Drug War (film)
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Drug War poster
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| Directed by | Johnnie To |
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| Music by | Xavier Jamaux |
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| Edited by | Allen Leung |
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Production
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| Distributed by |
Media Asia Distribution (Hong Kong) Variance Films (North America) |
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Running time
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105 minutes |
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| Language |
Mandarin Cantonese |
| Box office | US$24,676,341 |
Drug War (Du zhan 毒戰) is a Chinese-Hong Kong crime thriller film directed and produced by Johnnie To. The film stars Sun Honglei as Police Captain Zhang, who partners with a drug lord named Timmy Choi (Louis Koo) after Choi is arrested. To avoid the death penalty, Choi agrees to reveal information about his partners' methamphetamine ring. Zhang starts to harbor doubts about Choi's honesty as the police begin to take on the drug ring.
The film premiered at the Rome Film Festival on November 15, 2012. It has received positive reviews.
Fleeing from an explosion at his drug production facility, Choi crashes his car into a restaurant and as he revives he is captured by Captain Zhang Lei. Realizing that he will receive the death penalty for his crimes, he bargains information on his colleagues to survive.
First, he introduces Captain Zhang Lei as "Uncle Bill", to become a supplier to Haha, who owns a port and can distribute drugs to other countries. Then Captain Zhang Lei poses as Haha to the real "Uncle Bill". Then Choi goes to Choi's factory where he meets with two mute brothers, his employees. Choi plants recording devices in his factory, setting up everyone in it. Then they set up the real Haha with the real Uncle Bill. However, an attempt to capture the mute brothers at the factory fails, and they escape through a hidden tunnel.
Captain Zhang is livid at Choi for withholding information about the secret exit, which a cost of the lives of several police team members. Choi pleads for a second chance as "Uncle Bill" is really just a front for seven other powerful Hong Kong gangsters whom he did not wish to rat out because 2 of them are his relatives: one his brother, the other is his godfather.
The next day, Captain Zhang poses as Haha again and meets with "Uncle Bill". They negotiate a deal to distribute drugs using Haha's port, while Choi identifies the 7 gangster bosses. Later they discuss terms of the deal at a nightclub, where Captain Zhang, posing as Haha, accuses "Uncle Bill" of being a cop, pretending to be infuriated, then leaving. The big 7 then confront him in the parking garage, revealing their identities and confirming their business relationship.
On the day after that, Choi leads the big 7 and their entourage to the port, but instead pulls the entourage in front of a primary school as parents and children are arriving for the day. Choi removes his wires and reveals to the big 7 that he has ratted them out and they are surrounded by cops. Realizing that something has gone wrong, Captain Zhang and his officers close in. A shootout ensues, and nearly all of the gangsters, along with several officers, are killed. Choi escapes in a school bus. However, he crashes into the escaping mute brothers as they are fleeing, believing that Choi has ratted them out. Another shootout takes place. Captain Zhang, wounded, arrives with several other wounded comrades to stop Choi. They are all killed by Choi, but Captain Zhang is able to handcuff himself to Choi's leg before he dies. Choi is then captured by SWAT reinforcements before he can escape.
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