		Year: 1997 Director: Teddy Chan Starring: Takashi Kaneshiro, Jordan Chan, Charlie Yeung Genre: Action Literal title translation: 'Godly Thief Spy Shadow'

This film follows the recent tradition of setting Hong Kong actioners in a European location - in this case Germany. Unfortunately the director doesn't make any good use of the locale, and apart from the open spaces this may as well of been filmed in Hong Kong. The actors are also used badly, the usually excellent Takashi Kaneshiro looks ill throughout the whole film and the one action scene that he does have is extremely bland. Jordan Chan is also a very popular and versatile actor but here his character seems to be just gong through the motions. The plot itself takes it's influence from 'Mission: Impossible' and is extremely predictable with the main characters solving clues that are extremely obscure and then absailing down some buildings. Particular emphasis is put on a twist that is as predictable and uninspired as the rest of the film. Nothing really stands out of any worth and the cinematography is also extremely bland. The director has tried for a monotonal look to emphasise the high rise buildings and the technology but instead it just makes everything look extremely dull.

Aside from the occasional cool gadget and the pretty Charlie Yeung there is nothing to recommend 'Downtown Torpedoes' that you won't see in a hundred other Hong Kong actioners. Takashi Kaneshiro should really pick his scripts more carefully if he wants to break into the American movie market.