WEEKEND IN TAIPEI (2024)

SYNOPSIS: On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine “Joey” Kwang, one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?

MOVIE REVIEW:

If the Fast & Furious franchise is ever looking to expand with more spinoffs, Universal might want to give Luc Besson a call. Weekend in Taipei is a joint effort between Taiwan’s Film Commission and Besson’s EuropaCorp and stars Fast & Furious alumni Luke Evans and Sung Kang.

The action plot is admittedly generic. Evans plays John Lawlor, a DEA agent who heads to Taipei over a weekend break to gather evidence against a billionaire seafood tycoon/drug trafficker, Kwang (Kang). In a twist, Kwang’s wife Joey (Gwei Lun-mei) happens to be Lawlor’s ex-lover and they even share a 13-year-old son, Raymond (Wyatt Yang).

In many ways, Weekend in Taipei slots perfectly into the Fast & Furious mould. Taiwanese-American director George Huang alongside producer Besson knows exactly what kind of movie they’re making and who it’s for. Within minutes, we’re treated to Joey test-driving a Ferrari through the bustling streets of Taipei, channeling classic Audrey Hepburn glamour. Soon after, Lawlor takes on a gang of Kwang’s henchmen in a cramped kitchen, pulling off Jackie Chan-inspired choreography that’s both chaotic and fun.

Say what you will about Luc Besson but he knows how to package a disposable, high-energy action flick even if he’s not behind the camera. That said, Weekend in Taipei falters with a limp finale. After all the wild chases, brawls and an explosive hotel shootout, the film abruptly shifts to a one-on-one fistfight between Lawlor and Kwang. It’s a baffling choice especially given neither Evans nor Kang are exactly in the league of Scott Adkins or even Keanu Reeves when it comes to hand-to-hand combat.

Performance-wise, Evans and Gwei share enough chemistry to make their rekindled romance believable especially during a nostalgic dumpling-sharing moment. Kang brings a refreshing change of pace playing the villain while Taiwanese veteran Tuo Tsung-hua makes a brief but welcome appearance as a local cop.

Weekend in Taipei certainly has its moments. It’s brisk, flashy and mostly entertaining until that disappointing ending. Ultimately, it’s a fuss-free but forgettable action detour set in a vibrant city many of us know and love.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee