The Goldfinger (2023) film review

Despite drawing inspiration from a real-life financial scandal in 1980s Hong Kong, the film feels like a blend of Scorsese classics "Goodfellas" and "The Wolf of Wall Street." Surprisingly, the result is a somewhat unengaging work that fails to bring the potentially fascinating story to life, providing only a disappointingly shallow treatment.

The Goldfinger Review

The best story kicks off in the early 1970s with Henry Ching, a broke guy from Singapore, hoping to be an engineer in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, that dream falls through. But by a stroke of luck, he stumbles into a real estate deal that makes him a quick million. Riding on this success, he strikes more jaw-dropping deals over the next few years, eventually becoming the head of a billion-dollar business empire by the 1980s.

This empire isn't as solid as it seems. It catches the attention of corruption investigator Lau Kai-yuen. While Ching resorts to everything from bribes to intimidation to sustain his empire, Lau is determined to connect the dots and build a case against him. This pursuit strains Lau's personal life, even causing friction with his own family. Despite having what he needs to bring Ching to justice, Lau finds him frustratingly elusive due to Ching's wealth, connections, and readiness to do whatever it takes to avoid punishment for his crimes.

Simply put, while the movie's concept sounds interesting, director Chong sometimes seems to be intentionally reducing the excitement. A major issue is the choice to use flashbacks, where Ching's associates narrate incidents under police questioning instead of a straightforward timeline. This decision complicates the plot unnecessarily and makes it feel like a series of events rather than a captivating story.

Another problem is the lack of a deeper understanding of what motivates the main characters. We only get basic ideas about Ching's greed and Lau's determination for justice, similar to a generic crime film from the 1940s preaching that crime doesn't pay. Frustratingly, the film briefly suggests that Ching might be a front for more powerful interests, but this intriguing angle is quickly forgotten.

The best movie could have worked with its basic storyline if it had given us the dynamic chemistry between the two main actors that fans of “Infernal Affairs” were expecting. Unfortunately, it falls short on that front. There are only a few scenes with both stars and when they do share the screen, it doesn't create much excitement. Leung Chiu-wai, playing Ching, has the more attention-grabbing role, but despite enjoying it, he doesn't add much depth. Lau, in a supporting role, goes through the motions without really revealing what motivates his character and his pursuit.

While “The Goldfinger” is undeniably sleek and stylish—being one of the most expensive Hong Kong movies ever made, fittingly for its subject matter—I suppose the story might connect more with viewers familiar with the real-life inspiration. However, for the most part, it feels like a film that has already been through the remake process, discarding everything that made it interesting and leaving only the glossy surface.