Review courtesy of Hong Kong Superstars (www.hksmag.co.uk)

This is the latest production from Milkyway Productions and opened in Hong Kong's cinemas in late September 1999. Starring Andy Lau and Lau Ching Wan (from Issue 8's "The H.K Triad") and directed by the talented Johnnie To - it is a tale of cops and gangsters that manages to bring something new to the table.

Andy Lau plays a guy who is - as the title has it - running out of time due to having terminal cancer. Inspector Ho (Lau Ching Wan) comes into the equation when a big time money lending organisation is held up- it is this begins the cat and mouse game between the two lead characters.

The meat of the story revolves around an attempted sting involving diamonds that involves just about every character in the film. The script is terrific in the first hour but sadly it loses significant steam in the last half hour and that takes the edge off what could have been one of the best films of the year although it does remain entertaining.

That is thanks to a pair of sterling performances from Andy Lau and Lau Ching Wan and the skills of director Johnnie To. Andy Lau is something of a standout delivering what has to be one of his career best performances ("A Moment Of Romance" takes the top spot).

Lau Ching Wan is Lau Ching Wan which is to say one of the best actors in Hong Kong and his performance is another excellent portrayal. Johnnie To is a marvel of a director who is capable of taking familiar story elements and making them appear fresh and his next film "The Mission" starring a number of Hong Kong stalwarts (among them recent HKS guests Anthony Wong & Simon Yam) could well prove to a top film of 1999 contender.

A humorous element to the script and performances prevents proceedings from becoming too depressing given that cancer is a significant element in the story. On three separate occasions in the film both protagonists are in a car together (with Ho in the drivers seat two out of the three times) and on each occasion Inspector Ho comes off second best !

The last of which is the films finale in which Andy Lau's character drives off (not into the sunset though as it is in the middle of the night). I'm pretty sure that the actor who plays Ho's bumbling right hand man in this film is the same guy who had to explain to the white cop in "Naked Killer" what was missing in the now famous "bird / stick" scene.

Not the best film of 1999 (not sure what my pick would be but "The H.K Triad" would be in contention for sure) but more than worth a look if you have anything other than a passing interest in cop / gangster movies