Running Out of Time 2

RUNNING OUT OF TIME 2 is less a sequel and more a straight remake of the first film, with Johnnie To employing a co-director to share some of the duties this time around. Andy Lau's out - his character's terminal illness put paid to his presence - but Lau Ching Wan and his colleagues are back, this time hunting down a mysterious con man with links to a shady insurance company. Ekin Cheng takes over from Lau and is I think better in the part, more naturalistic and relaxed. As with the first film, the plotting is lacklustre but the quirky comedy works better, the bicycle race a highlight. I also really enjoyed Lam Suet's random subplot for some reason.

Quite a bit different from the style of the original. Not quite as good, but highly watchable. I found the highjinks of the bad guy who's a magician very entertaining. I couldn't help but laugh at the continuing coin flip bit that runs through the movie. One of the most unique chase scenes I've seen in a long time...They start off chasing a bald eagle that leads them to the bad guy...then the chase is on. They run full speed on foot from day into night...then a wild bicycle chase and crash...until finally they give up to continue another day out of sheer exhaustion. Though it's not quite good, it did keep my interest throughout.

**1/2 (Out of 4)

RUNNING OUT OF TIME 2 is essentially a remake of the original, only this time Ekin Cheng steps into the role left by Andy Lau (whose character, supposedly, died at the end of the first). As Lau did, Cheng manuevers the same clever cop into his game. Also getting involved is Kelly Lin as a straight laced businesswoman whose important merger is threatened by the thief's games.

Not as good as the original, as expected, but still clever. Although the whole cleverness does seem awfully familiar this time around.

6 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie or full-length reviews of other foreign films)

This held so much promise after what i believed was a very good first film 'Running out of time' with Andy Lau.

One of the main problems is the fact that Ekin Cheng is no where near as good as Andy Lau and i found him less intersting annd quite boring to watch. Also the story was incredibly pointless and unexplained, it was very hard to follow and pretty random...

All i can say is that i hope they do not make another one, as the first is a very good film and this was just not up to standard.

No pun intended - and while this seems to play in the same world or realm or whatever you want to call it .. it does change or tweak things a little bit. One actor for example plays a very different character ... has a bigger role. Others are referenced by different names too ... but we get our main guy from the first movie back. And I do assume you have seen the other one, so you won't be too surprised that Andy Lau is not back for more.

We get a new ... well "magician". And while things in the first one seemed convenient ... they are even more so in the sequel. Especially the coin toss thing ... which is a big part of the movie ... and may have a twist you do not expect.

All in all not as good, but almost equally as out there as the first one ... crazy you say? Yes but really meant to be. It's by Johnnie To ... and he can almost do no wrong ... for me at least.