SPL II: A Time for Consequences

SPL II: A Time for Consequences

SPL II: A Time for Consequences film poster
Traditional 殺破狼2
Simplified 杀破狼2
Mandarin Shā Pò Láng Èr
Cantonese Saat3 Po3 Long4 Ji6
Directed by Cheang Pou-soi
Produced by Wilson Yip
Paco Wong
Screenplay by Wong Ying
Jill Leung
Starring Tony Jaa
Wu Jing
Simon Yam
Zhang Jin
Louis Koo
Production
company
Sun Entertainment Culture Ltd
Sil-Metropole Organisation
Bona Film Group
Maximum Gain Kapital Group
Tin Tin Film Production
Distributed by Bravos Pictures
Release date
  • 18 June 2015 (2015-06-18)
Running time
 120 minutes
Country Hong Kong
China
Language Cantonese
Mandarin
Thai
[1]
Budget US$23 million
Box office US$90.27 million[2]

SPL II: A Time for Consequences (also known as Kill Zone 2) is a 2015 Hong Kong-Chinese martial arts action film directed by Cheang Pou-soi, and produced by Wilson Yip and Paco Wong. The film starred Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Simon Yam and Zhang Jin, with Louis Koo making a guest appearance. The film was released on 18 June 2015[3] in both 3D and non-3D formats.[4]

According to Twitchfilm, SPL II is a sequel "in-name-only" to the 2005 film SPL: Sha Po Lang, which was directed by Wilson Yip and starred Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. SPL II featured a completely new storyline,[5] with Wu Jing and Simon Yam from the first film returning as new characters, and introducing new cast members Tony Jaa and Zhang Jin; Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung did not participate in the second film.

Plot

Kit is a Hong Kong undercover cop who becomes a drug addict to infiltrate a crime syndicate which has been kidnapping people and sending them to Thailand, where the victims are killed and have their organs sold in the black market. The mastermind behind the syndicate, Mr Hung, has a rare heart condition and needs to undergo a heart transplant to prolong his life. Hung's younger brother is the ideal donor for a heart.

When Hung sends his men to kidnap his brother, the situation goes haywire and a gunfight breaks out because the police have been tipped off by Kit about the kidnappers' plan. Hung's brother is injured during the shootout but is rescued by the police. Kit, on the other hand, escapes with the kidnappers but his cover is blown. Hung's men knock him unconscious and send him to a prison in Thailand. The chief warden, Ko Chun, works for Hung and has been keeping the kidnapped victims alive in the prison before they are killed for their organs. Kit is made to serve a life sentence in the prison.

While in prison, Kit attempts to escape twice and fights with the prison guard Chatchai but ends up being subdued every time. Chatchai's daughter has leukaemia and needs to undergo a bone marrow transplant to survive. Chatchai witnesses Ko Chun's illegal activities and brutality but forces himself to remain quiet because he does not want to lose his job. Ironically, the donor who agreed to donate bone marrow to Chatchai's daughter is actually Kit.

Back in Hong Kong, Hung reveals himself to Kit's uncle and supervisor, Wah, who is keeping a close watch on Hung's brother in hospital. Hung threatens Wah to hand over his brother to him in exchange for Kit. Although Wah initially agrees, he changes his mind later and hides Hung's brother in his friend's house. He then leaves his subordinates behind to guard Hung's brother while he tracks down Kit's location in Thailand and travels there.

In Thailand, Wah bribes Kwong, Chatchai's colleague, and enters the prison to find Kit. Shortly after Kit and Wah are reunited, they are discovered by Ko Chun, who captures them and orders Chatchai and Kwong to escort them to the hideout where victims are killed and have their organs removed. At the hideout, Kit and Wah break free from captivity and fight their way out. On the other hand, Chatchai and Kwong change their minds and turn back to help Kit and Wah. Kit, Wah and Kwong manage to escape despite sustaining very serious injuries during the fight; Chatchai is captured by Ko Chun's men, who tie him up and torture him.

In the meantime, back in Hong Kong, Hung's knife-wielding henchman, Ah-zai, kills Wah's colleagues, kidnaps Hung's brother and brings him to a medical centre in Thailand for the heart operation. However, Kit breaks into the medical centre, defeats Ah-zai in a fight, and takes Hung hostage. He then demands that Ko Chun bring Chatchai to him in exchange for Hung. A fight breaks out when Ko Chun and his men show up with Chatchai. Kit and Chatchai team up and defeat all of Ko Chun's men. At the same time, Hung breaks free from his restraints and attacks his brother, but his medical condition deteriorates and he becomes blind as a consequence.

Kit and Chatchai are seemingly no match for Ko Chun after engaging him in a long fight. At one point, Chatchai is knocked out after being stabbed by Ko Chun, who then proceeds to pound Kit against the window until the glass shatters. While in his unconscious state, Chatchai has a vision of his daughter in danger and immediately gets up and knocks Ko Chun out of the window. However, when he realises Kit has also fallen out of the window, he throws out a chain for Kit to hold on to, but Ko Chun grabs the chain instead. Kit then grabs on to Ko Chun's tie and eventually strangles him to death while dangling from his tie. Chatchai stretches out his hand and pulls Kit back to safety. The movie ends with Sa now growing up narrates that she got the transplant and remembers Chatchai hugging his daughter while Kit watches from a distance away.

Cast

Production

With a budget of US$23 million, filming started on 1 May 2014 and concluded on 6 September 2014.[6][7][8]

Release

The first trailer was released on 23 March 2015.[9] The film was released in Hong Kong and China on June 18, 2015.[10]

Reception

Box office

The film grossed an estimated US$43.36 million in its four-day opening weekend, debuting at No. 2 at the Chinese box office behind Jurassic World and third place worldwide behind Jurassic World and Inside Out.[11]

Critical reception

On The Hollywood Reporter, Elizabeth Kerr called the film "a tight, entertaining action flick".[12] Joe Leydon of Variety called it "a martial-arts noir melodrama that neatly entwines operatic outbursts of emotion with bodacious bouts of butt kicking."[13] Derek Elley of Film Business Asia gave the film a score of 6/10 and called it "a big, splashy mess, with a chaotic script."[10]

References

  1. ↑ "SPL2 A Time For Consequences". Cathay Cineplexes.
  2. ↑ "S.P.L. 2: A TIme for Consequences - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojoaccessdate=November 14, 2015.
  3. ↑ "《杀破狼2》首曝预告定档6.18 托尼贾古天乐吴京张晋组新功夫阵容". mtime. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  4. ↑ "杀破狼2（2015）". cbooo.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ SPL 2: Donnie Yen Out? Soi Cheang To Direct And Wilson Yip To Produce
  6. ↑ "Tony Jaa to Star in Hong Kong Action Film 'SPL II'". 2014-06-13. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  7. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/officialtonyjaa/photos/pb.1410333299182734.-2207520000.1397556047./1482261955323201/?type=3&theater
  8. ↑ ""SPL 2" Holds Press Conference". Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  9. ↑ "Tony Jaa And Wu Jing Kick Ass In First SPL 2 Teaser". Twitch Film. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  10. 1 2 Elley, Derek (24 July 2015). "SPL2: A Time for Consequences". Film Business Asia. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  11. ↑ Abid Rahman (June 23, 2015). "China Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Devours Competition for Second Week". The Hollywood Reporter. (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  12. ↑ Elizabeth Kerr (June 10, 2015). "'SPL 2: A Time for Consequences': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  13. ↑ Joe Leydon (October 12, 2015). "Film Review: ‘SPL 2 — A Time for Consequences’". Variety.com. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
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