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When a plane explodes in mid-air due to computer manipulation, Greg Li (Rey Lui) an expert
computer programmer with secret CIA connections and his brother Peter (Aaron Kwok) a video game designer, become immediate suspects. At the request of the US embassy, the
Hongkong Intelligence, of which Eric Ong (James Lye) is an important agent, arrests them for possible complicity. After the interrogation, they are freed but Greg dies in an
ambush. The Singapore Intelligence (SIA) sends agent Ronald Ng (Francis Ng) to help in the investigation. A terrorist group is searching for a computer program that attacks
all computer systems. On the other hand, Peter looks for his brother's killers with the help of his friends and his brother's fiancée Selina (Phyllis Quek). Peter's group
accidentally finds Greg's program which is what the terrorists are looking for. As the Hongkong police continues to hound him, Peter suspects that Selina is working with the
terrorists. Peter's search for his brother's killers becomes difficult because the ambush is a set-up. By whom? The Singaporean Intelligence? The terrorists group? Will Peter
succeed in finding Greg's killers?
Originally entitled Gong Yuan 2000 Nian or2000 A.D, the film has pirated the
name of a very popular computer game probably to attract computer game enthusiasts. This is borne out by the ad "The world's most popular game of a thousand thrills
is now the year's most action packed movie", although it is not a computer game at all. However, it has the same impressive high-tech visuals like karate chops and kicks,
death defying stunts, car chases, choreographed ambushes, gun battles and other gimmicks. It does not have much of anything else. The skimpy plot is just an excuse to show off
the martial arts skills of the actors and to display the special effects. The pacing is fast but some scenes are too long, especially the violent ones. Little attention is
given to character development. Except for Selina who exhibits an expertise in picking locks, we hardly know anything about the characters. We cannot identify with them. The
dialogue is trite, the music is ear-splitting.
One plus for the movie is the almost total absence of profanity and vulgarity in the language
of the gun toting men. Neither are there scantily dressed women nor objectionable sexual scenes although there is an indication of a live-in arrangement. Peter and his group
show that filial affection, honesty, friendship and helpfulness are important values to live by. In the end, they are vindicated. For as the saying goes, "Crime does not pay."
It may be an old tired cliché but it still rings true. However, the long road to justice is paved with so much violence which can never be justified for aside from
encouraging a culture of confrontation, it condones the view that life has become cheap and people expendable. How contrary this is to the Christian teaching that each one of
us is so precious in the eyes of God that He was willing to die for us.
Because of the excessive violence, the movie goer should be at least 14 years old and above.
(Date reviewed: July 20, 2001)
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