Election (2005)

I expected this Hong Kong film to match other gangster films set there in action and excitement but it turned out to match a regular election in many ways - bribery, lying and the occasional honourable act.   A struggle for the chairmanship of a Society between Simon Yam and Tony Leung gives the latter the showier role to the extent that Yam's character is more defined by others' remarks than by his own actions.   An attempt to obtain the Baton of Leadership provides the only real action scenes in the film with much of it taken up with rather boring bargaining between different factions in the Society.   Once Yam has the undisputed leadership with Leung as a faithful lieutenant (in some ways the Blair/Brown situation), the mood darkens for what is a rather unexpected finale.   However, the few highlights did not offset the rest of a disappointing film which is only for fans of the two leads.                    

Michaelg