Triad Election

Name: Triad Election
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: April 25, 2007
Duration: 92 min
Rating: 83

2007

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Tartan | Release Date: April 25, 2007 | Unrated

Summary: Power-hungry members of the Hong Kong Triads vie for leadership during an election campaign.

Director: Johnnie To

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 92 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum

A muscular sequel to To's riveting 2005 gangster picture "Election." Read full review

Sean Axmaker

Cements director's place as mob-movie master. Read full review

Scott Foundas

Outside of "Grindhouse," it may be the most bang for your buck to be had in a Los Angeles movie theater this season. Read full review

Robert Abele

Like any good sequel, this film takes what is familiar with the original's concept -- in this case, an internecine struggle for supremacy -- and deepens it. Read full review

Russell Edwards

Distinguished by intelligence, wit and violence but is lightly wounded by some ill-fitting moments. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

Plenty of films owe a debt to "The Godfather," but it's rare to see inspiration used as successfully as it is here. Read full review

Joshua Katzman

As in the first movie, To deftly references the "Godfather" trilogy, examining the moral equivocation and shifting alliances among various syndicate members. Read full review

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User Reviews

Nesbitt10

Nov 1, 2013

"Triad Election" takes viewers deep into a ritualized world of the Triad Society crime organization which is full of betrayal, backstabbing, and power-grabbing moves for power. The movie contains complex characters, scheming political machinations, and explosive action sequences that creates"Triad Election" takes viewers deep into a ritualized world of the Triad Society crime organization which is full of betrayal, backstabbing, and power-grabbing moves for power. The movie contains complex characters, scheming political machinations, and explosive action sequences that creates balance against Jonnie To's unique directorial style and subversive plot twists. "Triad" is the sequel to the wildly successful "Election" (2005), which earned a number of awards and nominations including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2006. The "Triad" storyline expounds from its predecessor with a political subtext: the candidates here, elegantly played by Koo and Yam, are not only trapped by their own lust of power or wealth, but also by the mainland Chinese government’s omniscient influence. To merges an intelligent screenplay with the hardball tactics of the Hong Kong underworld which contains political undertones and transcends an otherwise conventional crime drama storyline.

The slow burn caper maintains a business-like atmosphere, while its general sense of tranquility is interrupted with sudden bursts of intense violence. Noticeably absent is the trademark two-fisted gun play, sunglasses, and highly stylized action sequences so prevalent in Woo's films. To underplays the spectacle of violence he's more interested in the how the escalation reveals the character of the candidates. The majority of "Triad Election" is about the political maneuvering of organized crime, but when the conversations end, make no mistake, the blood flows mightily. "Triad Election" strongly resembles "The Godfather Part II" (1974), but it's resolutely a Chinese story, reaching back to the origins of Hong Kong crime syndicates, and showing how they struggle to keep a foothold in a modernized world. There are great modern crime movies out there Michael Mann's "Heat" (1995), Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990), and Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's "Infernal Affairs" trilogy. "Triad Election" unquestionably belongs with such illustrious company.… Expand

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MarcK.

Nov 10, 2007

Somewhat disappointing. Very stylish, and I can see why it was so widely acclaimed. But in the end, very little soul.

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KenG.

May 16, 2007

I have to admit, I haven't seen the first movie (Election) that this is a sequel to, and if I had, maybe my view would be different. But a good sequel should be able to stand on it own, and this doesn't. The first half of the movie is slow, very talky, and vague (I had trouble I have to admit, I haven't seen the first movie (Election) that this is a sequel to, and if I had, maybe my view would be different. But a good sequel should be able to stand on it own, and this doesn't. The first half of the movie is slow, very talky, and vague (I had trouble making sense of what was going on, and who everyone was, but again, maybe that would have been different if I had seen the first movie). There is a lot of brutal violence in the second half, to hold your attention, but this comes across more as just a collection of scenes with brutal violence, than it does coherent story telling.… Expand

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Broyax

Jan 11, 2019

La suite du premier et une nouvelle élection très disputée où tous les sales coups sont permis entre le parrain sortant et le caïd prétendant... une sorte de guerre du trône au sein même de la Triade et comme dans le premier, de bien curieuses méthodes pour arriver à leurs fins... Ici, onLa suite du premier et une nouvelle élection très disputée où tous les sales coups sont permis entre le parrain sortant et le caïd prétendant... une sorte de guerre du trône au sein même de la Triade et comme dans le premier, de bien curieuses méthodes pour arriver à leurs fins... Ici, on pratique donc la noyade et la découpe, on utilise les marteaux et les machettes juste après de calmes et sinistres menaces... Si le réalisateur Johnny To voulait montrer un panier de crabes et accessoirement une vraie bande de sauvages qui se bouffent entre eux, c'est sans doute réussi. Mais des détails font régulièrement tiquer comme le second gars dans le cercueil... ou le corrompu qui se laisse taper sur la gueule ...(étrange humour ma foi ?) ou encore les motivations contradictoires voire incohérentes de "Jimmy" qui voudrait raccrocher mais pour mieux replonger illico presto ?!

Par ailleurs, malgré les acteurs talentueux (Yam et Koo) l'ensemble reste très froid, trop froid pour que l'on se sente impliqué dans cette impitoyable succession dont la violence n'a finalement que peu d'impact, autre que purement démonstratif. Bref, on y croit pas mais alors pas du tout à cette seconde élection qui semble encore moins aboutie que la première.

Le film reste néanmoins assez bien mené malgré son manque flagrant de personnalité et on ne s'y ennuie assurément pas ; on n'en reste pas moins déçu, hélas.… Expand

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