What makes a great action movie? Typically, it’s the mix of intrigue, suspense, adrenaline-fuelled action, dramatic music, impossible feats, and fast-paced editing. The “Fast & Furious” franchise and “James Bond” films are prime examples of how to nail these elements.
Ironically, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau’s latest effort “High Forces” overuses fast cuts in an attempt to create suspense, drama and urgency. As a result, it often feels like the editors were on some sort of a high, leaving audiences with a disorienting and giddying viewing experience.
Truly, the edits come so fast and furious that your brain struggles to catch up. It’s nearly impossible to focus on the visual narrative as you feel your eyes darting about trying to keep up. You’ll probably have to give your peepers a rest at some point!
Anyway, what’s it about? Directed by Oxide Pang, the 115-minute thriller follows Gao Haojun (Lau), a former Special Police officer turned international security expert.
When a luxury Airbus A380 is hijacked mid-flight, Gao’s estranged wife and daughter are among the 800 passengers held hostage. As the hijackers, led by the ruthless Mike (Qu Chuxiao), begin killing passengers, Gao steps up to outsmart and battle them.
“High Forces” has all the ingredients of a top-notch action flick: a father forced to use his wits and strength to save his loved ones and everyone onboard.
The elements of paternal love and familial reconciliation could have been heartwarming on paper. But “High Forces” seems confused about its identity: is it a straight-up hijacking story? Is it about a father’s redemption? Or is it a mental health tale?
After all, one major plot point is that both Gao and Mike suffer from bipolar disorder, which feels unnecessary as this doesn’t actually affect the core story. In fact, it feels like lazy writing to give both the hero and villain the same mental health issue.
On top of which, the exaggerated emotional swings both characters – especially Mike – experience come across as over-dramatised and unbelievable. As a result, the characters feel inauthentic and two-dimensional.
The scenes even feature colour coding to signal when each character is having a bipolar episode – red for Gao, green for Mike. Again, a needless gimmick; directors should trust their audience to understand what is happening without such obvious cues.
Ultimately, the film tries to do too much, when the adage “less is more” would have worked to its advantage.
That said, “High Forces” does have a few genuinely suspenseful moments. In one scene, Gao tries to communicate with the hostages through a child’s walkie-talkie, only to unknowingly speak to his daughter.
Neither of them realises who’s on the other end, and as they secretly pass along crucial information, you’ll find yourself on edge, waiting to see if they’ll be discovered.
The action ramps up near the end when the plane attempts to land on a highway – a scene that is sure to get your heart racing.
Overall, “High Forces” offers entertaining scenes, thrilling action sequences, and interesting characters, but is thwarted by dizzying edits and a fragmented storyline. By all means, buckle up and prepare for take-off – but brace yourself!
As of press time, ‘High Forces’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.