video cover  poster

End of the Road

1993

Director: Chu Yen Ping

Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Ray Lui, Rosawund Kwan, Ng Man-Tat

Chu Yen Ping is a director best known for his schizophrenic works like the Jackie Chan debacle Fantasy Mission Force, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that End of the Road is actually a serious war drama. There are no buxom women in skin-tight outfits, no strange tournaments to the death, and no scenes of Jackie Chan chasing around chickens for ten minutes. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean that the film is really all that good.

Taking place during the Chinese occupation of Burma, End of the Road is the usual "war is bad" thing, with the main stories revolving around relationships in the camp and how they fall apart (or come together) as the Chinese realize the fight is a losing battle. This is by-the-numbers stuff all the way, with all the usual stereotypes in place, like Tony Leung's roguish but lovelorn officer or Ng Man-Tat as the wily old veteran. The actors seem to be trying, but Chu's direction is so lackluster that even Sir Lawrence Oliver on crack couldn't find any motivation, and it's about the same feeling for the viewer.

There is just really no reason to waste ninety minutes of your life watching End of the Road. Chu tries to enliven things a bit with some ultraviolence near the end of the movie, but it's too little, too late. Even if you had people ripping out intenstines ala Story of Ricky, it wouldn't be worth sitting through the crappy exposition scenes to get to the good bits.

RATING: 3

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