Philip Ng has been a staple of the Hong Kong film industry for nearly twenty years. Having appeared in such films as The Twins Effect, Bodyguards and Assassins, Chasing the Dragon, and many more, Ng is now a top star. He’s worked alongside legends like Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, and Sammo Hung, and played the legendary Bruce Lee in the English-language theatrical release Birth of the Dragon. Ng has appeared in these amazing movies, but I don’t feel he’s ever truly shined more than in his latest, Undercover Punch & Gun. The film itself is problematic, but he’s a true standout and the action scenes make this one a must-see.
Wu (Philip Ng) has been working undercover for months trying to bring down a drug ring when the leader is killed by a rival agency. Being the right-hand man (as well as his daughter’s boyfriend), Wu finds himself in the unique position of being the successor to him. Wu takes the lead but finds he will have to team up with the other agency if they’re to bring down another drug kingpin who is moving in on the territory.
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I’ll be the first to admit, the story is just plain confusing. It jumps around all over the place and it’s dizzying. Trying to make heads or tails out of what’s going on will just frustrate even the most patient of film fans. Undercover was directed by the team of Frankie Tam and Koon-Nam Liu. Both are seasoned screenwriters but this is their first foray into directing. Though they contributed to the script as well, there were five other writers trying to get their two cents in, so this could have very well contributed to the unevenness of the story.
On the action front (there’s plenty of it), there’s nothing to complain about whatsoever. What makes it work is Philip Ng, who also served as the fight choreographer. The fights are quick and brutal, using various styles, and incorporating things like modern MMA with Parkour. There’s plenty of kicking and punching, but the films’ title also mentions guns so we have to talk about the shootouts.
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Not as prevalent as the fighting, but the gun action is really reminiscent of the Hong Kong films of the ’90s when John Woo reigned supreme. As a whole, the action scenes put this movie above what has been coming out recently, even though the script holds it back enough from being a classic. It’s certainly worth your time and I feel it’s just a matter of time before Philip Ng finds the perfect project and blows us all away.
Undercover Punch & Gun is currently streaming on Hi-YAH! and makes its Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD debut on June 8th courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment.
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