BREAKING NEWS (Dai si gein) 2004
Breaking News by eclectic director Johnny To is a visual treat and action packed Police crime drama fest. Johnny To is an intriguing director skirting genres in a period of a couple years a feat that most experienced directors take decades to do. Various reviews both positive and negative have been written about BREAKING NEWS, however the reason why it has made its place into the DVD Review section here on Hollywood Masala is because of the pure craft of filmmaking that is displayed in this film. Johnny To is an expert choreographer and strategist the likes that Action directors in the United States of America should take note of.
The opening scene of BREAKING NEWS is an uninterrupted five minute sequence which is choreographed spectacularly going from one street to the next. The execution is absolutely flawless. Beyond that however, this film is a great experiment in the Police Crime Story drama itself! Engaging in twists and turns when the Police decide to use the media for propaganda to garner more publicity to boost its reputation. The drama, action and sequences are all very intense and the audience is gripped by the characters and tension all the way throughout the film. A great film that is a must see if you are an action movie fan and want to see it being done correctly!
Film
***1/2 out of *****(3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Dvd special features
****out of ***** (4 out of 5 stars)
If you watch the official Chinese version of the script then you are in for a treat as all the features are here including anamorphic widescreen transfer, trailers, subtitle languages and additional bonus features including director`s commentary. BREAKING NEWS is a great action trip worth catching!