Synopsis

After a fatal confrontation leaves a police officer dead, his son grows up believing that an honest policeman was responsible. Years later, he joins the police force to pursue revenge, while the son of a slain Triad boss follows a parallel path. As both men uncover buried evidence, loyalties fracture and the line between justice, corruption, and vengeance becomes increasingly difficult to define.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film's original Chinese title, Hak bak sam lam, translates literally as "Black and White Forest," reflecting its morally divided police-and-Triad setting. It was released in Hong Kong on June 20, 2003.

• The 104-minute Hong Kong production was made by China Star Entertainment, S&W Entertainment Limited, and B.O.B. and Partners. It was filmed in Hong Kong and is primarily in Cantonese.

• Marco Wan won the Best Original Film Score award at the 40th Golden Horse Awards in 2003. The film's action choreography, by Lee Tat-Chiu, was also nominated.

• The film received a Recommended Film distinction from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society.

• The character name Wong Jiang is a direct reference to writer and filmmaker Wong Jing. Written without the "A" sound in the romanization, the name resembles "Wong Jing."

• The movie was often discussed alongside the early-2000s Hong Kong police thrillers that followed Infernal Affairs, but contemporary reviews noted its emphasis on extended action scenes and a more traditionally hard-boiled crime-film structure.