
Cry of the City
1948

In 1970s Hong Kong, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was formed to bring down the corruption syndicate led by British government officials. One of its top investigators is Senior Investigator Lau Kai-Yuen, who brought down countless corrupted officials. Just as he thought stability and prosperity are within reach, a new era of greed and riches takes him into a new battlefield of corruption.

In 1970s Hong Kong, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was formed to bring down the corruption syndicate led by British government officials. One of its top investigators is Senior Investigator Lau Kai-Yuen, who brought down countless corrupted officials. Just as he thought stability and prosperity are within reach, a new era of greed and riches takes him into a new battlefield of corruption.
Tony Leung Chiu-waiHenry Cheng
Andy LauLiu Qi Yuan
Charlene Choi Chuek-yinCarmen Zhang
Simon YamK.K. Zeng
Michael NingRen Chong
Carlos Chan Ka-LokHe Hao Yun
Tai BoWu Ren Song
Alex Fong Chung-sunKelvin
Keung Ho-manMusharra Hafa
Chin Ka-LokSarge
Sham Ka-kiJohnny Zeng
Catherine ChauSun Hui
Renci YeungLiu Yong
Anita Yuen Wing-Yee1996 Judge
Deep Ng Ho-hong
Ng Siu-hinZhan Wen Wei
Lam Yiu-singXie Jian Ming
Philippe JolyHead of KGB
Will Or Wai-LamWu Zhi Hui
Kevin Chu Kam-yinLin Cheng









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Back in the 1970s, Hong Kong was riddled with corrupt officials that the Government determined to bring to book. Much to the chagrin of one of the principal culprits - the police - they established an anti-corruption unit charged with addressing this problem, and thanks to one of their lead investigators (Andy Lau) they succeed! Many years later, when the British and Chinese start to talk about the colony's reunification, the Stock Market plummets and he is brought back to investigate the wealthy boss of a large network of companies (Tony Leung) who is living his gilded life of luxury whilst his investors seem to be losing their shirts. As he looks into things more, he discovers an intricate web of subsidiaries, bribery and shell companies that prove to resemble the ultimate in ponzi schemes. It's not just the enterprise that is suspect, but he gradually realises that the dodgy establishment he had hoped he had helped to dismantle years earlier had just, very efficiently, reinvented itself - and it permeates through to the top echelons of society. The film is based on real events and so, like them, we have peaks and troughs as the plot develops. That's where the film rather loses it's way. At it's best, it's tightly structured with a good dynamic between the policeman and his prey. For most of the rest of it, it rather meanders along with a real paucity of detail and little effort to show us just how charisma and charm duped just about everyone. A decent effort from Lau and Leung but it's a long two hours that skimps too much on the interesting aspects of an business that spanned the world at it's peak, run by a sleazy and unscrupulous man.

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