SPL II: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES

Hong Kong, 2014, 120 minutes, Colour.
Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Simon Yam, Louis Koo.
Directed by Cheang pou-soi.

An action thriller with a blend of Hong Kong traditions and Thailand traditions.

On the part of Hong Kong, a focus on the police force, the concern about the trade in human organs, and a policeman going undercover in order to expose the racket. On the part of Thailand, prison, police, corruption.

The focus is on the policeman who goes undercover as well as on his uncle, an authority in Hong Kong, who is confronted with a gangster who relies on the organ trade but wants to help his alienated brother. This leads to a dramatic confrontation.

At the same time, there is a story of a prison guard whose daughter is ill, needs some kind of transplant to survive. He is seen at work in the prison but eventually is persuaded by the undercover policeman to work with him for an escape – and then the realisation that he is the one who is able to help the guard’s daughter.

The film serves as a star vehicle for Tony Jaa, who came to prominence with the Ong Bak films. While he is prominent here, and is the focus of some emotion, he does get the opportunity to fight – but the drama centre is very much on the Hong Kong police.

1. An entertaining action adventure? With social concerns?

2. The settings, Asia, Hong Kong and the police, criminals? Laboratories? The musical score?

3. The blend of martial arts and drama, the choreography of the fights?

4. The issue of the trading in human organs? Morality, drama?

5. Kit, drugs, his undercover work in Thailand? Imprisoned? His relationship with the guards? The experience of prison? His relationship with his uncle? His uncle coming to Thailand? The escapes?

6. The focus on the uncle, the encounter with the criminal boss, his concern about his health, his using his brother? Custody? Going to Thailand? The uncle being caught? Imprisoned? The warden, the guards? The escape?

7. The guard, his family life, his daughter and her illness, his concern, health, costs?

8. The criminal, his heart, his brother and the thugs? The confrontation? Defeat?

9. The scenes in the prison, the warden, the fights?

10. The resolution with Kit, his contacts, the possibility of helping the guard’s daughter, their fighting together? A resolution?