Review of A Better Tomorrow II (1987) by Kazu-Tai K — 09 Dec 2007

Film Name: A Better Tommorow II.

Alternative Titles: None that I know of (Help appreciated).

Country of Origin: Hong Kong.

Year: 1987.

Genre: Action/Drama.

Director: John Woo.

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat (Pirates of the Carribean III), Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu, Dean Shek (Snake in the Eagles Shadow, Drunken Master, Odd Couple).

Company: Cinema City.

Running Time: Around 105 Minutes.

Language: Cantonese, with some scenes in English (English and Mandarin versions avaliable).

DVD Avaliability:

USA yes.

UK unsure.

AUS no.

HK yes.

Setting: Mid 1980's Hong Kong, New York.

Music:

Composed by: Joseph Koo.

End Credits Theme: Unknown Song by Leslie Cheung (Help Appreciated).

Memorable Scenes: When Chow Yun-Fat is arguing with two western gangsters about a plate of rice, too explicit to quote here!, The End Sequence.

REVIEW: Part 1, Plot:

Currently serving time for incidents taking place at the end of the first movie, Ho (Ti Lung) is being released early, provided he can help the Royal Hong Kong Police investigate his old triad friend and Shipping magnate Lung (Dean Shek) who was also a famous ballroom dancer twenty years ago. Also acting undercover is Ho's brother Kit (Leslie Cheung) who poses as Lung's daughters boyfriend. Ho and Kit realise that Lung is trying to leave the Triad buisness for the sake of his daughter, but finds it hard, especially when his old Triad enemies are after him and his Buisness. When he is framed for the murder of another Triad, Lung goes into hiding in New York, leaving his daughter behind in Hong Kong, under the protection of Ho and Kit. Meanwhile, Mark's (from the first film) twin brother, Ken (Chow Yun-Fat) is running a Chinese Restauraunt in New York and is having problems with the Hong Kong Mafia. Lung's enemies find out where he is hiding (a New York church) and arrange with the NY Mafia to kill him, Lung survives but the Mafia massacres many innocents. This, along with the news from Hong Kong that his daughter is dead, drives Lung insane, where he ends up in a mental institution, where he is rescued by Ken. Ken tries to break Lung from his insanity, but fails until the mafia blows up Ken's restaurant and sends a hitman to kill Lung, where Ken shows his prowess with firearms for the first time. Now sane, Ken and Lung go to Hong kong to meet up with Kit and Ho, to avenge Lung's daughter and destroy his enemies...

REVIEW: Part 2, Verdict.

A worthy Sequel to the first, A Better Tommorow II trades the excellent performances of the first with more action, including one of, if not the best Gunbattles in HK cinema history. Quite melodramatic in some parts, especially the scenes where Lung recovers from Insanity and the now infamous "Eat the F***ing rice!" scene, the movie still manages to be entertaining. Highly reccomended, but watch the First film before you watch this one!

SparkingAC195's Rating: 8/10.