Rent Beast Stalker (2008)

Unmissable action thriller - Beast Stalker review by Alphaville

This never-dating 2008 action thriller pits a charismatic cop against the sympathetic kidnapper of a 5yo girl. The cop is tormented by a car chase that ended badly while the partially-sighted kidnapper is doing the job for money for his paraplegic wife (equally sympathetic). Your loyalties may sometimes even switch to the baddie, despite the fact he’s going to kill the little girl.

Director Dante Lam films with a restless camera and boundless energy. A bit too much shaky-cam to begin with, but it soon settles down into engrossing visuals. The plot is brilliantly put together and only reveals its full complexity in an ending you’ll never guess. The action sequences, on foot or in cars, are exciting. The dramatic scenes in-between are not the usual fillers but emotional rollercoasters that drive the plot forward. All-in-all, one of the best Hong Kong actioners of all time.