No Way Back (1990) User Reviews (4)

Hits all the right notes

[CobraMist · 7/10 · 11 May 2021]

Note: this review is for the English dubbed version of the movie.

NO WAY BACK (1990) follows a hero cop as he goes deep undercover to avenge his slain colleague. It's well paced with a plot that feels like an inspiration for INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002). The film features many hallmarks of the heroic blood shed genre: hyper violent deaths, handguns galore, high body count, focus on brotherhood, cynical world view, and a downbeat ending. It also has several scenes that are highly memorable, specifically a bloody shootout at a shopping mall and an assault on a police station that was likely inspired by TERMINATOR (1984). While its not quite at the same level as genre classics such as HARD BOILED (1992), NO WAY BACK is a pretty fun heroic bloodshed movie.

Slick crime thriller with corrupt cops and gangsters

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 1 March 2023]

NO WAY BACK is an engaging little crime thriller drawing in street gangs and police corruption in a fast-paced tale of murder and double crossing. The hero of the hour is Max Mok, whose floppy mane of hair has been shorn to give him an older and leaner look here. The story of an undercover cop being sent to join gangsters is similar to that of INFERNAL AFFAIRS which came much later, but it carries some of the same suspense. There's plenty of action in the cast with the likes of Dick Wei proving reliably entertaining although professionals like Philip Chan and Danny Lee are limited to cameo roles. There's some good material about brotherly bonds towards the end.

El Mariachi with Chinese people

[JW-30 · 7 August 1999]

You will immediately notice: this story is "El Mariachi". Every detail is there, even many dialogue lines. The strange thing is, this film is listed as produced in 1990. El Mariachi is listed as produced in 1992.

Now everybody should know that Reservoir Dogs was a shameless copy of City on Fire, see "Who Do You Think You're Fooling? (1994)". But this one being the original and El Mariachi the copy? I don't think so. I rather guess this is the remake and should be dated to about 1994.

It certainly hasn't got the style and verve of El Mariachi, but still is fun to watch. If you like Hongkong-Style action playing in Mexico with a definitely chinese touch to it, this one is OK. 6/10

No Way Back (1990)

[horseboxingkiller · 24 January 2022]

Best friends Kong (Max Mok) and Lo Tai Keung (Dick Wei) are both police officers, with Keung working undercover for his crooked superior David Ko (Lung Fong), who is actually in cahoots with the same triad gang he's got Keung working for.

Ko's initial plan was to use the intel Keung was gathering to wipe out a rival triad gang led by Cheung Yi (Lam Wai) but, sensing Keung was getting too close to blowing the lid on a large drug deal he was setting up with local gangster, Hung (perennial scumbag, Shum Wai), Ko has Keung killed.

Looking for justice and compensation for Keung's family, as well as the truth behind who murdered his friend, Kong confronts Keung's superiors, including Ko. Seizing an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, Ko convinces Kong to infiltrate Cheung Yi's gang. As a form of insurance, he also erases Kong's police record and public files, effectively rendering him completely anonymous. Kong takes to triad life like a duck to water and swiftly moves up the ranks to eventually win Cheung Yi's trust and respect. But, the higher Kong climbs, the deeper he gets until there is 'No Way Back'...

If there is anything going against No Way Back, it's that we've seen this typical 'undercover cop that gets in too deep' story before (notably in Ringo Lam's City on Fire, 1987).

Still, it's a very solid and well-made heroic bloodshed film with a particularly action-packed final 20 minutes. Highlights are Dick Wei's fight with Hung's henchmen near the start of the film, and the two back-to-back action sequences in a packed airport and dimly lit police station. The fights are mainly weapons-based (machetes, metal pipes, hatchets) with one fairly vicious knifing. Shoot-outs are bloody, with a couple of nice head-shots.

Lam Wai, who rarely disappoints, is on good form here as the powerful, but calm and compassionate gang leader. His brother and partner in crime, Lung Ming-Yan, also creates a good impression. Personally, I would have liked to have seen some more scenes of camaraderie between Max Mok and Lam Wai's characters, as well as Mok's ascension to the upper echelons of the Cheung gang. This happens a little too quickly for my liking (by way of montage) and would have given the finale an extra gut-punch but, as it stands, it's still a strong effort that I would easily recommend to bloodshed fans.

3.5 out of 5

Review source: Star Entertainment, Laserdisc (Hong Kong) (Cantonese language)

(Note: USA Tai Seng and Taiwan Sunny VHS releases are English friendly)