This review, brainstormed by multiple great pieces of Chinese reviews, combined with the clarifications made by the directors, aims at uncovering the suspense and unsolved puzzles of the movie.
The debate over whether Mr. M.B. Waise Lee the Deputy Commissioner (Operation) takes part in the scheme is undoubtedly the most controversial issue.
This review proposes that Deputy Lee is almost completely innocent. To justify, it is necessary to differentiate of which Deputy Lee's sentiments is acting and not acting. What the silver screen progressively shows are:
At the outset, Lee openly scolds Man To for the failure of telecommunications system. Afterwards, Lee urges a swift assault at a dockyard in an attempt to rescue the kidnapped policemen. He expressed disappointment when the operation paid in vain. Next, being questioned by Deputy Lau and PR Phoenix Leung at headquarters, Lee defended himself furiously with offensive words. After the policemen had been rescued, Lee started to calm down for the first time and expressed his gratitude peacefully to Deputy Lau.
Subtle emotions of characters played a prominent role in deduction. If Lee was part of the scheme, first, it came no sense for Lee to point the finger at Deputy Lau and Man To in the kick-off meeting such that Lau could gear up in advance mentally against the scheme targeting him. Furthermore, it would be totally meaningless for him to sigh to nobody at dockyard operation if it was all planned and managed under him.
It would be over-skeptical to put forward the idea that Deputy Lee was acting throughout the entire motion picture. Not only would this storytelling be far too intricate for moviegoers to follow and digest, but it would also be incoherent with characters' sentiments.
Also, the conspirator must have instructed S.D.U. Commander Michael Shek to wipe out those ex-operatives when an independent government authority ICAC steps in. However, if Lee, who cares for the well-being of front- line policeman, was the man behind, his primary motive must be gaining power or money for the betterment of remuneration of policemen and these ex-operatives whom Lee looked after upon the completion ND157. So it would be insane, contradictory and against his will to sell out his ex- subordinates together with numerous police casualties in the wipe-out mission.
Indeed, the directors have already clarified that, under their storyline, Deputy Lee is not the ultimate puppet master behind the scheme. It is otherwise the unexposed one(s), who is even out of Lee's scope, as also pointed out by his son at last. On top of this, an interview with the directors by a Hong Kong media outlet has also alleged that Deputy Lau and Lee will work jointly in fighting against the ultimate boss in Cold War 2.
The puzzle remains ambiguous for who is the mastermind. As this movie is partly brainstormed by the U.S. presidential election campaign, this godfather could possibly be a syndicate of some tycoons, in favor of candidate Lee, working for their own interest i.e. sales of arms, chaos or whatsoever. Therefore, any casualty inherited in this war is not their concern. Those dead ex-operatives are simply being manipulated as their foot soldiers.
It is uncertain and guessed that Deputy Lee finally senses the involved parties after ICAC questions him about ND157. Later, when his son is about to take the gun, there is a subtle smile shown on Deputy Lee's face. It is because his highly intelligent son chooses correctly not to uncover the truth to the police in ambush so as to keep them both safe (His son might get killed like those ex-operatives?).
Some interesting food for thought:
1. The seemingly drunken driver intentionally provokes the Emergency Unit van in order to isolate it. This driving expert could be an overseas English-speaking hired gun who does not own Hong Kong Identity Card which leaves no trace. It is all planned. However, there is argument because the driver thinks he can leave after the stalling car accident is engineered, which is being cheated. M.Y. Shum the policewoman, whom the driver hands the phone to, may also take part in the scheme with limited knowledge.
2. By the directors, Senior Superintendent Vincent Tsui is not a mole. It can be deduced from the fact that Vincent Tsui warns Deputy Lau to run away when Tsui's car is about to hit Deputy Lau at highway.
3. Senior Superintendent Albert Kwong is believed to be clean as he does not know the ND157 ex-operatives are back. However, his appearances often seem suspicious.
4. Man To the I.T. Chief Officer is believed to be a traitor. Otherwise Hong Kong Police Force is unreasonably and incredibly easy to be hacked. Still, because of his gratitude to Deputy Lau for his generosity to his department for development in past few years, he implies a few times that he is one of the rotten links. (Speculated)
Cold War is a marvelous and necessary war to affirm Deputy Lau's capability. It is well written and well filmed. Yet, too little background information and a number of suspects while no clear clue turns this movie hard to digest.
The debate over whether Mr. M.B. Waise Lee the Deputy Commissioner (Operation) takes part in the scheme is undoubtedly the most controversial issue.
This review proposes that Deputy Lee is almost completely innocent. To justify, it is necessary to differentiate of which Deputy Lee's sentiments is acting and not acting. What the silver screen progressively shows are:
At the outset, Lee openly scolds Man To for the failure of telecommunications system. Afterwards, Lee urges a swift assault at a dockyard in an attempt to rescue the kidnapped policemen. He expressed disappointment when the operation paid in vain. Next, being questioned by Deputy Lau and PR Phoenix Leung at headquarters, Lee defended himself furiously with offensive words. After the policemen had been rescued, Lee started to calm down for the first time and expressed his gratitude peacefully to Deputy Lau.
Subtle emotions of characters played a prominent role in deduction. If Lee was part of the scheme, first, it came no sense for Lee to point the finger at Deputy Lau and Man To in the kick-off meeting such that Lau could gear up in advance mentally against the scheme targeting him. Furthermore, it would be totally meaningless for him to sigh to nobody at dockyard operation if it was all planned and managed under him.
It would be over-skeptical to put forward the idea that Deputy Lee was acting throughout the entire motion picture. Not only would this storytelling be far too intricate for moviegoers to follow and digest, but it would also be incoherent with characters' sentiments.
Also, the conspirator must have instructed S.D.U. Commander Michael Shek to wipe out those ex-operatives when an independent government authority ICAC steps in. However, if Lee, who cares for the well-being of front- line policeman, was the man behind, his primary motive must be gaining power or money for the betterment of remuneration of policemen and these ex-operatives whom Lee looked after upon the completion ND157. So it would be insane, contradictory and against his will to sell out his ex- subordinates together with numerous police casualties in the wipe-out mission.
Indeed, the directors have already clarified that, under their storyline, Deputy Lee is not the ultimate puppet master behind the scheme. It is otherwise the unexposed one(s), who is even out of Lee's scope, as also pointed out by his son at last. On top of this, an interview with the directors by a Hong Kong media outlet has also alleged that Deputy Lau and Lee will work jointly in fighting against the ultimate boss in Cold War 2.
The puzzle remains ambiguous for who is the mastermind. As this movie is partly brainstormed by the U.S. presidential election campaign, this godfather could possibly be a syndicate of some tycoons, in favor of candidate Lee, working for their own interest i.e. sales of arms, chaos or whatsoever. Therefore, any casualty inherited in this war is not their concern. Those dead ex-operatives are simply being manipulated as their foot soldiers.
It is uncertain and guessed that Deputy Lee finally senses the involved parties after ICAC questions him about ND157. Later, when his son is about to take the gun, there is a subtle smile shown on Deputy Lee's face. It is because his highly intelligent son chooses correctly not to uncover the truth to the police in ambush so as to keep them both safe (His son might get killed like those ex-operatives?).
Some interesting food for thought:
1. The seemingly drunken driver intentionally provokes the Emergency Unit van in order to isolate it. This driving expert could be an overseas English-speaking hired gun who does not own Hong Kong Identity Card which leaves no trace. It is all planned. However, there is argument because the driver thinks he can leave after the stalling car accident is engineered, which is being cheated. M.Y. Shum the policewoman, whom the driver hands the phone to, may also take part in the scheme with limited knowledge.
2. By the directors, Senior Superintendent Vincent Tsui is not a mole. It can be deduced from the fact that Vincent Tsui warns Deputy Lau to run away when Tsui's car is about to hit Deputy Lau at highway.
3. Senior Superintendent Albert Kwong is believed to be clean as he does not know the ND157 ex-operatives are back. However, his appearances often seem suspicious.
4. Man To the I.T. Chief Officer is believed to be a traitor. Otherwise Hong Kong Police Force is unreasonably and incredibly easy to be hacked. Still, because of his gratitude to Deputy Lau for his generosity to his department for development in past few years, he implies a few times that he is one of the rotten links. (Speculated)
Cold War is a marvelous and necessary war to affirm Deputy Lau's capability. It is well written and well filmed. Yet, too little background information and a number of suspects while no clear clue turns this movie hard to digest.