jadavix The first "Election" film seems to be Johnnie To's most highly praised movie, which is strange, because I think this less-seen sequel is superior in every way. It has a plot you can actually understand, and a persistent style and tone."Election" had key moments apparently happening off camera so you could only deduce what was going on in the plot with super-human concentration. Not so in the sequel. You get the gist pretty easily, and pretty early on: Lok, the elected chairman from the first movie, is approaching the end of his tenure, but is considering breaking Triad tradition and extending his term. Meanwhile Jimmy is trying to set himself up as a legitimate businessman in China and move away from the Triad. He finds that government officials will only work with him if he takes the chair in his Triad.So the stage is set for crosses, double-crosses and dealings with Triad "uncles" and cold-blooded subordinates."Triad Election", also known as "Election 2", is never less than engrossing and captivating. It's one of the best Triad films I've seen.

khun-marcus Johnnie To's "Election 2" (AKA "Triad Election") not only continues the story of the characters set in the first "Election," but it is such a superlative film compared to its predecessor that it can rightfully stand on its own as a masterpiece of the genre. It's time for the underground Wo Sing Society to pick a new chairman, and the top contender to the throne is the successful businessman Jimmy. We follow him battle for position and leverage, like a high stakes game of chess, against the reigning chairman Lok. Spanning a mere 90 minutes, To directs with great attention to detail and characters, and with not a single frame wasted or in excess. We come to root for Jimmy (if not completely approving of his heinous actions) as he navigates, with both mental and physical prowess, the treacherous underworld of Hong Kong, filled with snitches, hit men, and the most formidable of all, the Machiavellian Lok himself.One of the busiest and most versatile directors, Johnnie To has made some good, and even great films in the past, but here he has outdone himself in what is probably his masterpiece ("Drug War" is a strong contender for that title as well). The storytelling, cinematography, and the beautiful score by Lo Tayu all add up to a memorable cinematic effect. "Election 2" sets a gold standard for sequels, as it does not require the viewer (though it would be helpful) to view the first "Election" to follow, rather crafting its own story, not derivative but superior to the first. Its conclusion is masterful as well, leaving us with desire to see a continuation of this series. It also lends insight into the operation of mafias in Hong Kong (the beginning sequence plays out like a quick history lesson on the formation, and rules, of underground societies). Finally, it serves as a brilliant political allegory for the dueling that cunning politicians must engage in to win at any and all costs; and how the line between a politician and a gangster is a very thin one. If you're a fan of gangster/organized crime films, "Election 2" is a must have in your collection, to date the greatest film on organized crime in Hong Kong I've seen. And if anyone has any doubts about the legitimacy of this film, I was introduced to this film from someone who was involved with underground activities in Asia…which is all I will mention about that!

webmaster-3017 Spooky? Funny? Yeah! In 2006 HK Cinema, few movies warrant a second viewing, but clearly Election 2 is one that improves in its 2nd running. Johnny To is a versatile director and needless to say, whatever tension that is lacking in its sequel, Johnny makes up for it with twice the brutality and further destruction of those in power. While the first film emphasis on one struggle for power and its ability to corrupt even the most ingenious of humanity, the second one further this notion, that the only way to secure power is through eliminating all its challengers. Perhaps Bush is right - "you are either with us or against us" as this notion is never proved so strongly correct. Needless to say, Election 2 is already fast becoming of the finest work from the little territory this year.One of the most memorable yet shocking scenes is without doubt the chopping sequence of arms, legs and body parts of a living person and then churning it out into dog food. Fear is a factor that allows those in power to control the masses. It is at that moment that Louis Koo becomes a greater evil than Simon Yam. His goal is money, not triad power and glory. The saying goes: "money is the root of all evil" and at that moment, Koo have metamorphoses into a wild animal – crazy and no longer human. It is crazy to imagine what one can do for money as Koo's silent assassin screams out: "Add money" repetitively even the moment before he die, is both humorous yet bitterly ironic. In dicing a human into dog food, Johnny alludes to 90s' human pork chop movies and most notably – The Untold Story starring Anthony Wong. Luckily, Election 2 does not exactly show the vivid scene in full detail, or else it will probably break even the most carefree of censorship boards.Like in the first film, the only way to survive in the dark underworld is to remain in power, as the Chinese saying goes: "one mountain can not shelter two tigers." Unlike the 1st film, Simon Yam takes a back seat, despite showing some quite credible acting chops. His expression upon kicking the old man down the stairs is calculatingly evil and so is the memorable expression as he holds on to the leader baton, with the type of grin hiding behind an ambitious smile. He is ultimately ambitious, yet an extremely flawed character. Louis Koo takes on the leading role, this time around in full force and perhaps one of his finest performances in years since Bullet Over Summer. His aim for business and money is noteworthy and the ambition hidden within the scene where he chops up arms and legs is equally startling to watch. A much underrated actor deserves to appear in more material like this. Other appears here and there and Lam Suet is once again funny in a cameo role. As usual Nick Cheung is fast becoming one of the coolest actors in HK cinema.Following Neo's statements above of this being 2006's finest work isn't really an understatement, despite the poor quality of productions in most HK films. To have been able to embark a sequel that matches the original is alone a heck of an achievement. It is a beautiful piece of work and along with the ironic trademark finale, Johnny is back on the circuit. With many more productions ahead, one can only expect heaps better stuff to be made. Yes, to be perfectly honest, it is disgusting, but at the same time, it is really good to endure. (Neo 2006)I rate it 9/10.www.thehkneo.com

lastliberal Time for another election. Again, the idea of two chairmen comes up, only this time it doesn't end in the death of the initiator. Lam Lok (Simon Yam) looks to run for an unprecedented second term, others are deciding whether to run, and Jimmy Lee (Louis Koo), who only wants to be a businessman, finds that is not possible unless he becomes Chairman.This Chinese version of the Godfather continues with its intrigue and violence as everyone plots to take out the competition.It goes from broken fingers to body parts being ground up as hamburger.But, the ending was a real eye-opener. Jimmy was set up and now he is forced to do the bidding of the power in China. Just like Michael Corleone, he is in it for life.