The 1990s were an interesting time if you were a Chinese or Russian citizen – for completely different reasons, of course.

While the average Chinese citizen was experiencing rapid economic growth and modernisation, their Russian counterparts were facing an uncertain future after the fall of the Soviet Union.

During this time, many Chinese businessmen decided to explore opportunities in Russia by taking the K3 train from Beijing to Moscow.

In 1993, a series of train robberies took place on the K3, leading to arrests and executions of those responsible. And now, these events have been given the big-screen treatment.

At first glance, “Moscow Mission” may seem like the typical cop-vs-robbers flick churned out by the Chinese film industry. But this one happens to feature a certain actor named Andy Lau.

Yes, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Hong Kong is here, and he’s definitely worth the ticket price!

Set in 1993, the film opens with a train heist, with robbers brutalising the passengers onboard the K3 before making off with untold riches.

Given the diplomatic ramifications, the Chinese authorities despatch veteran police officer Cui Zhenhai (Hanyu Zhang) to Moscow to track down the bad guys.

Lau plays Vasily, a Chinese fugitive and reluctant ally to the robbers’ leader Miao Qingshan (Xuan Huang), a ruthless and cunning fella who keeps Vasily on a leash by withholding information he needs.

Thus, with Cui playing a game of cat-and-mouse with Miao, Vasily is the wildcard who will decide the outcome of this battle of wits.

The whole film oozes with the aesthetic of the ’90s – tracksuits and flannel shirts and all. When it comes to set and costume design, the production team has done a great job.

Indeed, if you’ve ever yearned to return to this decade, “Moscow Mission” will only stir up this nostalgia in you!

The performances of the main cast are noteworthy, with Zhang, Huang and, of course, Lau playing their roles convincingly.

Funnily enough, the hero Cui is the least interesting of the trio, his grizzled police veteran a rather common type of character in this genre.

Still, he is competent and capable, a father figure to his men, and likeable enough to root for in his quest to bring Miao to justice.

Speaking of whom: as the big bad, Huang’s character is one of sheer deviousness – a darkly charismatic fellow who appears charming on the outside but is nothing short of a monster.

From pistol-whipping his own brother to assaulting a former ally, Miao is despicable, regardless of the sob story he spins about his childhood and the amount of manipulation he wields.

Then there’s Lau, whose acting chops have been proven time and time again. Here, he pulls out all the stops in his role of a man who’s good at heart but is forced to do bad things.

The charismatic actor is more than capable of smiling and looking chummy while hiding the sheer hatred he has for the man who keeps a tight grip on his character.

When the dog finally bites back, though, it is so satisfying that you actually forget Vasily is a criminal, not a cop!

The plot also has several twists and turns you would not expect, though there are points when you think the movie’s wrapping up, only to check your watch and realise there’s more runtime left.

And while some of the action scenes are well-choreographed, others are a shaky mess, making it hard to figure out what is happening onscreen.

These quibbles aside, for a film with such star power (and a considerably quiet release), “Moscow Mission” is an entertaining watch and a solid display of Lau’s still-formidable talent.

As of press time, ‘Moscow Mission’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.