Colour of the Game (2017) - Hong Kong
Reviewed by Andrew Chan
As part of Wong Jing finale of the "Colour" trilogy that display a more serious version of the director's usual flair. "Colour of the Game" revokes many of Johnnie To's cinematic shoot outs and even many of the cast members including Simon Yam, Lam Suet and many other supporting players. In fact it feels like a To's film as there is plenty of stylish moments and random killings. The gangsters and undercover genre defines the Hong Kong cinematic 90s and this film shows that there is still an audience for this kind of unique cultural kind of film.
Jordon Chan is always at home as gangster hitman and is experiencing a revival of sorts with the recent cop/gangster online TV drama series in "OCTB". Simon Yam shows why he is a stable of To's films and once again carries the film well in the lead role. Lam Suet manages to steal the scene as he keeps eating to avoid speaking out. Philip Ng shines in a small role and impresses in a fight scene.
All in all, "Colour of the Game" is an interesting finish to a good trilogy of triad dramas shot with a certain level of flair. Perhaps it's Wong Jing making a statement about his ability in an industry that have almost ignored him in terms of an artistic quality. Whilst nobody actually asked for a finale, Wong delivered it by meeting the expectation and filling a void in the market where Johnnie To's no longer makes these kind of films. It isn't anything special, but it is an appreciated gap to fill.
I rated it 3.5/5
Coming soon on DVD and Blu Ray at: NeoFilmShop.com
