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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

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    + 4
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    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
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    Featured reviews

    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)
    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.
    8ajleong-98725

    A good and highly recommended HK movie! Buy your tickets now!

    The storyline is good, with great level of depth as well as twists and turns. It's easy to understand and NOT confusing at all.

    The pace is fast and compact! Things happen here and there to keep you going, without a sense of boredom from the beginning to the end!

    An appropriate level of action was inserted to enhance the visual excitement, e.g. Gunfights and typical HK car chasing scenes. All these action sequences work well to keep the momentum going. And the clues unfolded one by one to facilitate audiences' understanding towards the cases and reasons for murders! All the main casts performed well to make it a good show!

    However, two main pitfalls were picked up as follows: Firstly, the pace is far too fast that it doesn't allow the movie to breathe and the audiences to think through what is going on!

    Secondly, each clue is unfolded too quickly! It should allow audiences to process each clue and piece together the puzzles to guess who is the SUSPECT! In fact, this is a psychological thriller, it should thus confuse audiences more, especially Lau Ching Wan's role with his paranoid delusion and multiple-personality disorder, and challenge our ability to unfold the clues. Yet, it's made to look more like an action movie, revealing all things abruptly!

    I gave 8/ 10. Overall, it's a great movie! I would highly recommend you to watch it in the cinema, to enjoy the tension and dynamic action, which you will NEVER get from your laptop or home TV. It's definitely worth your ticket money! Take my words! Go, Go, Go..!!
    fluffset

    detective war

    I dunno cantonese but the meaning of the original title is Detective War which is far better than official english title, Detective VS Sleuth, really? Sleuth? Never heard people use that word.

    For this movie, I guess it is too rushing, too many characters, and too chaos. I understand the director dont want to waste any time, he just want us to become breathless all the time watching this movie. Maybe if he give us some drama so we can take our breath. Or maybe I am too old to watch this movie, everything happen so fast...

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    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)

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    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

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

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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