Is John Woo slipping into senility? You might be forgiven for thinking so based on the first half of MANHUNT, his new Hong Kong thriller set and filmed in Japan. The story is a familiar one, about a lawyer working for a corrupt pharmaceutical company who finds himself framed for murder and hunted by a dedicated cop. The first half of this picture suffers from some very bad and vapid direction by Woo, who accompanies potentially exciting moments with cheesy saxophone music and really fumbles the ball. The film has a bright, vibrant, CGI, fake feel to it which makes it hard to take seriously, although the cast members strive to invest you in their roles. At least the pace is fast to take your mind off the problems. At times this feels like a 'greatest hits' album, full of references to Woo's past: TONS of white doves, motorbike gangs, shoot-outs, Mexican stand-offs, endless pursuit, saxophone music, chases by car and on water. The good news is that things get good with an excellent motorbike attack on a rural farmhouse, which is the highlight here, and stay relatively entertaining to the climax.
Review of Manhunt
Manhunt
(2017)
Something of a 'greatest hits' compilation, but there are some quality moments here
6 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers