Motorway (2012)
Reviewed by: j.crawford on 2013-03-11
Summary: Police action in fast cars!
Thanks to the Film Society at Lincoln Center in NYC and the publication Film Comment, I recently attended a screening of Soi Cheang's Motorway [2012], produced by Johnnie To and his Milkyway Image production company. Nothing beats seeing Hong Kong movies on the big screen. Technical values are very high on all levels, especially the car stunts and action cinematography.

The movie stars Shawn Yue and Anthony Wong as members of a Hong Kong police department special unit that uses fast cars to catch speeders on the highways around the city, and the back alleys deep in the city. The simple plot revolves around some mainland gangsters and their skilled driver who eludes the younger officer [Yue] after, years before, having eluded the senior officer [Wong]. The film features a middle sequence that involves a brazen jailbreak and car chase in and around the city.

Actor Yue and director Cheang have worked together many times and Yue does some nice work with his character, the young Chan Cheung. Anthony Wong, a master performer, portrays the senior partner Lo Fung. Lo values his time away from the job with his wife played with finesse by Michelle Ye. The younger Chan is consumed with the mechanics of driving and automobiles. Following his senior partners lead, he romances the lovely Dr. Yee, played by Barbie Hsu.
Reviewer Score: 8