Sadly abysmal local offering
The poster for Future X-Cops, director Wong Jing's newest sci-fi flick, lets potential viewers know that the film will not be an Avatar-esque CGI carnival, and worse still, it suggests there isn't even a fun story to tell.
Policeman Andy (Andy Lau Tak-wah) travels back in time to take on a company that is trying to eliminate a doctor. The man has created new technology which could end the company's monopoly on energy resources.
The first impression is how refreshing it is to see men in power suits speaking Cantonese - society is so accustomed to the power being brokered in English.
But it doesn't take long to be sidetracked by the film's awful special effects. The upside of their awfulness is that it shows how far Hollywood effects have come in recent years.
The storyline fails to engage even remotely. It is obvious from the onset how the story will pan out, and with ideas borrowed from a bunch of Hollywood films like Terminator, it is hardly original.
What's more, the story is very similar to Future Cops, a 1993 film also directed by Wong. All these similarities beg the question: has his creativity run dry.
Future X-Cops is a disappointment. But if you find yourself dragged into the cinema to see this local attempt at low-budget sci-fi, try to at least ignore the special effects to make the experience less excruciating.
