CODE OF HONOUR is an underrated little gangster flick, made in Hong Kong in 1987. Most people seem to dislike it because of the mispackaging that makes it look like Chow Yun Fat is the main actor, even though he only has about five minutes of screen time. This didn't bother me as the film is an ensemble production with lots of familiar faces in it anyway. The story is familiar, about an ageing mob boss losing control of his 'family' and the violence that ensues, and is in fact very similar to John Woo's JUST HEROES, which is even better.
It's a low budget production but one that also holds the interest even if it doesn't have as much action as some. Dick Wei has a great role on the side of good for once, playing a dedicated cop hot on the heels of the gangsters. He's involved in most of the brief action sequences including a fantastic foot chase near the climax which is a real highlight. Lam Wai, best known for playing the corrupt cop against Jackie Chan in PROJECT A PART II, has a nice dramatic role in this while the likes of Shing Fui-On and Ko Chun Hsiung convince as Triads. Dennis Chan and Danny Lee have decent cameos, and the film as a whole is a minor treat for fans of this overworked genre. Watch out for that cringe-inducing fork scene!
It's a low budget production but one that also holds the interest even if it doesn't have as much action as some. Dick Wei has a great role on the side of good for once, playing a dedicated cop hot on the heels of the gangsters. He's involved in most of the brief action sequences including a fantastic foot chase near the climax which is a real highlight. Lam Wai, best known for playing the corrupt cop against Jackie Chan in PROJECT A PART II, has a nice dramatic role in this while the likes of Shing Fui-On and Ko Chun Hsiung convince as Triads. Dennis Chan and Danny Lee have decent cameos, and the film as a whole is a minor treat for fans of this overworked genre. Watch out for that cringe-inducing fork scene!