This movie is pure John Woo, with plenty of guns, hundreds of on-screen deaths, the fullest heights that honor can inspire, great emotion, and Chow Yun-Fat with a toothpick. Kit and Billie are a pair of brothers, one a cop and the other a criminal, so their relationship is strained, to say the least. Kit hates that his brother is a criminal; Billie wants to reunite with Kit, enough that he'll even try to leave the mob. His mob boss, however, doesn't like or agree with his decision.

The plot keeps us enthralled through an array of twists, much drama, action, and interesting characters. With excellent acting, especially from Chow Yun-Fat as Mark -- a criminal who wants to get even with the Mob -- the viewer will feel many emotions. When Mark recounts a story about having a gun pointed at his head, he's as good as any western actor, from De Niro to Brando. John Woo's unique style of direction is as brilliant as ever; he makes violence seem poetic. The movie is exciting yet intelligent, if not John Woo's best. However, it's thought-provoking, and a memorable action film.