Tweekums Protagonist Nick is a Hong Kong police officer but has never been inside a court or a police station; he has spent his career deep undercover. It has taken eight years but now he has the evidence to bring down Lin Quin, AKA The Banker. However his bosses would rather he remained undercover; he has gained Lin Quin's trust and is being groomed to take over the business; if he remains in place he will learn who is higher up the chain. Nick has never really thought about those who use the drugs but learns just how bad it is for them when he befriends his neighbour; a young mother who has left her junkie husband but is struggling to break the habit she picked up while with him… she tells Nick that she only took heroin to prove it was easy to quit but soon learnt that it wasn't easy at all.Having seen a few Hong Kong crime dramas I was expecting full on action like that found in John Woo's films; this however is quite different. Protégé is a more thoughtful film showing us the isolation of our protagonist as he works to bring down the people who are his closest friends. At no point is heroin glamorised; those who use it are wretched, slaves to their addiction who will do whatever it takes to get their fix. While this isn't an action film there are moments of violence, some of which are quite shocking although none of it is as shocking as the sight of a dead addict crawling with rats… a truly disturbing scene. The cast do a fine job; Daniel Wu was solid as Nick and Hong Kong film veteran Andy Lau is great as Lin Quin; depicting him as a businessman whose business happens to be illegal rather than as a cartoonish villain. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who likes their thrillers gritty rather than action packed.These comments are based on watching the series in Cantonese with English subtitles.

Paul Magne Haakonsen For some reason I always put off watching "Protégé", which turned out to be a mistake on my end. This movie was nothing short of spectacular, and it is among the top five of Hong Kong movies that I have seen.The story is about Nick (played by Daniel Wu) who is an undercover cop in the heart of the lucrative Hong Kong drug trade, working closely with Banker (played by Andy Lau). Nick becomes close to Banker and his family, and becomes Banker's protégé, set up to overtake the business as Banker plans to retire, as his health is failing and his age is catching up with him. At the same time, Nick sees the effects of drugs as his neighbor Jane (played by Jingchu Zhang) asks for help. She is alone with her daughter, having left her abusive husband (played by Louis Koo).Of course it is a story about drug dealing and the underworld, but it is also the story of loyalties, friendships, and corruption.I must admit that this is one of the more riveting and well-told stories that I have seen in a Hong Kong movie. It is a nice step away from the usual non-stop action or silly romantic comedies that Hong Kong cinema pumps out by the dozens. The story in "Protégé" is raw, harsh and direct. It is the type of movie that burrows deep and sticks with you.Of course Andy Lau put on a great performance in this movie, as he always delivers. But I will say this as well, Daniel Wu really did a phenomenal performance in this movie, and normally I don't care much for his cocky acting. It was really nice to see his talent have flourished beyond his usual generic acting. And despite having only a minor supporting role, then Louis Koo really did deliver as well in the role of the abusive drug addict husband.If you enjoy Hong Kong cinema, and haven't already made your acquaintance with "Protégé", then get to it, because it is a major milestone in Hong Kong cinema. Even if you are not particularly a fan of Hong Kong or Asian cinema, you can still enjoy this movie, because it is a great story told in the world of drugs."Protégé" is a worthy addition to any DVD collection, and a MUST to any collection of fans of Hong Kong or Asian cinema.

johno-21 I saw this last month at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival. The title of this film I believe is Munto not Moon To as listed here on IMDb and this Munto film is not to be confused with the Japanese animee movies of the same name. This is a gangster thriller set in Hong Kong. Nick (Daniel Wu) has spent his entire police career infiltrating a major drug organization led by Kwan (Andy Lau). Nick went straight from the police academy to undercover work and has never worn a uniform or even been inside a police station. For the past seven years he has worked his way up drug lord Kwan's organization that he is in a position to be Kwan's heir to his drug empire. Kwan, in fact, has selected Nick as his heir apparent because he is dying from the long-term results of diabetes. In the meantime Nick has been living in an inner city apartment where his next door neighbor Fan (Zhang Jingchu) is a pretty single mother whose low level drug dealing, heroin addicted husband (Louis Koo) drifts in and out of her and her daughter's life when he isn't in jail to pimp her out. Fan has also become a heroin addict. Nick develops a relationship with Fan and acts as a surrogate father to her little daughter. Nick has also become very close to Kwan. Thius is a good story from writer/director Derek Yee. Within the story line, it takes us to Burma and Thailand and complete with charts and graphs, almost becomes an educational anti-drug documentary on the workings of the Asian heroin trade within the Golden Triangle. Excellent cinematography by Keung Kwok-man and editing by Kwong Chi-Leung. Good production design by Yee Chung-man with Academy Award nominated costume designer/art director Chung Man Yee on board as a consultant. Fast-paced original music score by Peter Kam. This is a good movie and I would give it a 8.0 out of 10 and recommend it.

shu-fen Ordinary development, good research on today's drug-dealing, satisfactory (only) acting, a just so-so plot plus a perfunctorily didactic story, nevertheless, I still recommend this as a light Sunday afternoon amuse-bouche.We are living in a world of mixed, confusing values. What is right? What is wrong? Lin Quin is an extremely careful businessman. He has a clean family and clean life (he doesn't even smoke, not to mention drug). He is very clear-minded to the point of having a frozen heart without much feeling for the others. He knows, very rationally, all the tricks and danger of drug and drug-dealing. He knows, super-sensibly, the wants and behaviour of the drug consumers. Trafficking drug to him is only a means of accumulating wealth regardless whether it is harmful or evil. He even makes an analogy between cigarette and drug. According to the world system and world values, he is correct: as there is a demand, I supply. As the buyers (drug users) get what they want and I get what (the money) I want, we are both happy. Isn't that the world we are living in? Nick's remark at the opening and closing of the film somehow is a futile didactic statement. "For long, I didn't understand why people take drug.... actually it's all because of emptiness (loneliness). And, which is more horrible? Loneliness or drug? I really can't tell." No philosophy class but loneliness kills more, for sure, more destructive than drugs.What touches my heart is the ending. Nick promises to continue his duty as a special agent (undercover). When loneliness comes, he also intends to take drug but at last his salvation is brought by "innocence" (personified by Jane's little daughter) who dumps the syringe for him. Only when we come to purity and innocence, goodness and kindness can we have a way out from evil.