FORMED POLICE UNIT (维和防暴队) (2024)

Genre: Action
Director: Lee Tat Chiu
Cast: Huang Jingyu, Wang Yibo, Zhong Chuxi, Ou Hao, Jason Gu, Zhu Yawen, Zhao Huawei, Alazi Soumaila Rawdoth, Bai Na Ri Su, Yu Peishan, Liu Xue, Nan Fulong, Wei Chong
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence & Some Drug Use)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 June 2024

Synopsis: Formed Police Unit focuses on the story of the Chinese peacekeeping police who are committed to safeguarding the international peace and security. This time, unexpected severe challenges and threats are awaiting them in their new overseas mission…

Movie Review:

To outsiders, Chinese action movies are often classified as propagandistic and unabashedly patriotic. Since Hollywood and Michael Bay has been touting and portraying the US military in the positive light for decades, why not give the Chinese a chance? Come on it’s an issue of fair trade, fair play.

Formed Police Unit tells the story of a Chinese UN peacekeeping police unit which are deployed to a fictional state in Africa to help in peacekeeping efforts and mainly to transport a family of three to court to testify against a certain General Amir who carried out acts of genocide. In short, the peacekeeping team led by leader, You (Johnny Huang) must unite together and bravely fight against a mercenary army engaged by Amir while the rest of the non-Chinese UN officials for unexplained reason prefer to stay behind enemies line.

As expected, the movie mainly focused its attention on the characters of Johnny Huang Jingyu and Wang Yibo. Huang as the tough as nails, no-nonsense team leader while Wang’s Yang Zhen is an impulsive rookie who much prefer to disobey orders and take things in his own hands. And there’s a pretty translator, Ding Hui (Zhong Chuxi), the only rose among the thorns. With only 15 minutes of introduction before the first major action set piece, it’s pretty hard for audiences to root for the police unit since there isn’t much screen time allocated to the various characters.

However to all action fans out there, Formed Police Unit went all-out with lots of fighting, shootouts and explosions. The first action sequence established Yang and one of his buddies as some sort of parkour experts as they cat leap and parkour roll their way in pursuit of an enemy sniper. Thanks to action choreographer turned director Lee Tat Chiu, a solid mid-sequence involving armoured vehicle chases and explosions through the African slums and shantytown are well-choreographed and likely employed plenty of practical effects instead of CGI in the process. The finale battle which has a typhoon thrown in for probably aesthetic reason impresses with more fire power and explosions.

Perhaps as a filler, there’s a brief backstory detailing the relationship between You and Yang’s dad and the reason behind Yang’s dislike for his team leader. It adds nothing crucial or relevant to the entire narrative and this also leads us to an undercover scene where everyone has to put on dreadlocks and black face which for obvious reason seems insensitive and embarrassing given today’s context. Aside from these mishaps, there’s also an ultra-melodramatic death and generous doses of heroism on display that even John Woo will be blushed.

Still, Formed Police Unit works the same way as Wolf Warrior 2 and Red Operation Sea despite the occasional in-your-face political messages. In the end, the impressive production values and series of action scenes provides solid entertainment even though you might not care too much about the characters.

Movie Rating:

(Essentially a 90 minutes session of gunplay and explosions on the pretext of an UN peacekeeping mission)

Review by Linus Tee