Ballistic Benny Chan cop movie which contrives to showcase a trio of hot HK talent: Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue and Jaycee Chan (son of Jackie) in his first meaty role. Jackie Chan‘s shadow looms large over the film, as long time collaborator Benny Chan fashions out a slick, contemporary and overly long action film in keeping with his previous Chan actioners (New Police Story, Robin-B-Hood) with moments of genuine charm. Much of this resides with Jaycee who looks remarkably like his father in a baby-faced role as a young rookie traffic cop administering justice the professional way. He lives a solitary, somewhat nerdy life with an endearing grandmother who casts whimsical aspersions towards his sexuality, becoming embroiled in a terrorist plot when his missing brother is rumoured to have ties with the bad guys.

Nicholas Tse is the brooding rogue officer who prefers his law enforcement with a bit more brio. A withdrawn Shawn Yue is nursing the effects of a murdered fiance who was blown to bobbins whilst shopping for engagement rings during a Heat-style standoff between the crooks and police at a bank raid. The three form a Wizard of Oz-esque trinity seeking redemption in a cliche ridden nest of subplots, bonding via a big knife fight at a Chinese arcade before dressing each other’s wounds back at Jaycee’s place.

They are targeted by the menacing Wu Jing and his stylish gang of renegade mercenaries, aided by bent cops in the HK police force, none of which you haven’t seen a million times before. But Benny Chan’s organic approach to the pugilism brings an old fashioned excitement, even if the more obvious uses of wires remove from the film’s realism. Jaycee doesn’t fight much but he’s a convincing screen presence, and the movie manages to remind viewers just why Hong Kong is still very good at producing this kind of mayhem.