The bitter pain of disappointment

I made another dent in my stack of unwatched DVDs this weekend... On The Edge reunites Anthony Wong with pork-bun killer director Herman Yau. Star Nick Cheung plays an undercover cop who finishes his assignment by busting a crime boss (Francis Ng), and is welcomed back to the fold. But his problems are really just beginning since the cops (including his partner, played by Wong) don't trust him, his buddies in the gang hate him, and the girl that he was hanging out with doesn't want to be seen with him.


The plot is depressing and so is the tone. The closest Yau comes to humor is when Cheung's superior tells him to stop hanging out with hoods, and that there are some good-looking girls on the police force. But I like how the movie never deviates from the somber mood. I also like Cheung doesn't look like he should be a hero. It's said in the movie that his character doesn't look right in a uniform and it's true. With his scarf and choppy haircut, he makes a much better crook.

With more brooding than fighting and frustration than retribution, On The Edge is not a crowd pleaser. But it's a well-told, well-acted movie with no filler that is worth tracking down. There are no frills but when fights erupt and car chases occur, they don't disappoint. Most importantly, despite understated melodrama you care about the protagonist until the bitter end. At the very least, it will keep you satistified until Johnnie To's The Exiled (featuring Cheung, Wong, and Ng) comes out...