This well-crafted police thriller is perhaps the best Hong Kong movie released this year. Eye in the Sky is the directorial debut of Yau Nai-hoi, one of Johnnie To Kei-fung's favourite apprentice screenwriters.
The film is produced by To's movie company Milkyway Image. It focuses on two officers from a police surveillance team and a ruthless mastermind behind a series of armed robberies.
Simon Yam Tat-wah plays Wong, an experienced police officer who is assigned to keep a gang of robbers - headed by a seasoned criminal named Chan (Tony Leung Ka-fai) - under surveillance. Former Miss Hong Kong Kate Tsui Tsz-shan plays Bo, an enthusiastic newcomer who works under Wong.
With the police closing in and Chan's men about to make their move, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues.
Shot mostly in Central, Yau makes use of the city's unique landscape, such as the sloping alleys around Hollywood Road filled with quaint old shops and hip boutiques. This creates a maze-like setting for this remarkable police story filled with interesting details about police surveillance work.
The scenes of Bo and Wong tailing Chan are suspenseful and tense thanks to Yau's tight and precise storytelling. The action scenes are short but shocking, while the non-action scenes subtly reveal new layers of each character.