The film's breathlessly-paced plot, coupled with smartly timed plot twists and believable characters, makes for some seriously solid popcorn fare.
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When it comes to action movies, it's hard to beat a good ol' Asian thriller featuring undercover cops. The following are guaranteed: a shootout, a car chase and lots of fabulous red herrings. That being said, filming something that ticks all these boxes well is far harder than it seems, which is why Extraordinary Mission excels. The film's breathlessly-paced plot, coupled with smartly timed plot twists and believable characters, makes for some seriously solid popcorn fare.
Lin Kai (Huang Xuan) is an undercover cop trying to infiltrate a heroin-smuggling business in Southeast Asia. After finding his way to head honcho Eagle (Duan Yihong), Lin and his boss Li Jianguo (Zu Feng) realise this is the same drug lord Li had tried to bring down a decade ago in a failed operation.
Any movie with undercover cops will inevitably be compared to Infernal Affairs. Incidentally, Extraordinary Mission was directed by Alan Mak (Infernal Affairs) and Anthony Pun - but one doesn't necessarily need to reach that level to be entertaining. Huang's dashing presence swells the screen with a liveliness best exemplified during alpha moments: undergoing waterboard torture, winning a gunfight while outnumbered, and riding a motorcycle on rooftops like he's been doing it for years. This is a man that can clearly do everything flawlessly, which is probably the film's best and worst trait.
It is left to Eagle, Li and the supporting cast to move the plot along, and they do so with great aplomb. Extraordinary Mission's notable lack of romance is a rare pleasure I enjoy. This is a film focused on action, action, and action. Hurtling to the end, however, may not result in a payoff as spectacular as expected, after one too many gun battles at the end. But Mak knows when to call time and close with a flourish.
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