Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Detective vs. Sleuths

Original title: San taam daai zin
  • 2022
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Detective vs. Sleuths (2022)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer1:39
1 Video
10 Photos
ActionCrimeMysteryThriller

When Hong Kong is rocked by multiple gruesome murders, the police forms a task force to investigate.When Hong Kong is rocked by multiple gruesome murders, the police forms a task force to investigate.When Hong Kong is rocked by multiple gruesome murders, the police forms a task force to investigate.

  • Director
    • Ka-Fai Wai
  • Writers
    • Ryker Chan
    • Lu Jia
    • Jerry Li
  • Stars
    • Ching-Wan Lau
    • Charlene Choi
    • Raymond Lam
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ka-Fai Wai
    • Writers
      • Ryker Chan
      • Lu Jia
      • Jerry Li
    • Stars
      • Ching-Wan Lau
      • Charlene Choi
      • Raymond Lam
    • 15User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 28 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:39
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos9

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 4
    View Poster

    Top cast55

    Edit
    Ching-Wan Lau
    Ching-Wan Lau
    • Lee Chun
    • (as Sean Lau)
    Charlene Choi
    Charlene Choi
    • Chan Yee
    Raymond Lam
    Raymond Lam
    • Fong Lai-Sun
    Carman Lee
    Carman Lee
    • Wong Yan
    Jeana Ho
    • Cheung Lam
    Carlos Chan
    Carlos Chan
    • Tsai Ka Chu
    Kathy Yuen
    • Yeung Lai
    Cheuk Wah Chan
    • Sleuth member
    Kam-Fung Chan
    • Grandmother
    Mini Wing-Yan Chan
    • Bar customer
    Stephanie Che
    Stephanie Che
    • Fisherwoman
    Bin Chen
    • Baldy
    • (as Bin Zi)
    German Cheung
    • Cheung Yan Kit
    Radford Cheung
    • Drug dealer
    Derek Chi-Wai Chong
    • West Kowloon regional crime unit officer
    Nick Siu-Lun Chong
    • West Kowloon regional crime unit officer
    Aaron Chow
    • OCTB Officer
    Kevin Kam-Yin Chu
    Kevin Kam-Yin Chu
    • Chu Kin Yau
    • (as Kevin Chu)
    • Director
      • Ka-Fai Wai
    • Writers
      • Ryker Chan
      • Lu Jia
      • Jerry Li
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    6.21.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    1smofdd

    Just a piece of junk

    The movie sucks, and the characters talk and act like fools.

    "We don't want to hurt anybody, we're just here for revenge!" What kind of criminals speak like that to calm the crowd? Maybe he should explain well on how he would like to do the revenge, by serving the enemy a massage maybe?

    The movie is full of awkward paradox likewise in talks and actions, on every character, which distracts you from the story itself and make you curse.

    The movie makers need to know a simple affair, that if you want to tell a detective story, just don't make it a story of idiots.

    The rhythm of the story telling is chaotic too.

    And the mixture of Beijing accent against mandarin amongst the actors of Hongkong and mainland makes no sense even in nowadays.
    7andyorchi

    Not amazing but entertaining enough

    I like the original promise to be a continuation for the first film but the mystery whether the lead character has special power or not was part of the charm, this sequel sadly ruined some of that.

    Quite a number of surprises although some was a bit lame. Part of the stories felt forced and was shock for the sake out it, a some of the characters could do with a few more acting lessons from the lead actor.

    The film really was saved by Lau Ching Wan alone, his portrait is so good it made it almost uncomfortable to watch.

    Overall, I found the film entertaining enough and is one of the better hk films in recent years.
    1o-32603

    What a bull shet

    Instead of saying this is a detective story, it would rather be described as a creepy nonsense and full of shet talk.

    The story writer focus too much on shaping a physical mad detective but completely ignore the basic reality of crime fiction presentations. For example, you would ask me to believe an female police officer would perform her job in crime scene where she have to chase, gun fight and building climbing when she is nearly at a stage of a childbirth? And you expect me to believe that Li Jun could be allowed to engage official crime investigation when he suffer severe mental health problem and risk all citizens and officers in life danger? Such nonsense just appeared all over the screen time and made people literally wonder what's going on with this movie.

    Most of the character's motivations are simple, easy-predicated and some even ridiculous, which made people more easily to find that how unbelievable flat the character is. This is the kind of the story that you whish you never heard of. This is so....exhausted to watch. Once again, a new tip for myself: DO get out of it even in the middle of screening, when you find something funny is in the film. Instead of a crime fiction that you can enjoy, its more like those ridiculous Late talk show meme for spoof.
    4vismay235

    Good mystery genere.

    Not a booring movie so it should be watched atleast once who likes thriller or detective story.

    Story is good.

    Action is ok.

    Actors are good.

    Character are in good set.

    Just a bit too fast for Viewers who do not know Cantonese language.

    The main character has fast thinking and speech is also too fast as per the story. So when you rely or have dependency on Subtitles than you loose some scene or either how the story is connected.

    If possible than Viewers are advised to watch atleast in their understanding language i.e. Dubbed version.

    I am sure even dubbing artist will face challenges in dubbing for the main character.
    4FeastMode

    Had potential but too many flaws

    I was very into this movie for a while. The mystery is set up well and takes you on an intricate journey. Some of the action is pretty good and exciting. The lead actor gives a great performance. And I was invested in the main characters.

    But the flaws killed it for me. The action becomes tedious and stale while also becoming outrageous and not believable. All the bullets miss. Early on I forgave this a couple times. But it keeps happening, and worse every time. Hundreds of bullets are shot and they keep missing.

    Then you have other things like hilariously fake-looking blood spatter. Or other times when people get shot with no blood whatsoever. Or unrealistic CG fire.

    I thought this was pretty good for a while and still has a lot of positives, but the negatives brought it way down for me. (1 viewing, 1/16/2023)

    More like this

    Mad Detective
    7.1
    Mad Detective
    Table for Six
    6.9
    Table for Six
    The Goldfinger
    6.2
    The Goldfinger
    A Guilty Conscience
    7.2
    A Guilty Conscience
    Crisis Negotiators
    6.7
    Crisis Negotiators
    Shock Wave 2
    6.6
    Shock Wave 2
    Ready o/r Knot
    6.1
    Ready o/r Knot
    Cold War 2
    6.5
    Cold War 2
    The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
    5.9
    The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
    Over My Dead Body
    6.4
    Over My Dead Body
    Mad Fate
    6.4
    Mad Fate
    The White Storm 2: Drug Lords
    6.0
    The White Storm 2: Drug Lords

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was first announced its production in 2018 and commenced the lengthy principal photography in August that year, and finished in April 2019 due to screenplay changes by Ka-Fai Wai. The post production has undergone more than 2 years until its release in April 2022.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Popcorn Show: "Detective vs Sleuths" Movie (2022)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ15

    • How long is Detective vs. Sleuths?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 8, 2022 (China)
    • Countries of origin
      • Hong Kong
      • China
    • Language
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
      • Thần thám đại chiến
    • Filming locations
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China(Bus station)
    • Production companies
      • Emperor Motion Pictures
      • Er Dong Pictures - Beijing
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,906,153
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 41m(101 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.