Undercover Punch and Gun is such a mixed bag it will question your sanity. For the most part it's an old school HK action flick with plenty of gunplay and hand to hand combat. However for whatever reason it's also trying to combine comedy and drama. It's here where the film fails.
Normally I applaud any ambition of an action flick to be more than just an action flick. But for that to work you will have to at least tell a good story. It doesn't have to be complicated but it needs to be something you can relate to and that emotes with you as a viewer. Usually dramatic events make action scenes more compelling. In this regard the film completely screws up. There barely is a story. And the few serious moments that are present get ruined by the comedic tone. Why should I get invested into a film that can't even be bothered to take itself too seriously. Normally I don't mind silliness. But there has to be a balance.
I have read that Philip Ng, Vanness Wu and Andy On are friends and I guess that is the one element that makes this fim special. That and the action direction of Philip Ng. It's the action that makes all of the nonsense tolerable. I wished there was more gunplay but it's obvious that the film didn't have a big budget to display all that kinetic and higly stylized action and stuntwork. Still in the blooper reel during the credits you are shown footage of the three main characters doing the stunts themselves. And I have to say that is pretty impressive.
Overall I can't recommend this film. Sure if you happen to catch it late at night then you will be able to enjoy it. But if you have high expectations then you will be heavily disappointed. I hope Philip Ng will be involved in bigger and better projects to display his talent as an action star and choregrapher because he deserves it.
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