery we pass along the way.