"A War Named Desire" is a smooth and hip film that demonstrates what can still be done with the tired triad genre. Alan Mak directs with the elan and self-assurance of a fan schooled on gangster flicks. He gives a wink and nod to older triad films by evoking music-associated themes in the soundtrack. You hear references run the gamut from the disco and cheesy synth of the '80s and '90s to the electronica-inspired contemporary sounds as the film progresses. The movie's plot revolves aound Daniel Chan's search for his estranged brother, played by Francis Ng. Chan finds Ng and they get caught up in the local triad scene. Along the way, they rediscover brotherhood as things escalate into a bloody mess.

The acting is what makes this film so smooth. The performances are uniformly watchable. Even though the characters are sketchy and not fully developed, the shining moments are provided by Dave Wang and Gigi Leung. I've never seen Gigi better. The interplay between Wang and Ng recalls the "righteousness" or moral code found in characters of early triad-gangster films. Even Dan Chan's effort was on the mark. All of the actors seemed to generate a good deal of their cool aloofness through the focus of Francis Ng.

Surprisingly the action is what seemed a tad awkward. Even though the action scenes are well executed, it's as if Mak knows that audiences have long been desensitized to the violence in triad films. So, the next step would be to shock the viewer and use the carnage as a visual tool--splashing blood in drops and more extremely, streaming down the camera lens. This method was more emotionally charged than if Mak sliced in a pure red or white frame to generate the same impact. The strong camera work accents almost get a bit too cute, but luckily never distracting.

"A War Named Desire" displays some inventiveness and attention to detail. These factors and a top-notch cast do wonders for this small gem.