If there's any good to be found in the recent drought in seeking out quality movies from Hong Kong, it's that it allows the opportunity for viewers to take a look at some past films they might have previously ignored. While you're not likely to see Vendetta on anyone's "top 10" list, it is an entertaining and surprisingly creepy movie with a good dose of action as well. I think people sometimes forget one of the things that was so great about Hong Kong film's "golden age" wasn't that there was a great number of excellent movies produced, but rather, that even many of the B-movies made during the period were tight and smart. In fact, even though Vendetta was a cheap production made some dozen years ago, it out-shines many recent efforts.

Ray Lui plays a cop who, while his wife is giving birth to twins, is called to help catch a trio of Mainland robbers. During the chase, two of them are killed, and the remaining one (HK film heavy mainstay Tommy Wong) is sent to jail. After Ray's wife gives birth, he keeps seeing visions of the two dead criminals. His partner (Kent Cheng, who plays against type and actually comes off as pretty tough in this role -- he even takes a 2x4 to the head with a nail in it jabbed into his eye socket and still keeps ticking) keeps trying to ward off any evil spirits by giving him medallions, a Feng Shui fishtank and Buddha statues and some more stuff, but the nightmares don't stop. As time progresses, Ray becomes convinced that his children are actually reincarnations of the robbers he killed, and after Tommy escapes from jail, his suspicions grow even stronger.

Normally, I'm not really into the whole Hong Kong ghost movie genre, but director Tony Leung Siu-Hung spices things up with a good deal of gore and some solid action sequences. Also, Vendetta never really beats you over the head with the ghostly bits. Until the later part of the movie, the viewer is left wondering if the kids really are possessed. Even though they're damn strange-looking, you're not really sure if they're just being bratty or exacting some kind of other-worldly vengeance.

I only have a couple of major complaints about Vendetta. There are a few comedic parts that are woefully out of place, and the end is a bit cheesy, especially considering the violence that proceeds it. Overall, though, this is one of the more unique films I've seen in quite a while. It's an interesting mix of action and suspense, and fans of any of those genres will find some good entertainment via a viewing of this movie. There's also quite a bit of blood as well, especially considering that this is a Category IIB picture. There's eyes gouged, fingers bitten off and ears impaled with metal pins, so gore-hounds should be happy as well. At any rate, Vendetta is a lot better than stuff like Troublesome Night 29 (or whatever part they're on now) or the latest wave of PG-13 snoozers popping out of Hollywood.

(review from www.hkfilm.net)