The first film Chasing the Dragon (2017) was about the mafia's big boss Crippled Ho (Donnie Yen) versus UK colonial government. Conflicts among criminals, corrupt officers and colonialist establishment are only chaotic reflection of that era (1963). The story line is a mould among typical mafia action movies in Hong Kong that ''police sends a spy to mafia group for arresting them at the end.'' They love intelligence spy action / mafia drama that mainly depicted through upper class society members. Such as leading mafia groups, police and millionaires.
Its core spirit is twisted patriotism/ localism against UK colonialism however it's expressed by typical mafia crimes. Thus, it cannot exceed the framework of establishment. Crippled Ho 's patriotism is more focused in Hong Kong indigenous Chinese residents who bullied by White colonialists.
This sequel is also equivalent of the same stance but during the pre 1997 era when Hong Kong would return to China within a year. Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch (2019) is about serial billionaire kidnapper Logan (Tony Leung Ka-fai) versus the protagonist/ police spy Sky (Louis Koo) on Logan's abduction cases in which Logan abducts Hong Kong and Macau billionaires for ransoms.
Its creative success is mainly dependent on Tony Leung Ka-fai and Louis Koo's decent and charismatic acting as real Hong Kong stars. On the contrary, young actors of contemporary Hong Kong are less charismatic. Sooner or later, there won't be charismas in film actors. This ageing problem in star system is fatal. It'll be a seriously industrial crisis in the near future. STAR SYSTEM without STARS has been gradually noticed by its audiences.
Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch (2019) is mainly dedicated to Logan (Tony Leung Ka-fai) when we see the last sequence at the border between Macau and Mainland China. The most impressive stand-off scene is Logan confronts Kanton police on the highway. Hong Kong mafia boss confronts Mainland Chinese establishment.
What Dir. Jason Kwan and Jing Wong intended to depict for Hong Kong audiences via this film must be this scenery. Furthermore, it includes the Logan's execution scene at the final moment of the entire film.
The localist view point, politically local minded stance are embodied by Logan in this twisted way. It's not obviously Hong Kong opposition stance but it's very close to its pro-independence attitude towards Mainland China. However it still cannot be defined as exactly the same ideology. It is more about pride of being Hong Kong indigenous people.
Sentimentalism of Hong Kong indigenous people in their colonial and post-colonial history is the creative goal of the two Chasing the Dragon films. There is no scene impresses audiences emotionally in this hard boiled nihilist film but they can actually feel or sense creator/ Logan's respect for Hong Kong, strong local minded stance of the antagonist. It is what this film about.
Pride and localised political stance of Hong Kong indigenous people are highly respected in the twisted way. This is obviously a Hong Kong film. The regional tendency is strong.
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