The first movie was actually quite good, but it is surpassed by this sequel in many ways. Where as the first movie was focused mostly on the action, part two is driven by a deeper and more thought through storyline, and that really made the movie stand out much more than the first one.

"Young and Dangerous 2" continues the story of the Hung Hing gang of the Hong Kong triad and their affairs in both Hong Kong and Macau. But this time the story extends to Taipei, Taiwan as well, as Chicken (played by Jordan Chan) becomes hired by the San Luen gang. Meanwhile Chan Ho Nam (played by Ekin Cheng) and Tai Fai (played by Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) are both competing to become the leader of the Causeway Bay chapter of the Hung Hing group. But some people are playing more than one side, and it ends up as a complex web of lies, deceit and double-play.

Again, as in the first one, "Young and Dangerous 2" has an incredible cast, with a great number of familiar faces from part one. Ekin Cheng and Jordan Chan do it quite well, as they also did it in part one, but the most outstanding performance in part two is without a doubt by Anthony Wong Chau-Sang. And people familiar with the femme fatale movies of Hong Kong cinema will be pleased to see Chingmy Yau in the role of Ting Siu-Yiu.

I really enjoyed part two way more than part one, despite it having less action than the first movie. The action scenes and sequences in part two was also better executed and the camera action during the action scenes was far superior than in the first movie.

And the tone down of action gave way for a really good character build, where you got to know more of the characters and got more submerged into whom they are and why they behaved the way they did.

All in all, a sequel that is well worth watching for fans of the first movie and fans of Hong Kong cinema in general. And my eagerness to watch part three has been increased steeply after seeing "Young and Dangerous 2".

YOUNG AND DANGEROUS 2 (Gu Huo Zai 2: Zhi Meng Long Guo Jiang)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Mono

Rushed into theaters mere months after its predecessor unexpectedly hit box-office gold, this superior sequel uses much the same cast and crew (including writer Manfred Wong and director-cinematographer Andrew Lau),to much better effect. Whilst hiding out in Taiwan following events in the previous film, Hung Hing triad member Jordan Chan worms his way into the rival San Luen group and endears himself to boss Kelly Lai, who is currently running for high office in the country's parliament. However, Chan is forced to act as mediator between the San Luen and Hung Hing triads during fraught negotiations over some lucrative casino properties, while his old friend (Ekin Cheng) is distracted by a turf war with villainous rival Anthony Wong (THE UNTOLD STORY). Chan falls under the spell of Lai's beautiful mistress (Chingmy Yau),leading to a terrible betrayal which places Chan and Cheng in mortal danger...

Working with a much tighter script this time around, director Lau avoids many of the time-wasting fripperies and stylistic flourishes which almost sank the previous entry, and the tone is much more dramatic, as the characters are forced to deal with the fallout from an unexpected murder, and old loyalties are tested to breaking point. Chan dominates the film as a happy-go-lucky guy, loyal to his friends and masters but careless of triad etiquette, while sex-bomb Yau (NAKED KILLER) plays her signature role of the duplicitous beauty whose outward appearance masks depths of violence and depravity. Wong is obnoxious and colorful in the kind of role he was born to play, and he's involved in a climactic twist that will take most viewers quite by surprise. Like its predecessor, the film looks rushed and sloppy in places, but it's well-played by an engaging cast, and the pace is relentless. Spencer Lam, Jason Chu, Simon Yam and Moses Chan appear in minor supporting roles. Hugely successful, the movie was followed by YOUNG AND DANGEROUS 3 (1996),which opened to similar box office returns later the same year.

(Cantonese and Mandarin dialogue)

This sequel opens with Chan Ho Nam asking his friend Chicken about his time in Taiwan. We then get a flashback showing how he was introduced to a local triad boss, and aspiring politician. We also see how he gets involved with Ting Siu-Yiu, his new boss's beautiful mistress. Certain actions lead to his rapid promotion. The action then returns to the present and we learn that Nam is competing with a man named Tai Fai to become the leader of a local Triad branch. It also becomes apparent that Chicken is in Hong Kong to facilitate a meeting between Hong Kong and Taiwanese Triads to discuss a deal involving a Macau casino... what follows leads to conflict between the various groups and a series of betrayals.

I enjoyed the first film in this series and if anything I think I enjoyed this one even more. Of course it helps that most key protagonists have been introduced already and a few flashback scenes quickly remind us what happened before. The first half of the film, detailing Chicken's time in Taiwan does a fine job introducing new key characters, most notably Ting Siu-Yiu, and provides some action. Once back in Hong Kong the tension and level of action increases as the rivalry between various groups provides many excuses for conflict. It also provides plenty of twists as betrayals occur. While the level of violence isn't that high the action is pretty good... the only laughably cheesy moment being when our protagonists jump from a fairly tall building, land on car rooves and walk away unharmed! The cast is solid; Ekin Cheng and Jordon Chan continue to impress as Nam and Chicken and Chingmy Yau is great as Ting Siu-Yiu. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody who enjoyed the first film.