#MovieMonday: The White Storm 2 Review: Andy Lau Stole the Show Again

If your hobby is watching movies, then maybe you’ve spent the last weekend watching white paint dry at a construction site.

Last week was, unfortunately, a rather dry week for the cinemas: the only upcoming blockbuster is Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, which will be released this Thursday instead.

But…there’s one hidden gem that you might have missed if you’re like BuffLord95, who’d only watch Hollywood movies.

Andy Lau was apparently back on the big screen since three weeks ago in a film you probably didn’t notice: The White Storm 2: Drug Lords ( 扫毒: 2天地对决)

Well, me too because I was wondering: would I understand the film if I’ve not watched the first film?

It turned out that it’s a brand-new film altogether, and it’s one that can rival any Hollywood film.

MovieMonday: The White Storm 2

The first film, The White Storm, was released in 2013 and back then, it was a roaring success: starring veterans (who never seem to age a day) like Sean Lau (刘青云) , Louis Koo (古天乐) and Nick Cheung (张家辉), the movie went on to gross USD$44 million out of a budget of USD$16 million.

It’s no wonder that they die-die create a sequel though it has no correlation with the first film except for its name.

In its darker sequel, it stars yet an ensemble of veteran actors: Louis Koo (in a new role), Andy Lau and Michael Miu.

Our favourite superstar Andy Lau didn’t just star in it: he produced it as well, reportedly earning a salary of about SGD$7 million. And lest you’re not aware, Andy Lau’s also responsible for producing Our Times (我的少女時代), which has gone on to become a mega hit (if you’d have remembered, he cameoed in the movie, too).

So, is his latest movie going to be a mega hit, too?

Apparently, the numbers agree: over in China, the movie set the record for the biggest opening day for a Hong Kong film in China, grossing over USD$19.7 million. And over in Taiwan, it broke whatever record it could, and as of 22 July 2019, it has grossed almost USD$1 million there.

So, is it worth a watch?

Review

Here’s the synopsis:

Former gang member Yu Shin-Tin turned businessman and philanthropist is a on a mission to take down Hong Kong’s most powerful drug lord. After losing his father to drug addiction, no price is too big as his offers a $100 million bounty for his head.

And the trailer is like an extension of the synopsis:

I bet you’re thinking, “Yet another drug or police movie from Hong Kong?”

Unfortunately, you’re not incorrect, and that was my initial thought too.

But with no other movies to watch, I was in for a surprise.

Andy Lau is a joy to watch: every single expression, even if it’s a blank expression, is telling a story. The 57-year-old has moved on from his early years of comedic or action roles to dark, suit-wearing roles whereby he can kill with his words instead of his hands.

The movie would remind viewers of Infernal Affairs, whereby a cat-and-mouse game between Andy Lau and Louis Koo played out in the cinema. And just like Infernal Affairs, the well-choreographed action scenes aren’t the moments that’ll keep you on your toes; instead, it’s those slow conversations, packed with blank expressions, that make the movie exciting.

So, is this film worth a weekend ticket even if you’re not an Andy Lau fan?

I’d say go for it: in fact, this could be the film that’ll turn you into a Hong Kong film fan.

Rating: 4/5