Film Review: Cyber Heist 斷網 (2023) Hong Kong 🇭🇰
Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)
There was a time whenever the name Aaron Kwok appears, the film is a guaranteed with a strong and unique performance. Therefore when the news that “Cyber Heist” reunites the successful and relevant “I’m Livin’ It” duo producer (Soi Cheang Pou-soi) and director (Wong Hing-fan), there is a sense of expectation. Unfortunately, that’s all the excitement ends here, as “Cyber Heist” whilst a watchable thriller headlined by an established star in Kwok, it never goes into second gear and the world of money laundering in the cyber landscape becomes more of a backdrop and cheese. That’s a shame as there are many things the film could have derives deeper into the subject matter, instead it becomes a battle and kidnapping episode between Gordon Lam (mastermind) and Aaron Kwok.
Aaron Kwok headlines the thriller as the cyber tech expert who rises up the bank chain, unknowingly being used as “prawn” in a larger scheme of money laundering headed by Bank boss (played by Gordon Lam). Simon Yam appears sleeping waking in his usual pursuing cop role and Kwok’s wife played by Megan Lai is wasted in a paper thin role. The problem of the film, remains the lack of character development and with the star stunned casting wasted in the process.
All in all, “Cyber Heist” looks extremely dated in its use of special effects that seems to come from some 90s Hollywood Science fiction films and adding to the poor editing, the film suffers from having a strong plot to hold the bullet holes together. Everyone associated have seen better days and with the directing and producing duo behind the socially relevant local drama “I’m Livin’ It”, expectation is a cruel game, when you cannot deliver.
I rated this 5/10