As ambition has it, Lok (Simon Yam) is not about to give up his position as Chairman of the Wo Sing triad after a two-year term. Meanwhile, the cigar-smoking Uncles, whose approvals are pivotal, bolster their support behind the entrepreneurial Jimmy (Louis Koo). Initially a reluctant candidate, Jimmy changes his mind when his business prospects in China are threatened. Wo Sing, the oldest and most respected triad in Hong Kong, is seen by the Chinese authorities as the arbiter between the government and the triads. Power-hungry Lok and his competitor soon become embroiled in a head-to-head battle for the position of the Chairman amidst artful manipulation and heartless double-crosses.

There are no adrenaline-pumping chopper scenes and wild street-chases typical of Hong Kong gangster movies. The Young and Dangerous series, one of Hong Kong’s much-loved triad films, seems brash by comparison. Johnnie To abandons B-grade irrationality and madness for calculated bludgeoning, making these acts even more unnerving, cold-blooded and vile.

Nick Cheung is excellently cast as the nae’ve Jet and his understated performance, both pathetic and painful, contributes unmistakably to the mood of the film. Simon Yam’s amicability adds depth to the sly crocodile which hides behind the ready smile, quick to snap at his enemies’ bones when they threaten his territory.

It is the juxtaposition of timidity and bravery, fear and ambition that organises To’s film. To asks hard questions here: if survival were the sole purpose of human existence, to what extent would one go, and at what cost is harmonious living achieved in the post-1997 new world order? One of Communism’s foundations remains prevalent: the individual must not impede on the well-being of society. To asks us to consider the inner workings of a nation and what is at stake when territoriality becomes uncertain.