The Mission

(Cheung foh, Johnnie To, Hong Kong 1999, 84 min., 35mm, Cantonese w/subtitles)

“I know people call you Ice, but do you have to be so coldhearted?”

Symmetry of Violence: Seven Films by Johnnie To. After narrowly escaping assassination, triad boss Lung (Eddy Ko) hires five of Hong Kong’s most consummate henchman to protect him and track down his would-be killers. While the mission of these “brothers” is clear, the task of the film itself proves to be of an altogether more ambiguous nature. For those familiar with To’s work, it would come as little surprise that Time Out New York dubbed The Mission one of the 100 best action films of all time. But while excitement is its generic promise, much of To’s film takes place in the time between what we usually think of as “action”: preparations are made, alliances are formed, and discourse (often wordless) is conducted. Much of the rest consists in waiting. But to emphasize the cerebral tendencies The Mission is not to deny its capacity to thrill. Indeed, the suspense and freneticism of the film are made all the more palpable by To’s willingness to dwell in the everyday workings of these characters’ lives. As viewers, our only mission is to be captivated by what unfolds.

Print courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive.