| Abstract | In Hong Kong's myriad police films, as in the territory's notorious triad flicks, action has traditionally been the star. The promise of a wildly inventive final shoot-out and an extremely high body count is, after all, what usually draws the crowds. So when Gordon Chan made The Final Option in 1994, many were skeptical. He wanted to humanize the members of a police team by highlighting their personal problems as well as their prowess under fire. The film combined the off-duty shenanigans of the Special Duties Unit - Hong Kong's own version of a SWAT team - with some high-octane missions. Both critics and moviegoers approved. Finally, here was a way to revitalize a somewhat tired brand of filmmaking. |
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