User reviews

Oddly enough I hadn't even heard about the 2006 movie "On the Edge" (aka "Hak bak dou") from director Herman Yau before now in 2020, when I was presented with the chance to sit down and watch it. Needless to say that my love and admiration for the Hong Kong cinema was more than enough to make me spend the time and effort to watch it.

And imagine my thrill getting amped when I saw that Francis Ng and Anthony Chau-Sang Wong were in the movie. These are without a doubt two very talented Hong Kong actors, and also two of my favorites. And it should be said that Nick Cheung (playing Harry) was really good in the movie.

Now, I will say that this crime drama was really good. The storyline was really intense and nicely written by writers Herman Yau, Jacky Wong and Yin-Yee Tin. It was really an interesting story with lots of layers and aspects that made up for a very wholehearted movie with a great pacing to it. And the characters were interesting and nicely fleshed out - and also portrayed nicely - on the screen, which definitely added to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

I will say that "On the Edge" is actually one of the better undercover police movies that I have watched in a long, long time. I have to admit that I very pleased with the outcome of the movie and the entertainment that the storyline provided.

If you enjoy crime dramas, then you definitely should take the time to sit down and watch "On the Edge" if you get the chance. This is definitely one of the genres that the Hong Kong cinema do well, and "On the Edge" is a testimony to that statement.

My rating of this 2006 movie is a seven out of ten stars.

At first glance, this movie might look like an Infernal Affairs clone, with Nick Cheung declaring he wants to be a "good cop", and with the element of an undercover cop in the triads. Actually, this could have sort of served as a tangent off IA1, with keen observations to how undercover cops find it tough to assimilate back to normalcy, as the movie shared, more than 50% do not make it pass their 3rd year.

Nick Cheung plays Harry, an undercover cop who has just busted one of the largest triad bosses - Don Dark (don't ask, played by the excellent Francis Ng), but so what? One would expect glory, recognition and a fat reward to go along, but surprise, in the real world, things like that go unappreciated more often than not. In most movies, the good guy takes the bad guy down in a blaze of glory, and one would expect the glorious moments to be hailed. Here, it's the exploration of how difficult it is actually to rid yourself of vices that you picked up over the years.

Given 8 years spent in the underworld, friendships are forged, and so that sense of brotherhood and loyalty become fiercely strong. And it is indeed this brand of devotion that casts a shadow on Harry, whether he has actually rid himself of underworld links, or somehow turned tails and is acting like a double agent. But you know you're stuck in a rut when both sides decide they couldn't trust you.

Assimilating back to society isn't always easy, and not having the support from those that matter to you will always make it all the more challenging. In the 8 years you've been living a lie as a different man, how would you expect others to look at you? It actually makes you wonder if it is humanly possible at all, to forget some of the best times of your life, and the relationships you hold so dearly to. After all, no man is an island.

A major plus point is the stellar supporting heavyweights like Francis Ng and Anthony Wong, though they may seem to have superficially replayed their roles from IA2, with a bit of mellowing from Ng and an extra sense of edginess from Wong. Rain Lee as Harry's girlfriend looked a bit out of place though, with her cutie pie looks totally in opposites with her tough- nails gangster moll character. There's also a deliberate contrast between the methods of those on different sides of the law, subtly hinting that in the end, it boils down to basic human principles of conduct.

To round up, the movie may be treading on a familiar genre. The multiple flashbacks are done very nicely as we see the years that Harry spent in the underworld intertwined and contrasting with the normal life he's trying to lead. I suspect it might not last long in its release here given the barrage of films out starting from next week, so you might want to give this movie a shot.

This is probably a film that a lot of people missed out on during 2006. Back then, this was probably one of the better movies of the year and the status remains despite 5 years after. The film was made on the backdrop of an era where undercover cops have been given cult status after the success of 2002's Infernal Affairs. For me, On the Edge succeeds on a number of levels, firstly as a character driven drama, secondly in refining the career of Nick Cheung and finally as an engaging drama. Still, On the Edge is by no means perfect; it fails to live up to its promise. It is simply a film that could have been great and settled for second best. Then again, the film poses one of the most memorable scenes with Francis Ng and Nick Cheung in the car. Ng (the triad boss) asks Cheung (undercover cop) – "How long have you been a cop?" Cheung replies "7 years", Ng continues "How long have you been with me?" Cheung claims "4 years". Ng smartly charms "At least it is not because we don't pay you enough, so you have to work part time!" For me, the film works because it focuses on characters and with the scene stealing Francis Ng, ever dependable Anthony Wong, the improving Derek Tsang and a convincing yet difficult display of conflicting emotions by Nick Cheung, On the Edge rises above expectations and succeeds…

Neo rates this 8/10.

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