Though it eventually falters to a lack of focus and an ending that feels too depressing -- even by Hong Kong movie standards -- Six Strong Guys is still an interesting look at the changing rules of what it means to be a man in the new millennium in post-handover Hong Kong. Intriguingly, and perhaps tellingly, this sometimes maudlin and skewed take on the male gender's role is seen through the eyes of a female screenwriter and director.

For most people, Hong Kong cinema's output -- the vast majority of which is written and directed by men, with only a slight handful of female film-makers over the years being able to call themselves successful -- is very much a display of macho power. Whether it was Bruce Lee's fists of fury or Chow Yun-Fat's dual pistols, the pop films of Hong Kong have long been associated with power and dominance. Even most movies that are oriented towards a female audience, such as romantic comedies, are stil dominated by men in the way a good dose of the humor is of the gruff toilet variety.

So a film like Six Strong Guys to come out in the first place is something of a notable accomplishment in and of itself. It's probably even moreso because director Barbara Wong and screenwriter Theresa Tang never go so far as to totally bash males. True, some of the actions and characterizations are a little too obvious and on the nose -- but this is a Hong Kong film after all. This is part of a cinematic tradition that has never really been known for subtlety.

While long-time fans of the region's cinema can deal with, and indeed enjoy, the particular manic energy many releases throw out, Wong and Tang can't quite rein everything in to bring the film to a more successful finish. The abrupt resolution, which involves the killing of one of the central characters, comes off as cheap and rushed, creating more questions than it answers. The young film-makers should have had more confidence in their characters and let their tales come to a more natural end, instead of throwing in a gimmcky twist, which only serves to undermine the storytelling process.

RATING: 6