Herman Yau returns with the third installment of ‘The White Storm’ franchise, bringing Lau Ching-Wan and Louis Koo together as opposing rivals in a drug-fueled storyline. While the movie follows the familiar themes of drugs, friendship, and brotherhood, it still manages to deliver an action-packed and engaging experience.
A Gritty and Action-Packed Opening
The movie wastes no time in diving into the action, as a cargo drop-off goes awry, leading to a intense gun battle between Suchat (Lau Ching-Wan), a Thai-Chinese drug dealer, and the Hong Kong police. The opening scene showcases Herman Yau’s directorial prowess in staging gritty and realistic action sequences, with actual stunts and pyrotechnics adding to the visceral flair.
Flashbacks and Complex Relationships
As the story unfolds, multiple flashbacks are used to establish the friendship between Louis Koo’s character, Wing, an undercover cop, and Aaron Kwok’s character, Billy, who is undercover in Suchat’s organization. The movie delves into their attempts to gain Suchat’s trust and prove their loyalty as reliable right-hand men.
Shifts in Focus and Slowing Momentum
As the plot progresses, Suchat lays low in Thailand’s Golden Triangle, looking to collaborate with an army commander for a new drug operation. The movie takes a slower pace to build potential romance between Billy and Noon (Ora Yang), a village girl who cares for the injured Billy. However, this shift in focus sidelines Koo’s character, leaving the narrative feeling rushed and lackluster.
A Familiar Yet Missed Opportunity
While the film boasts strong performances from its leading cast, including Lau Ching-Wan’s rare antagonist role, the narrative fails to bring anything new to the table. The franchise has previously delivered engaging action and character-driven storylines, but ‘The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell’ seems to play it safe with its conventional approach, missing an opportunity to tell a familiar story from a fresh perspective.
Technical Proficiency and Grounded Action
Despite the shortcomings in storytelling, the movie remains technically proficient in its action sequences. While lacking the distinct style of its predecessors, the film’s dedication to delivering grounded and intense action set pieces is commendable. The production design also deserves praise for successfully recreating the Thai village setting in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
A Decent Watch for Action Fans
In the end, ‘The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell’ may not offer groundbreaking storytelling, but it still manages to entertain with brawny, old-school action mayhem. With engaging performances from the cast and the director’s dedication to creating authentic action scenes, the movie is a decent watch for fans of the action genre. While not a masterpiece, it delivers on its promise of visceral thrills and adrenaline-pumping moments.