I Did It My Way – A Tired Retread of Old Tropes

I Did It My Way is the other new Andy Lau film releasing this month alongside The Goldfinger. Set in modern day Hong Kong, the film features a star studded cast, including the likes of legendary actors Andy Lau, Lam Ka-Tung, and Simon Yam. This action thriller tells a sprawling crime tale that updates the tried-and-true cops vs criminals story for the online age. Those with a passing familiarity with Hong Kong cinema are likely to not find many surprises here, with its story of undercover detectives forming brotherly bonds with the bad guys, and melodramatic revenge. Andy Lau stars as George Lam, a criminal lawyer for the largest drug empire in Asia. Unbeknownst to Lam, his second in command and good friend Sau Ho, played by Lam Ka-Tung, was an undercover detective trying to shut down the next narcotics import before it’s too late. From there, the story evolved into a race against time for the police as once the drugs arrive inland, they’ll be put for sale on the dark web and thus become untraceable and unstoppable. The online future of crime has hit the shore of Hong Kong and I Did It My Way examines both sides of the law in this increasingly dangerous fight.

The film attempts to explore the complexities faced by both worlds, on the opposite sides of the law, in the online age but fails to deliver a compelling narrative to drive those ideas home. Themes of revenge, betrayal and loyalty fall flat, as it could never fully immerse audiences into the lives of its characters thus making it difficult to create any emotional investment with this story. Lau inherently provides the film with a hefty dose of gravitas and charisma but his arc ultimately leans too much into melodrama and thinly sketched conflict. Similarly, Ka-Tung, as the undercover detective, in slowly losing his grip and sense of loyalty, also delivers a good performance, but the film’s many tangents and intricate side plots make it a challenge to hone in on the key conflicts driving the characters. For example, the main criminal plot getting increasingly confused with South American cartels getting involved somehow (it’s not made clear), plunging everyone in more danger. When the film steps away from the drama to deliver action, it’s too sparsely placed and peaks too early with the wine cellar fight. A brawl that must have the highest minutes to smashed windows ratio in recent memory.

In the end, considering the talent involved and the enticing potential of updating old crime thriller tropes alongside a radically new online world, I Did It My Way is unfortunately a major letdown. While offering too little in the way of action, it also offers too much in the way of dull, overly complicated plotting and flat characters. That being said, there are still glimmers of a better film here, and in moments it is reminiscent of older, better films starring much of the same actors but they are just fleeting moments. Ultimately, audiences are just better off watching those classics.

still courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

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Alex Josevski

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