| A Better Tomorrow II(1988) Cast: Chow Yun Fat,Ti Lung,Leslie Cheung Decent follow up to a landmark HK film has Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung looking for vengeance against the mobsters who killed Lung's brother and killed the daughter of another mob boss, so in an orgy of gunfire revenge is served cold in this mixed bag of a sequel. ..Still A Better Tomorrow II works well as a stand alone thanks to Woo's astonishing action sequences. However the closest this comes to the greatness of the first is in the relationships of the characters. Indeed the tragic relationship between Lung and Cheung, as well as Chow Yun-Fat relationship with a catatonic mobster gone mad due to the death of his daughter. It's all handled very well but for some reason Woo seems to cut away from the subplots just when momentum builds and although it never gets dull, I found myself wanting more dialogue rather than an action sequence. The climax though deserves a special mention as it remains one of the most exciting in Woo's impressive career. It's bloody, brutal and tense. Which of course leaves the viewer walking out with mixed emotions. Indeed A Better Tomorrow is on par with Woo's early American work because of the lack of character development. But as always all of Woo's Hong Kong work is worth a look and this is no exception. D.John Woo*** |