- Actors: Leon Lai, Hsiao-chuan Chang, Daniel Wu
- Director: Ringo Lam
- Disc Format: Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, THX, Widescreen
- Language: Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region A/1
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: Not Rated
- Studio: Well Go USA
- Release Date: June 6, 2017
- Run Time: 100 minutes
There are a few
great action sequences in Sky on Fire,
but they are buried within an overcomplicated slog of a film. With too many
characters and too little time to care about any of them enough, Sky on Fire is more work than the
enjoyable elements are worth. So much of my time watching the film was spent
trying to remember or figure out the motivations of the large cast of
characters, which is made more complicated by the fact that several of them
seem redundant and unnecessary. Even when a decent scene of action would arise,
I was unable to enjoy the spectacle amidst my confusion over what was occurring
and whose side everyone was on. While director Ringo Lam certainly proves once
again that he is a capable action director, movies of this type shouldn’t be so
much work to enjoy.
Lam is best
known for making a series of films with “on Fire” in the title, though it seems
that is all that connects them to each other. This is the fifth entry into
these title-connected action movies, the first of which was made in 1987. The
shifting allegiances and double-crossing of the film’s many characters all
center around a building aptly called Sky One, which inevitably ends up ablaze,
as the title suggests. Before we get to that climactic action sequence, there
are sentimental scenes involving a suffering cancer patient (Amber Kuo), whose
brother (Joseph Chang) discovers can be saved by a revolutionary cure created
and held in the medical facilities of Sky One. Rather than sharing this cure
with the world, the head of the research department (Fan Guangyao) has plans to
make the medical discovery as profitable as possible.
With the
all-too-realistic corrupt choice made by the company to prioritize profit over
philanthropy, the heroic head of security in Sky One (Daniel Wu) decides to
take matters into his own hands, helping the ailing woman and her brother in a
heist to steal the formula. This is only possible because the security guard is
conveniently having an affair with the wife of the research head (played by
Zhang Jingchu), who helps provide inside information to betray her ruthless
husband. If hearing this plot explained sounds complicated, imagine trying to
figure it out for yourself. Despite heist sequences, car crashes, a memorable
rooftop chase scene, and a moral theme most would support, the film is
consistently bogged down by its overcomplicated screenplay.
The Blu-ray
includes no alternate viewing options or special features. While the high
definition adds some to the spectacle provided in the narrative, it does little
to improve some of the film’s weaker CGI, including the fire promised by the
title.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
Special Features: 0/10
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