SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

An action-packed slog

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

"2000 AD" was actually better than I had expected it to be. So why wasn't I expecting much from it? Well because I am not really much fan of neither Aaron Kwok or Daniel Wu. But I will admit that Aaron Kwok actually did a good job in this movie.The story is a cat and mouse chase type of movie with double-crossing and deceit, leaving you unable to know whom to trust or not. Peter Li (played by Aaron Kwok) and Benny (played by Daniel Wu) are two young gamers who end up in over their head in a web of conspiracies, lies and treason, as Peter' brother is dead, leaving behind a key that leads to a safe deposit box.There is a good amount of action in "2000 AD", and it was nicely executed and filmed, so that was good and entertaining. Sure, the storyline was plagued by parts being predictable, but still, it turned out to be a good movie that was fun and entertaining to watch.And appearing to light up the movie is a great appearance by Hong Kong heavy-weighter actor Francis Ng, and as always he did a good job, despite having only a small role in the movie. Phyllis Quek (playing Salina) did a fairly good job as well, although I don't think I've seen her in other movies aside from this.For a Hong Kong action movie, then "2000 AD" was adequate, unfortunately it didn't really bring anything new to the genre or really stand out from many other action movies. But still, it is well worth a watch if you like Hong Kong cinema. And if for nothing else, Francis Ng makes it worth to sit through the movie.

The great thing about Hong Kong action thrillers is that you don't need a full frontal lobotomy before you can enjoy them. Movies like The Fast and The Furious, Stealth and A Man Apart are so shockingly devoid of any real action in the upstairs department that you wonder if someone really took the term 'no-brainer' too far and removed the juicy brains of the entire production staff.On the other side of the fence, and indeed the world, most Hong Kong made thrillers are clever and witty, relying on a believable and steadily developed plot just as much as fast-paced set pieces. 2000AD is a fantastic illustration of this approach. Gordon Chan's tight believable movie trundles along at a fast but not breakneck pace, giving you time to get your head round the clever but not convoluted plot.Centring on a corrupt American-Cantonese CIA op attempting to hold the world to ransom with a program capable of destroying any computer mainframe, 2000AD is complex but believable. It smartly avoids using any technology our current world can't produce, and as a result avoids tying itself up in nonsensical knots or producing any real plot holes.While it depends largely on character and story as opposed to braindead gunplay, 2000AD is also full of consummate examples of how to stage a fantastic action set piece. The action sequences are as good as you would expect from the Chan production team, full of great stunts and awesome spectacle. As an added bonus, the movie's slow-burning nature means that when it does let rip, boy do you feel it.With both of these elements, 2000AD comes in highly recommended. However it does have a few niggling flaws. For a start, the version I watched had somewhat awkward subtitles that missed odd segments of dialogue, but honestly this didn't detract much from the movie. Still, the film is a little unbalanced between high energy action and a somewhat darker element. The dialogue in the movie is knowingly funny and wittily written, as with many Hong Kong films, and although this is fun to have in the movie, some people might find it at odds with the film's often brutal action sequences.Still, if you enjoy Hong Kong cinema, you should seek this out, it won't disappoint, and if you feel like a change from the norm in your action movies you should definitely try this movie.

2000 AD (Gong Yuan 2000 AD)Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalA young games designer (Aaron Kwok) goes in search of the terrorists who murdered his brother (Ray Lui), a computer expert who may - or may not - have been involved in a program designed to destabilize the world's financial markets.Big budget action drama, directed by blockbuster specialist Gordon Chan (THUNDERBOLT, FIRST OPTION, etc.) as a vehicle for teen idol Kwok (THE STORM RIDERS), who acquits himself admirably as the carefree goof forced to grow up abruptly in the wake of Lui's untimely demise. The opening scenes provide a weak mix of 'comedy' and 'character development', all of which threaten to scupper the entire project, until Chan and veteran action director Yuen Tak cut loose with a series of high-octane confrontations between various factions on opposite sides of the law, culminating in a vertiginous fight scene between Kwok and lead terrorist Andrew Lin (THE BLACKSHEEP AFFAIR) on the roof of a high-rise hotel (don't look down!).HEROIC DUO's Francis Ng is the no-nonsense cop who treats Kwok with open suspicion until forced to protect him from terrorist assassins, while newcomers Phyllis Quek and Gigi Choi provide the requisite eye-candy. Second-billed Daniel Wu plays Kwok's best friend, and James Lye (Lai Hing-cheung) is a hunky special agent from Singapore who becomes involved in protecting Kwok from Lin's deadly machinations. A handsome, mature-looking actor, Lye made his name in TV dramas such as "Price of Peace", "Seasons of Love" and "Millennium Bug", and was poised to become a major star following his appearance in WHEN I FALL IN LOVE... WITH BOTH (2000) and 2000 AD. However, he quit showbusiness in 2000, citing 'personal reasons', and went into the banking industry before getting married and disappearing from the scene.(Cantonese dialogue)

I watched the show for only one reason. Because Phyllis Quek is my fave singapore actress. But that did not stop me from enjoying the movie... it is truly entertaining. But, the plot shift to Singapore cause the otherwise great pacing to shift somewhat too. From a well-paced plotline in Hong-kong, the scenes in Singapore seemed really rushed...Phyllis Quek is stunning, emoting without overacting (doesn't seem convincing from a fan, haha...), Aaron Kwok is alright, but it is tiring watching him act cute. Daniel Wu was great as his innocent friend, but the girlfriend, Gigi Lai, suck so bad. Special mention should go to Francis Ng, who once again proved himself to be one of the best actors in HongKong these days. James Lye, Lin Hoi and Cynthia Koh just provides extra eye candy.Over all, the movie is promising, but falls flat at the end of the second act.