exiled

Exiled (Johnnie To, 2006) - 8/10

A film by Johnnie To, soon to be or if he already isn't, a HK legendary filmmaker. His latest action thriller Exiled is reminiscent of the shoot-em-up genre of John Woo's The Killer, A Better Tomorrow, and Hard Boiled. Johnnie To has brought in some of the same casts in his other films, Election, Election 2, Breaking News.

Ordering hits, accepting missions, and all that good stuff presented in other triad films. Simon Yam, one of the best in the business, plays Boss Fay. The one who orders the hits. Complimenting all the hard-ass action, is friendship and loyalty amongst a group of friends. Among them is Anothony Wong, Francis Ng, Suet Lam, Nick Cheung, and Roy Cheung. They work together through different missions, protecting each other's backs. What we witness in the beginning is Nick Cheung's character (Wo), being a target and ordered (by Boss Fay) to be killed by the other four members of the group. Exiled is carefully constructed to create great action sequences set in close knit settings. From a small apartment setting to a hallway of a small hotel, the sounds of gunshots and bullet casings pelting the floor rings through your ears.