THE STORY – Two gunmen cause chaos in Hong Kong as they aimlessly shoot innocent civilians. The bloodshed is shocking, but it is dealt with by the Police. There is no time to rest as a hospital is blown up, which happened to hold one of the city’s wealthiest businessmen. It becomes apparent that the explosion was intended to kill that target, and all the other casualties were meaningless. All this violence is linked to Hong Kong’s underground drug world, where drug traffickers, shady cops, and businessmen are all heavily involved.
THE CAST – Takeshi Kaneshiro, Sean Lau, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Louis Koo & Gao Yuanyuan
THE TEAM – Juno Mak (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 132 Minutes
Juno Mak’s long-awaited sophomore feature has finally arrived after filming began back in the summer of 2017. Work on the film’s post-production was indefinitely halted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, only resuming years later with an expanded, record-breaking budget of $400 million HKD for a Hong Kong production. Though Mak’s budget is modest compared to Hollywood action blockbusters, every cent is used with precision as the film ambitiously delves into action, suspense, and noir-tinged storytelling.
Set in Hong Kong in 1994, the film opens with snow falling and gunfire erupting as two gunmen massacre everyone in sight. Bullets tear through the air, leaving bodies everywhere, until Officer Wong Chi-tat (Sean Lau) and his men arrive on the scene. What follows is an intense and chaotic shootout after their police vehicle crashes, culminating in a devastating explosion at a hospital that kills Lee Mo-tung’s father, an all-powerful figure in the city’s business and drug trafficking world.
The explosion sends shockwaves across Hong Kong and beyond. As a new power vacuum emerges, chaos takes hold, and everyone begins looking out for themselves. Lee Mo-tung (Takeshi Kaneshiro) attempts to legitimize his father’s empire and build a world free of drugs. However, his estranged brother’s return to Hong Kong, accompanied by his gang of armed men, threatens to destroy that vision. What follows is a relentless, blood-soaked spectacle that refuses to hold back.
First things first: “Sons of the Neon Night” is an incredible title that instantly evokes a sense of neon-drenched noir before the film even begins. The opening scene, depicting the protagonist waking up, making tea, and smoking a cigarette in a minimalistic underground bunker, sets the tone perfectly. Like the noir classics of old, nearly every character smokes, enveloped in shadows and moral ambiguity. From the start, it’s clear that Mak is fully embracing the seductive, atmospheric qualities that define the genre. Shot by cinematographer Sion Michel, the film possesses a distinctive murky grey palette that casts a spell over the viewer. It’s hard not to admire the craftsmanship on display, even when the storytelling falters.
However, the film’s biggest visual hurdle lies in its overreliance on CGI during the action sequences. Considering the long and complicated post-production process, it’s no surprise the film took years to complete. The opening shootout alone features an onslaught of digital effects as bullets fly, blood splatters, and vehicles explode. Some of the CGI looks rough around the edges, with noticeable pixelation in certain explosions, especially on a large screen. Still, given the mid-range budget and the scale of the production, the results are impressive, even if uneven.
Mak’s long-gestating passion project is undeniably ambitious, perhaps to a fault. The film introduces an overwhelming number of characters, making it difficult to keep track of them all. Takeshi Kaneshiro’s Lee Mo-tung is ostensibly the lead, yet his motives remain vague and his screen time surprisingly limited. As a result, it’s hard to become emotionally invested in his journey. His attempts to cleanse his father’s criminal legacy and reshape the family business are compelling in theory, but the film never fully explores them. Instead, he emerges as a morally complex anti-hero whose desire for redemption is constantly undermined by the sins of his past.
It’s honestly quite difficult to fully grasp everything that “Sons of the Neon Night” is trying to say. With a runtime of 132 minutes, it often feels too dense for its own good. A mini-series format might have served it better, giving the story more breathing room to develop its characters and ideas. The film jumps rapidly from one action sequence to another, killing off major characters and introducing new ones with dizzying speed. Narratively, it’s a mess, but as a visual and stylistic experience, it remains captivating.
“Sons of the Neon Night” ultimately stands as a superb exercise in style. The cinematography is exquisite, evoking the spirit of classic noir while grounding it in the gritty modernity of Hong Kong. Yet, beneath that visual brilliance, the story feels hollow, and the emotional connection never quite takes hold. Juno Mak is clearly a gifted director, but this project may have been too sprawling for even his considerable ambition. Stripped of some of its excess and focused into a more intimate, hard-edged noir, it could have been something truly remarkable. As it stands, it’s a fascinating, flawed, and undeniably ambitious work that remains a genuine mixed bag.
