Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

jadavix The first "Election" film seems to be Johnnie To's most highly praised movie, which is strange, because I think this less-seen sequel is superior in every way. It has a plot you can actually understand, and a persistent style and tone."Election" had key moments apparently happening off camera so you could only deduce what was going on in the plot with super-human concentration. Not so in the sequel. You get the gist pretty easily, and pretty early on: Lok, the elected chairman from the first movie, is approaching the end of his tenure, but is considering breaking Triad tradition and extending his term. Meanwhile Jimmy is trying to set himself up as a legitimate businessman in China and move away from the Triad. He finds that government officials will only work with him if he takes the chair in his Triad.So the stage is set for crosses, double-crosses and dealings with Triad "uncles" and cold-blooded subordinates."Triad Election", also known as "Election 2", is never less than engrossing and captivating. It's one of the best Triad films I've seen.

Joe This film doesn't take half measures that's for sure. It's time to elect a new chairman again amongst the triad world, and the baton by tradition has to pass on. Our lead from the original is reluctant to hand it over, and is playing off people to secure a second term. On the other hand is the initially reluctant Jimmy who claims to want to distance himself from his gangster linked past but to secure business access into the mainland, he becomes brutal and merciless to become the newly elected leader for his own "business" purposes.I enjoyed this more than the first. It's quite a difficult film to follow at times with some references to the original plus a large multitude of characters. There are various threads through the movie and if you give it time you will find it engrossing. Tense at times with violence always not far off, it doesn't let up. There are too many nods to "Infernal Affairs" with many of the same actors and some parts which seem to pay homage to it. In fairness, can't always be 100% original, and this film is not a rip at all.Acting is fine but camera work doesn't have anything special. There was scope to have some incredible filming here with some of the locations and actors, but it doesn't seem to have been a priority, which is a shame.A good film with some intriguing plot lines, and if you're into gangster films then you'll find this a good addition to the HK genre.

johno-21 I recently saw this at the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival and I had never seen the first film of this series but this still stands on it's own without the benefit of seeing the first film Election. This being distributed as Triad Election although in the opening credits is called Election 2. This is the story of a large Hong Kong crime syndicate that has it's hand in several business dealings from bootleg compact discs to government contracts in Hong Kong and on mainland China. Ten of the actors reprise their roles here from the first film. Lok is the head of the crime family of which was elected to serve a two year term and now his term is up. He wants to hang on to his power and not go into semi-retirement as an elder or uncle within the Triad. Jimmy is the odd-on favorite to win the election this time around but he is a reluctant candidate. He only wants to be a underworld businessman which he never will be unless he accepts the position as the elected one term leader of the crime family. Veterna director Johnny To is back as the director as well as the screenplay team of Nal Hei Yau and Tin-Shing yip, cinematographer Siu-keung Chang and production director Tony Yu. This is a violent film and many comparisons have been made with the Godfather and other American gangster films. Not knowing anything about this or it's predecessor film I didn't really know what to expect here but this is a well-polished film with a good story and plenty of interesting characters. I would give this an 8.0 out of 10.

Harry T. Yung Those who have not seen "Election" need not have any concern. The scene is very clearly set right at the beginning. When perennial election for the underworld super boss is around the corner again, each of the 5 "God sons" who helped Lok win the last one is at a across-road – to go for the top spot, to support another or to support him in a tradition-breaking bid for a second term. For those who have seen "Election", the connecting scene cannot be more conspicuous – the same riverside fishing setting and the same suggestion of "joint leadership". But there's a big different. Last time, the idea brought instant, abrupt death to the initiator. This time around, the initiator is well prepared, and looks almost as though he is going to do some killing himself, had not been for some passers-by right at the critical juncture. We never find out, but can only guess. And then, one can draw ready parallels with "The Godfather" trilogy, to a degree. Michael Corleone did not want to be a gangster, but was forced into it by circumstances. Jimmy Li did not want to be a gangster but joining the Triad was the only way he could survive as a paper boy. But here comes the big difference. Micheal Corleone wants to turn legitimate and has the power and means to do so because he is now at the very top. With Jimmy Li, it's a different story. Jimmy Li wants out and has proved his ability to be a successful businessman. Unfortunately, as he finds out, the duo goes hand and hand. If he wants to expand his business in the Mainland, where all the opportunities are, he has to control the underworld, not the way he wants, but as proxy for the people "up north", in other words, play the puppet - a blatant political message that no one before director Johnny To had the guts to deliver. Simple, chilling, brutal reality – that's what this movie is about. The story is told with an almost claustrophobic (both figuratively and literally, as you'll find out) feeling and what many consider to be excessive, gruesome violence. General consensus however is that it is capably directed, effectively shot and ably acted.