Modern cop drama with Anthony Wong playing the mildly corrupt cop who keeps a lid on things, Michael Wong as the uptight straight cop who’ll gun down a criminal regardless of the danger to the hostage, and Sam Lee as the skinny cop who always gets the goss. Most of Beast Cops is concerned with the interaction between the three cops, and the conflict between their way of walking the beat. Roy Cheung plays the local Big Brother who has an understanding with the police, but when he is forced into hiding, the rules change.
This film looks, breathes and is Hong Kong – real Hong Kong, where folks squabble and scrimp and just get by, not the tuxedoed Hong Kong of the 1980s crime films. The big showdown with the young replacement Big Brother (Patrick Tam Yiu Man) at the end is truly gruesome, and the real and visceral nature of the violence comes as a raw jolt after the jocular story (even with the crazy surf music soundtrack that accompanies the final fight). But enjoyable stuff, one of the best late 90s crime films, and Anthony Wong is superb (doubly confirmed when he picked up Best Actor for his role in this, also awarded Best Film of 1998).