Anyone whose travel plans include a long flight on United Airlines might want to consider watching this rather unusual Taiwanese movie on the plane’s entertainment system. It starts out as an over-the-top crime drama, stumbles into black comedy, and ends up as a moving morality tale.
The protagonist had been Taiwan’s most notorious gangster, famous for his hits on gang leaders, but had chosen to stay alive for the last four years by keeping a low profile. When he learned he had Stage 4 lung cancer with only a few months left to live, a friend encouraged him to make amends for his criminal past by turning himself into the police.
However, when he tried unsuccessfully to do that, he learned he had been almost forgotten and was now only #3 on the list of Taiwan’s most wanted criminals. With his ego bruised, he changed his plans for making amends – instead, of simply turning himself in to the police, he would first restore his reputation in the underworld by killing #1 and #2 on the list.
With a struggle, he was able to find and eliminate #1, but finding any trace of #2 was a much more difficult proposition. Eventually, he followed a weak link to a remote peaceful spiritual community, where he learned that #2 had already died. While at the spiritual community, the protagonist experienced a life-changing conversion event. When this was later followed by a second revelation, he chose to administer his own brand of rough justice.
Ultimately he learned he was not the only person trying to make amends for past misdeeds, and in Taiwan justice must be seen to be done. A thought-provoking tale!
As might be expected, the trailer emphasizes the action drama – which is not the most interesting part of the movie.