This is one of the 10 action movies you must see in your lifetime: 24 years after its release, we’ve rarely done better!

A master of martial arts films, thrillers and action, Tsui Hark is one of the most innovative and talented directors of his time! We owe him particularly brilliant works such as Gun Hell, Once Upon a Time in China, Blade or the recently successful Detective Dee franchise.

An action movie like no other

In 2001, he delivered an absolutely Dantesque action feature that will immediately enter the pantheon of 10 must-see genre films in your lifetime: Time and Tide! The story takes us to Hong Kong. A short meeting between Tyler (Nicholas Tse), a young man accustomed to the dangers of the street, and Joe (Cathy Tsui), an undercover police officer, will not remain without results.

When she becomes pregnant, Tyler must find a way to make some quick cash. Then he becomes a guard. In the service of Hong, the leader of a powerful triad, the young man joins forces with Jack (Wu Bai), a former mercenary who is determined to start a new life with Hui, Hong’s daughter, whom he recently married and who is expecting a child by him.

Together, Tyler and Jack manage to thwart an assassination attempt against their employer, but their collaboration is short-lived. From conspiracies to ambushes, conflicting interests to betrayal, they find themselves pitted against each other and locked in deadly confrontation.

We can’t talk enough about this absolutely sensational golden nugget that is Time and Tide! This is one of the 10 action movies you must see in your lifetime because it goes beyond the beaten path in terms of both storytelling and staging, including some totally mind-blowing shots and fantastic stunts!

A virtuoso camera

Tsui Hark was at the pinnacle of his art at the time, not hesitating to innovate and try fundamentally new things. We could point to an epic sequence in a building where the characters engage in bloody shootouts, the camera panning through corridors or windows with disturbing ease. One of the best action scenes ever!

The latter ends with a truly fascinating and amazing explosion, with the camera sneaking right into the fire in slow motion and ending up in the refrigerator in which the hero is hiding. The footage can be seen in the video above.

Don’t worry if you feel lost while watching. Tsui Hark has fun with the audience and allows himself to bring the experimental film side to the times and waves.

The ultimate action movie

This dimension gives the work a mysterious aspect that captivates us from beginning to end, as if Jason Bourne, James Bond, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Iko Uweiss and Chuck Norris were digested to create it. The ultimate monster. 10 years before the raid, Time and Tide was already revolutionary in action!

However, there are no big stars in Time and Tide. To keep his characters constantly pushing the boundaries of legality, Tsui Hark relied on two local pop stars. Nicholas Tse (Tyler) is one of the most popular actors and singers in Hong Kong.

Hailing from Taiwan, Wu Bai (Jack) is a local artist who has sold the most records in his country. Known throughout Asia, he wrote two songs for the Time and Tide soundtrack. If you want to express your opinion, don’t hesitate for a second! The film is available in all good formats on DVD and Blu-ray.

In conclusion, 2 quotes: the first is the tagline of the movie: “On the 6th day God created man in his own image, on the 7th he already repented.. And finally, director Christoph Gans’s words about the work: “A maelstrom film that takes your body and your possessions and won’t return your remains.”