International Security Affairs agent Jon is on a dangerous mission to escort a criminal scientist to another country. En route, a member of his team turns out to be a traitor and shoots Jon in the head while kidnapping the scientist. When Jon wakes up in the hospital, a doctor tells him that within weeks, the bullet in his brain will cause complete paralysis. Jon returns to Beijing to see his mother, who confesses that Jon has a brother in Malaysia who was raised by his father, a gambler. Jon takes a flight to Malaysia to find his brother, Yeung. On the plane he forms a bond with Dr. Kan, who promises to look into possible treatments for his condition. However, when they arrive, Yeung tries to kidnap the doctor and when Jon intervenes, he's also taken hostage. The two soon realize they're brothers, and decide to work together in order to keep the criminals behind the kidnappings from reinfecting the world of a disease long thought cured.
Reviews
Man, it's a common problem with some of these large HK productions - that it wants to have everything.The story behind the movie is basically a terrorist plot to infect. But then it adds long lost brother relationship. And adds a corrupted Malaysian cop plot. Add a female doctor to kidnap. Man, overboiled.There are some good action scene but mostly in the beginning shots in Jordan.The scene on the train shifted from action to famly drama. Dante likes to do that. But it always takes me out of the movie.And Jay is too stoic when go along side Nicholas. Sigh...
I give a high rating on this movie simply because the story line, the cast and overall of the action scenes are great. Unlike Hollywood movies this movie shows humane side of depicting real life stories between brothers, parents-kid, bad guy-good guy. Nicholas and Jay are perfect to acting on this movie they both bring out their best for their characters, none the less the supporting actors like Carl Ng and the one who's acting as their father, the villains are really evil.The plot actually is predictable but what makes me to like this movie is the director brings out his best to show real action scenes with all the explosions and the no-slow-motion (thank goodness) fighting scenes which I find is really good point. Nowadays they tend to shoot fighting scenes with slow motion makes the fighting look not real.The ending is somehow cannot be guessed not about the virus plan but more about the family and the brothers overall it's not such a happy ending but they all get what they wanted. People live in slump tend to be in a bad world because of the situation and still they love their children whole heartily is might be the morale message of this movie.
The plot is all over the place and you shouldn't worry about it, because it will pull the fun out of your viewing pleasure (if you can call it that). It doesn't make much sense most of the time too, so just try to get on that ride and enjoy it while it lasts. While I do like Asian action cinema in all its variety (be it from Hong Kong, South Korea or Japan), this one does not have the strength other movies do. It is too simple (though it tries to be complicated) and light for its own good most of the time.The actors are actually good, but I can't shake the feeling that they weren't comfortable with the script either. But the action scenes do not disappoint, which is why I gave it that rating. Still with a bit of emotional power behind it, it could have been even better.
High-octane action takes center stage in Dante Lam's THE VIRAL FACTOR, which also marks his most expensive movie yet (at a whopping HK$200 million budget). Even though the plot takes a backseat this time (a forte that Dante Lam excels greatly 2010's award-winning THE STOOL PIGEON), THE VIRAL FACTOR is a solidly entertaining blockbuster that promises a lot of firepower equivalent with the one often found in Hollywood action trappings.Dante Lam, Candy Leung and Jack Ng's screenplay is a standard-issue plot spliced together with a heavily-melodramatic subplot. Those who are expecting the same psychological depth found in 2008's THE BEAST STALKER, 2010's FIRE OF CONSCIENCE and again, THE STOOL PIGEON, will be disappointed by lackluster storytelling approach here.However, the movie still works best when comes to a few emotionally-charging scenes while the actors rise above the occasion with some top-notch performances.But what really makes the movie compulsively watchable is its well-crafted action sequences. Designed by Dante Lam himself and perfectly choreographed by Chin Kar-Lok, the action is fast and furious.Full review at http://caseymoviemania.blogspot.com/2012/01/viral-factor-2012.html