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One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I was previously unfamiliar with the work of Chinese director Johnnie To, but it seems he's a man at home in the gangster genre, churning out quirky production after quirky production during a lengthy career. From what I understand, EXILED is a typical example of the director's style. It's a film with a so-so story happy to repeat the gangster clichés without adding anything new by way of plot or interest, one that benefits from the director's assured hand, which adds style to the infrequent action sequences. These are of the 'violent shootout' perfected by John Woo and, even if they do pay homage to gangster flicks of old, they're still fun, with only the minimum of unbelievable moments (what WAS it with that spinning flying door, anyway?).EXILED is a subtle, slow paced drama for the most part, with interchangeable characters questioning their roles in life. In this respect, I found it similar to a Beat Takeshi film like SONATINE. Most of the actors are good, but they don't get a chance to register, with the exception of the two centrally opposed gangster: we have Anthony Wong as a sunglasses-wearing hit-man and Simon Yam as his vindictive mob boss. Wong, who previously I've known for playing bad guys in the likes of HARD-BOILED, shines as he gets the chance to play a good guy for once, while Yam has fun hamming it up in an outrageous villainous turn.For the most part, this is watchable rather than entertaining; I spend some parts waiting for something to happen, and other segments finding myself pretty impressed (the late-on raid on a gold shipment is a very well handled moment as is the TRUE ROMANCE-inspired climax). It's not a film I'd watch again, and it doesn't inspire me to seek out more of the director's work, but it isn't bad for what it is.

and ... it was very very good overall nice tensions building up everywhich way, nice performances, gunfights that were more or less cyphers - it was completely unclear what was happening in em until the dust settled and you saw finally who'd survived the big brouhahas and who hadn't done.I liked it very much for its timing and phrasing however illogical a lot of it was it was very effective and the audience was beautifully manipulated through the various stages in the progress of the narrative.I have to say the big bad guy was awfully forgiving for someone who had his testicalia blown off, of course it wasn't really so, he was a backstabbing type and even if all hell had not broken loose he would certainly have wreaked havoc over his new boy soprano spot in the choir!

I'm one of those people who will never get Johnny To movies. He specializes in "re-imagining" the modern HK gangster and urban crime drama by sloppily superimposing it with classic western mythos. The problem is Exile suffers just as the rest of his movies often do from over exuberance and a significant director's attention deficit disorder when it comes to keeping the audience enthralled like Leone or Peckinpah did rather than snickering from the implausible scenarios presented on screen. The character interaction in Exile is often cheesy, melodramatic, and while there is loads of charisma from the 5 HK co-stars there is not a single line worthy repeating in this review.Exile obviously doesn't exist in any kind of real world but a parallel universe in which doors can fly off hinges and twirl around in mid air from the impact of gun shots. You also get plenty of mugging for the camera and slo-mo pose offs with constipated grimaces by the actors. There is also some obvious product placement (Red Bull) which gives the entire movie a ridiculous campy atmosphere. The entire experience borders on self parody and if it weren't for some interesting action scenes and good music his movies would be about the equivalent of made for cable trash that you would find on U.S. cable channels. With that being said, even at To's worst his movies are made on a relatively tiny budget and look like they cost much more. So on a dollar per quality ratio I suppose he's pretty profitable and I can understand why HK studios shower him with projects.

Johnnie To has 50 films under his belt and is becoming a peer of John Woo with his stylized flicks that contain smoking action and great choreography with magnificent sound.On has to wonder how these people ever got jobs as hit men. They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. It's just as well, because with all the shooting, it would be over far too quickly.It is amazing how they manage to have a gun fight and then sit down to dinner like nothing happened, and then say that they have to kill Wo (Nick Cheung), but agree to do it at his convenience. Well, they are childhood friends, but orders have to be obeyed, they just don't have to be obeyed right at the moment.What a finale!