appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Edmund Lee

3.5/5 stars
The blockbuster prequel Cold War 1994 delivers exactly what it promised. Viewers come for the ridiculously overstuffed cast but stay for the relentlessly – almost ostentatiously – convoluted tale of power, corruption and betrayal. While you may not find its plot realistic, it is undeniably entertaining throughout.
The new release opens with a quick recap of Cold War (2012) and Cold War 2 (2016), before moving six months forward to Hong Kong in 2017. Louis Koo Tin-lok’s new character, Adrian Yip, is the chief executive-elect, while Tony Leung Ka-fai’s former deputy police commissioner, M.B. Lee, goes missing from his home.
When police chief Sean Lau (Aaron Kwok Fu-shing) and senior counsel Oswald Kan (Chow Yun-fat) dig into M.B.’s classified 1990s background file for clues, however, their only observation of note is that his record appears far too detailed to be authentic.


The furiously paced film then spends the rest of its runtime in the good old days of 1994, when policemen and gangsters could still become best buddies, Britain was the natural “big bad”, and screenwriters did not feel obliged to dedicate their mega-budget action spectacles to praising Hong Kong for upholding the common law system.
Instead, writer-director Longman Leung Lok-man plays fast and loose with this origin story of the fiercely loyal M.B. (the younger version played by Terrance Lau Chun-him), who, while handling a drug bust as acting chief superintendent, stumbles upon a hugely sensitive kidnap case involving the city’s most influential “old money” family.
The deadly skirmish puts M.B. in the path not just of Peter Choi (Daniel Wu Yin-cho), the duplicitous deputy police commissioner who would become the terrorist mastermind in Cold War 2, but also Jodie Yuen (Louise Wong Dan-nei), a formidable triad boss who strikes an unlikely bond with him as if they were in their own gender-flipped “heroic bloodshed” movie.


Still, the more enthralling drama takes place in the household of the Poons, where tycoon William (Tse Kwan-ho) seeks to retrieve his abducted son-in-law (Carlos Chan Ka-lok) – a potential successor – much to the displeasure of Simon (Wu Kang-ren), the ambitious only son William has ruthlessly sidelined.
It is, of course, astute marketing rather than sensible filmmaking to pack over 30 famous actors into less than two hours. Fish Liew Chi-yu, cast in a supposedly major role as William’s adopted daughter, barely leaves an impression, while imported talents Hugh Bonneville and Aidan Gillen are perfunctory in their brief parts.
Nevertheless, there is much to enjoy in a Hong Kong crime thriller that, finally, does not feel encumbered by declarations of political correctness, and Cold War 1994’s several marvellous action set pieces might even remind fans why they fell in love with the city’s famed genre tradition in the first place.
Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook


Wing Shya: photographer to Wong Kar-wai on working with the great and good of Hong Kong cinema

What Hong Kong cinema can take away from a popular Chinese war film

From Cheng Pei-pei to Michelle Yeoh, Hong Kong cinema’s history of action heroines

Hong Kong film festival celebrates 37 years of queer cinema

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Cold War 1994 movie review: Hong Kong crime thriller prequel is a star-studded blast

Louise Wong and Terrance Lau in a still from Cold War 1994 (category: IIB, Cantonese, English), directed by Longman Leung and co-starring Daniel Wu and Tse Kwan-ho.

(From left) Louis Koo, Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwok in a still from Cold War 1994.

Daniel Wu (left) and Tse Kwan-ho in a still from Cold War 1994.

We’re Nothing at All movie review: Herman Yau’s grim social critique is too heavy-handed

Anson Kong in a still from We’re Nothing at All (category III, Cantonese), directed by Herman Yau. Patrick Tam and Anson Chan co-star.

Anson Chan (centre) in a still from We’re Nothing at All.

Patrick Tam in a still from We’re Nothing at All.

Ciao UFO movie review: Charlene Choi leads nostalgic trip through recent Hong Kong history

Charlene Choi in a still from Ciao UFO (Category: IIA, Cantonese), directed by Patrick Leung and co-starring Chui Tien-you and Wong You-nam.

A still from Ciao UFO.

Wong You-nam (left) as Heem and Chui Tien-you as Kin in Ciao UFO.

Gamer Girls movie review: Angela Yuen leads ensemble in beguiling Hong Kong esports drama

Angela Yuen as online gamer Summer in a still from Gamer Girls (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Veronica Bassetto and Sophie Yang.

Sabrina Cheung as Raven (left) and Angela Yuen in a still from Gamer Girls.

Jeannie Ng as Miko (left) and Alma Kwok as Lilith in a still from Gamer Girls.

The Hong Kong films released in 2025 ranked from worst to best

A still from Another World, ranked by the Post’s film editor Edmund Lee as the second-best Hong Kong film of 2025.

(From left) Louis Koo Tin-lok, Gao Yuanyuan, director Juno Mak Chun-lung and Tony Leung Ka-fai at the photo call for Sons of the Neon Night at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. Photo: Lewis Joly/Invision/AP

The cast and crew of Another World at the film’s screening at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival in October 2025. The animation went on to become the highest-grossing local film of the year.

Philip Keung (left) and Jessica Hsuan in a still from Ha Ha Ha Happy New Year. Photo: Mega Films Distribution

Irene Wan in a still from Once Upon a Lie.

Samantha Ko Hoi-ning (left) and Kenneth Ma Kwok-ming in a still from Queen of Mahjong. Photo: Shaw Organisation

Michael Tse Tin-wah in a still from Burning Blood. Photo: Far East Films

Greg Hsu (left) and Angela Yuen in a still from Measure in Love. Photo: courtesy of Red on Red

Eddie Cheung (left) and Venus Wong in a still from Reborn. Photo: Local Production

Tse Kwan-ho (left) and Cecilia Yip Tung in a still from True Love, for Once in My Life.

Andy Lau Tak-wah in a still from A Gilded Game.

Jeffrey Ngai in a still from Road to Vendetta. Photo: courtesy of MM2

Nina Paw (left) and Natalie Hsu in a still from My First of May. Photo: courtesy of Entertaining Power

(From left) Jeffrey Ngai Tsun-sang, Simon Yam Tat-wah, Mimi Kung Chi-yan and Stephy Tang Lai-yan in a still from Little Red Sweet. Photo: Intercontinental Film Distributors (HK)

Ma Li in a still from ‎The Dumpling Queen. Photo: Sil-Metropole

Will Or Wai-lam in a still from Good Game. Photo: courtesy of One Cool Pictures

Aaron Kwok Fu-shing in a still from Under Current. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Philip Keung Ho-man (left) and Fish Liew Chi-yu in a still from Remember What I Forgot.

Fala Chen (top) and Nick Cheung Ka-fai in a still from Peg O’ My Heart. Photo: Golden Scene

Anthony Wong Chau-sang in a still from Valley of the Shadow of Death. 

Hedwig Tam Sin-yin in a still from Smashing Frank. Photo: Entertaining Power

Louis Cheung Kai-chung (right) in a still from Golden Boy. Photo: courtesy of Emperor Motion Pictures

Louis Koo in a still from Back to the Past.

Ronald Cheng in a still from Atonement. Photo: courtesy of Universe Entertainment

Hedwig Tam Sin-yin in a still from Montages of a Modern Motherhood.

Philip Keung in a still from The Remnant. Photo: courtesy of Lotus Fivestar

Carlos Chan Ka-lok and Fish Liew Chi-yu in a still from Someone Like Me. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Louis Koo (left) and Chrissie Chau Sau-na in a still from Behind the Shadows.

Louis Cheung Kai-chung (left) and Charlene Choi Cheuk-yin in a still from My Best Bet. Photo: Mega Films Distribution

Gigi Leung Wing-kei (left) and Louis Koo Tin-lok play a married couple in Hit N Fun. Photo: Mega Films Distribution

Patrick Tam (left) and Locker Lam Ka-hei in a still from Fight for Tomorrow. Photo: Intercontinental Film Distributors

Gigi Leung Wing-kei in a still from Pass and Goal. Photo: courtesy of Ovation Entertainment

Louis Koo Tin-lok in a still from Vital Signs. Photo: Edko Films

Zhang Ziyi in a still from She’s Got No Name. Photo: China Film Group

Takeshi Kaneshiro in a still from Sons of the Neon Night. Photo: One Cool Film Production

A still from Another World, a Hong Kong animation film written and produced by Polly Yeung Po-man and directed by Tommy Ng Kai-chung. Photo: courtesy of Edko Films

Marco Ng Tsz-ho (left) and Chung Suet-ying in a still from The Way We Talk. 

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

Terrance Lau leads this unrealistic but fun 1990s-set actioner that’s stuffed with stars including Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat and Louis Koo


Terrance Lau leads this unrealistic but fun 1990s-set actioner that’s stuffed with stars including Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat and Louis Koo.


Chinese language cinema

Asian cinema

Film reviews

Hong Kong cinema

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Cinema

Fame and celebrity

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Hong Kong culture

Hong Kong entertainment

What to do in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Chow Yun-fat

Tony Leung Ka-fai

Louis Koo Tin-lok

Aaron Kwok Fu-shing

Terrance Lau Chun-him

An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Terrance Lau leads this unrealistic but fun 1990s-set actioner that’s stuffed with stars including Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat and Louis Koo

Terrance Lau leads this unrealistic but fun 1990s-set actioner that’s stuffed with stars including Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat and Louis Koo