That old cinematic adage about a movie's sequel never being as good as the first isn't always true. For example, take the case of Triad Election. Its predecessor, Election, felt more like an experimental crime drama, testing the genre waters with a wide array of characters and a varied list of things it wanted to accomplish. It was a flawed but asborbing film, but after seeing what did and didn't work, Hong Kong director Johnnie To seized the opportunity to craft Triad Election into an even more engaging crime saga, thanks to focusing more on character-based drama than on piling up the double-crosses.

When viewers last left the world of the Chinese Triad's Wo Sing Society, rising underworld star Lok (Simon Yam) had bruised, beaten, and cajoled his way into becoming the chairman of the organization. But two years have passed since Lok took power, and the time has come for the men of Wo Sing to carry on the tradition of electing a new chairman. The most prominent prospect is Jimmy (Louis Koo), an economics-savvy small-timer who made a fortune selling pirated DVDs but who now wants to leave the Triads behind and start anew with a legitimate business. However,  a series of unfortunate events land Jimmy in trouble with the law, and he can't even begin construction on his new enterprise unless he's elected chairman. Jimmy reluctantly begins his ascent up the criminal ladder, which is easier said than done after Lok decides to break free from tradition and run for a second term. To ensure his re-election and take Jimmy out of the picture, Lok's more than willing to go to deadly lengths.  

It's no stretch to think of Triad Election and its predecessor as Asian takes on The Godfather. They both tell stories centered more on the effect a criminal lifestyle has on a man's life and soul than on how much blood can be shed during a gratuitous shootout sequence. But whereas Election felt a little too crowded with so many twists and unimportant side characters, this sequel sheds all excess thematic fat and emerges as a leaner, more efficient, and enthralling gangster tale. Rather than depending on some sleight-of-hand tricks to maintain the viewer's interest, Triad Election leaves the meat of the story in the hands of its lead characters, a wise investment that pays off in spades. Having already established Lok in Election, most of the focus is on Jimmy and how he's dragged back into the world he hoped to escape as well as how the struggle gets tougher as Lok puts up a bloody fight to remain king of the hill.

But To doesn't forget the first film's lead player. He tells a more subtle story parallel to Jimmy's, showing us a man so steeped in the criminal underworld, he barely reacts to his own son getting into a gang at school. Although it's not necessary to see Election first, it does help to know where Lok came from and how he got there. Triad Election is all about traditions and legacies: at the center of its story is a man who wants to continue his and another man who's forced to start one whether he likes it or not. These roles are delivered with pitch-perfect acting by Yam and Koo. Triad Election contains just enough drama and action -- each set at a brisk yet fulfilling pace that allows viewers to take in the tastiest elements of the story without the director adding anything unnecessary to the recipe.

If I had one complaint about this film, it would be that filmmaker To doesn't delve enough into the story. At a breezy 93 minutes, it's not designed to be a sprawling saga like The Godfather, but the film could have benefitted from a deeper exploration into the world of Wo Sing. Still, this involving drama is one of the most expertly-made films of the modern crime genre. It finds just as much success in telling the story of a guy who wants to avoid a life of crime as it does in simultaneously spinning the yarn about a man who's holding on for dear life.

MY RATING: *** 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Tartan USA; not rated by MPAA.)