Wo Hu/ 臥虎

Every year, the HK film industry is bound to produce a few films about triads. Although I personally do not mind the genre, I do grow tired of mediocre films that simply regurgitate cliche elements. In this post-Infernal Affairs world, Wo Hu plays it safe by using some parts in IA and yet introduces some interesting ideas about the triad genre.

The story begins as the police starts a prolonged operation against local triads by sending in 1,000 undercover cops. However, this is more of a gimmick as at no point do 1,000 undercover cops appear. The rest of the plot is about the cops moving against a certain triad organization and how the organization reacts internally. Right off, three main triad bosses are played by veterans in this genre, Eric Tsang, Francis Ng, and Jordan Chan. The film tries to give these bosses depth - Eric Tsang encounters a love interest, Francis Ng tries to be a good father, and Jordan Chan is scared of his wife. The problem here is not that these characters are more than triad members; the problem is that these characters aren't very good triad members. It is ludicrous that despite repeated claims by the cops of the magnitude of the triad organization, there are never many extras on screen. These bosses often walk around with no bodyguards and no weapons at hand, and when, at one point, Jordan Chan's character is asked to supply 50 henchmen but he can gather only 30-something, I seriously question the power of this organization.

At various points, the film throws around some moral issues such as good vs evil and right vs wrong, to which it largely answers by the end. But the movie does not appear intent on spreading a certain message. In addition, most of the scenes do not appear to be significant to the progress of the plot, giving a slow, calm feel. Overall, despite its flaws, Wo Hu is a decent triad flick that fans of the genre would enjoy.

Pros: Strong leading cast, interesting twist
Cons: Not enough extras, fairly generic story
Conclusion: Mildly recommended, but not a good place to delve into the triad genre.
Score: 2.5/5