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2.5\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n Under Current<\/em> is a quintessential example of the Hong Kong crime film in its present, transitional state. While it paints a mostly watchable portrait of greed and corruption, the film\u2019s story also happens to be thoroughly detached from reality \u2013 music to the ears of censors, perhaps.<\/p>\n It immediately becomes clear to the audience that Ko is a pantomime villain involved in a range of criminal activities, from embezzlement to money laundering, and he is trying to locate HK$200 million (US$26 million) that has recently vanished from the charity funds amid the chaos of persistent malpractice.<\/p>\nDirected by Alan Mak Siu-fai (Infernal Affairs<\/em><\/span>) from a screenplay he co-scripted with Lam Fung, this thematic follow-up to Mak\u2019s 2019 anti-corruption drama Integrity<\/em><\/span> again takes a distinctly convoluted narrative to ponder the state of law enforcement, only to lose much of its conviction with preposterous twists and turns.<\/div>\nIt begins in sensational fashion at the gala of a major charity organisation, whose CFO, Yeung To (Simon Yam Tat-wah<\/span>), suddenly appears hanging above the stage \u2013 with the words \u201cClear my name\u201d written on his shirt \u2013 while its president, Ko Shing-man (Alex Fong Chung-sun), is giving a speech below.<\/div>\nMeanwhile, police sergeant Or Ting-pong (Francis Ng Chun-yu<\/span>), working from a tip-off and without a search warrant, is secretly investigating charity accounts entrusted to the law firm of barrister Ma Ying-fung (Aaron Kwok Fu-shing<\/span>). When discovered, Or astonishingly suggests that Ma simply hand the files over.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n