R E V I E W :    Double Tap  

Reviewed 10/13/01 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Background 

Universe / 2000 / 93 minutes
Directed by Lo Chi Leung

Having read several negative comments on this movie, I approached my first viewing with very low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the filmmaking and the sure hand of director Lo Chi Leung.

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

To be sure, it is disappointing that no effort was made to give Leslie Cheung's lead character any real psychological underpinning. His girlfriend, played by Ruby Wong, is less than one dimensional. Yet the pacing is brisk, the editing superb, the photography consistent in its use of cool tones, and the mostly electronic music is an appropriate counterpart to the freezing cold emotions of the lead characters. I liked Alex Fong as a police inspector and Monica Chan as his understanding doctor wife. Again, though, more characterization and less gunplay would have strengthened the movie and allowed for a more satisfying resolution.

The violence was more explicit than I prefer, but I did not feel it glorified guns to an excessive degree. In my final analysis, Double Tap is a shallow but well-made and exciting film.

Category IIB. Explicit and plentiful gunshot violence

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

Excellent picture, as good as I have seen. The print is outstanding, blacks are deep and rich, colors are vibrant, flesh tones are natural. You could put this on right after a hugely expensive American disk and notice little difference.

Both the Cantonese and Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks sound excellent. Subtitles include traditional and simplified Chinese as well as English. The white English sub-titles are good, with few misspellings.

Commendation is due for the menus, which go beyond plain vanilla. The chapter selection menu is perhaps too design-happy for its own good, but I love the thought that went into it.

"Star files" (biographies and film listings for Leslie Chung, Alex Fong, Ruby Wong, Vincent Kok, and Monica Chan) are available in both English and Chinese. Also included are the trailer for the film and "more attractions" (the excellent trailers for Tokyo Raiders and Twelve Nights).

Buy, rent, or pass?

If you expect a deeply felt drama, you'll likely conclude that Double Tap falls short. On the other hand, if your taste runs to male-dominated gun dramas, this might be just right for a weekend viewing. Rent it and decide for yourself.

 

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