Ren Chao Xiong Yong, internationally known as End Game, is the remake of Japanese movie Key of Life that had already been remade as Luck-Key in South Korea. This means that this film is already the third version of the same story. Let's hope that Hollywood won't desire to create a fourth movie. This film reminds of several Hong Kong action comedy films from the eighties and nineties starring actors like Jackie Chan, Samuel Hui and Sammo Hung. Genre fans will appreciate what they can watch here but this movie certainly lacks creativity, drive and novelty.
The story revolves around an unsuccessful actor living alone in a dirty apartment who has tried to commit suicide on a few occasions. His life changes radically when he coincidentally causes an accident that sends the visitor of a bathhouse into a coma. Upon discovering that the victim owns an expensive car, has lots of money and lives in an elegant apartment, the actor decides to change his identity and enjoys life to the fullest. After awakening from his coma, the victim is led to believe that he is indeed a poor actor and decides to organize some changes in his life. Problems emerge when the actor finds out the true identity and job of the person he is now incarnating and when the man suffering from amnesia slowly but surely remembers more and more details about his past and tries to go back to the life he once had.
While the plot sounds amusing at first contact and starts this movie dynamically in the first thirty minutes, the interesting concept fails to develop upon the interesting premise. Many jokes are extremely childish, others become quite predictable and some are exhaustingly repetitive. The movie's middle section in particular features significant lengths and fails to get to the point.
The performances by the two lead actors Andy Lau and Xiao Yang are very good. The former is a versatile veteran actor of Hong Kong cinema and the latter a popular comedian from Hebei. The supporting actresses and actors however fail to leave lasting impressions as they are unable to exploit their characters' full potential.
The movie's action scenes and special effects are also of meandering quality. The opening thirty minutes look quite impressive in this regard. The entire middle section overstays its welcome. The ending of the movie tries to quicken up the pace but it's too little too late.
In the end, Ren Chao Xiong Yong, internationally known as End Game, is based upon an interesting plot idea and features two great lead actors but everything else from side characters over elements of humour to special effects is of average to below average quality. Watching the original Japanese movie is a much better option than giving the South Korean or this Hong Kong and Chinese remake any attention. Another recommendable option would be to rediscover Hong Kong's action comedy classics such as Aces Go Places, Armour of God, City Hunter, Drunken Master and Police Story to only name a few examples.
