Out on Blu Ray January 23rd from Well Go USA, currently available on digital
A group of mercenaries known as the Wolf Pack picks up a new member who reluctantly joins. Soon, they find themselves in a situation where their country’s safety is at risk.
Written and directed by Michael Chiang, this action thriller with a bit of war in the background is a thrilling one. The story here comes off odd at first, but it eventually comes together really well. Of course, some of the twists and turns are a bit predictable, but they don’t hinder the entertainment value. The characters are interesting if a bit typical, working well together and giving plenty of stakes for one another as they develop and speak to each other along the way. The action is solid, giving typical, caricatural villains with good guys who can easily be expected to win, or at least most of them. The story is not particularly original, but it works and proves that the formula in there for a reason with these types of films.
The cast here is a big part of why to check this one out. The cast as a whole works fantastically well together, whether as friends or foes or friendly foes. The leads here, Jin Zhang as Guan Zhiyang and Aarif Rahman as Ke Tong are the shining stars of course, but the rest of the case including Luxia Jiang, Mark Luu, Kuo-Chung Tang, Yi Xhang, and everyone else in the main group, work well together and give performances that fit their characters really well. This is a group effort and the ensemble cast effect is in full swing.
The film’s cinematography by Wing-Hang Wong looks great while giving the action the space it needs to develop. This is shot like an action film, but also like a drama. There’s a fine balance between the two that the cinematography, along with the editing by Ka-Fai Cheung, finds and plays with to the advantage of the story and characters. The editing helps give the film its tone in parts, giving the action sequences a dynamic that is on point.
Wolf Pack is a solid action film with war and political background that is explored just a bit, keeping the attention on the leads, their missions, and who they become through these. Yes, this may sound like a lot or pompous, but it’s not, it works. The film makes its action work, it makes its drama work, the cast is exactly who they need to be, the cinematography offers the right view on the story with the right dynamic. Wolk Pack is an action film that will come off as more basic to some, but don’t let the basics fool you, there is solid craft behind it and it’s an easy watch throughout.