The creative talent behind “Peace Hotel” is almost overwhelming; a capable up and coming director/writer (Ka Fai-Wai) coupled with two of the biggest names in the Cantonese industry (Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo), one of whom is arguably amongst action cinema’s most respected icons and you seem to have compiled a definite recipe for success. However, some expectations are there to be trodden on and it seems that, from the outset, “Peace Hotel” is a slight departure from Woo and Yun-Fat’s previous work and therefore not in their immediate area of expertise. There’s still a fair bit of martial arts, but the twisted romance that we witness blossoming, is what the film really focuses on.

This was Fai-Wai’s inaugural picture in terms of directorial duties and despite having a fairly competent screenwriting background, his ability to tell the story is somewhat stunted by lack of cinematographic experience. However, despite this, his efforts are admirable and thanks to a poignant performance from his co-writer and leading light Chow Yun-Fat, the resulting film isn’t half as bad as it may have been. Needless to say, it certainly doesn’t manage to climb up the positive side of the scale in a convincing way, leaving it balancing on the unstable tightrope of mediocrity.

I like my hair this way! Anyone got a problem with that?

“Peace Hotel” has a rather weak storyline, it fails to effectively define itself and seems content to tediously wind its way to a disappointing finale. Yun-Fat and Fai-Wai have formulated an ambitious screenplay, but sadly, have not managed to fully exploit its potential. Motivated by the brutal murder of his wife, viciously aliased “The Killer” decided to set-up a peace hotel, a safe haven for outcasts and those in need of protection. Open to anyone and everyone, it seems a perfect place for Shau Siu Man (Cecilia Yip) to go when a local gang leader is calling for her death. But she is morally compromised and her lying and cheating pushes the “Peace Hotel” to the brink of its existence and tests “The Killer’s” ability to fulfil his pledge of protection and acceptance.

The pitfalls in terms of plot and development are made up for with some fast-paced, high energy action scenes – the environment we are accustomed to seeing Chow Yun-Fat performing in. It’s in this [somewhat short-lived] arena that “Peace Hotel” manages to earn back a few brownie points. The camera work in these scenes, is fast and effective and the intimidating multitude of camera angles used gives us countless different perspectives on the action. Even though we see very little physical contact between the fighters, there is an intense atmosphere similar to that felt during the infamous shower scene in Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, where we never actually get to see the knife penetrating the skin. Now I’m certainly not suggesting that “Peace Hotel” is in the same league as such a classic, but the action scenes are exciting and likely to bring an unexpected, if not satisfying, smile to your face.

“Peace Hotel” manages to fall under that slightly annoying but fondly recollected “what could have been” category. The gratifying action makes up for the feeble narrative, but is also detrimental to the film’s success as it seems to consume parts of the film that could perhaps have been used to really explore the concept’s potential. It turned out to essentially be the type of film that you would expect to come from martial arts experts, an entity which revels in the chance to demonstrate it’s physical prowess, but fails to suitably portray it’s emotional characteristics – leaving us feeling psychologically cheated but impressed by it’s adrenaline fuelled bravura. I won’t forget the bullets riddling my senses, but I shall most certainly slowly forget the nature of this unfulfilled tale.

4.5/10