TRIANGLE (2007)

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (Technovision)
Soundtrack: Dolby Digital

Veteran actor Simon Yam Tat-wah headlines this ultra-twisty crime caper as a harassed businessman whose world begins to crumble around his ears, not least because his faithless wife (Kelly Lin Hsi-lei) is having an affair with a corrupt cop (Gordon Lam Ka-tung). Worse still, Yam becomes enmeshed in the theft of a priceless relic by two luckless friends (Louis Koo Tin-lok and Sun Hong-lei), both of whom drag their personal baggage into play, landing them all in serious trouble with Lam and a bunch of gangsters who covet the relic for themselves. Things do NOT go smoothly for any of them...

Co-directed by three of Hong Kong's finest auteurs (Johnnie To Kei-fung, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam Ling-tung), the film builds relentlessly toward a final showdown between the various protagonists, all of whom are painted in various shades of grey by a multi-authored screenplay which juggles the disparate elements with snap-shot precision. Yam gives the showiest performance as a man at the end of his tether, while Lin plays the unfaithful wife as a psychotic harridan whose allegiances shift on the breeze, escalating the various conflicts beyond the point of no return. Technical credits are similarly robust, with notable cinematography by Cheng Siu-keung and To Hung-mo.

Minor drawback: The closing sequence seems to negate everything that went before it, but the movie survives on the strength of its ingenuity and daring. A minor trifle, perhaps, but more than worth your time and money.