Kill Zone sets its sights on the underworld and doesn't look back, gladly blurring those operating against and in the name of the law. This Hong Kong-bred fighting fiesta may be standard crime fodder for some, but unlike a lot of the competition, it makes the most of its time after crossing the thin blue line.

Inspector Chung (Simon Yam) is a man on a mission. Once upon a time, a witness under his protection was brutally murdered, allowing wily crime lord Wong Po (Sammo Hung) to get off scot-free. A few years and a malignant brain tumor later, Chung is mere days away from retiring and remains as determined as ever to nail Wong Po, dead or alive. Chung's partners are more than happy to comply, but he faces defiant opposition from his replacement, Ma (Donnie Yen). Himself a tough-as-nails lawman, Ma prefers to do his crimefighting by the book and frowns upon how Chung and his crew cast ethics asunder in pursuit of their prey. But Wong Po is no dime store crook himself, and when the law comes dangerously close to catching up, there's no stopping him when he decides to fight back.

Your mediocrity senses may be tingling now, causing you to ask what the big deal is about Kill Zone. As much as I enjoyed this film, I have to admit that on the surface, it's nothing special. The story feels pieced together from the glut of crime shows crowding the airwaves, amounting to as basic a bottom line as "catch the bad guys." But what separates Kill Zone from the stuff Seagal does involves a simple case of effort. There seems to be more on this movie's mind than the pyrotechnics. In fact, there's not as much action as you might think; aside from a skirmish or two, Kill Zone saves things for the free-for-all finale, in which an assassin (Jacky Wu) is thrown into the mix as Chung makes his last stand. When the fists fly, the film has no problem holding your attention, especially when Wu's hitman sets about taking down Chung's partners.

Like the most well-rounded action flick, Kill Zone is as replete with brains as it is brawn. For starters, the original title, SPL, takes some explaining but essentially refers to astrology and how stars can represent different things depending on the circumstances. It ties back to the story and how Chung may be a good man at heart, but his actions bring him closer and closer to Wong Po's level. His intentions are good, but his morals come into question when the idea of fudging evidence enters the picture. Providing a solid counterbalance is Ma, himself prone to the odd beatdown but quite stringent when it comes to following protocol. The film doesn't excel at creating sympathy for Wong Po, although I think we're supposed to feel for him because he has a kid on the way, but Hung does a great job of making him a villain to fear, even when he doesn't do much. Although some supporting characters get lost in the shuffle (specifically Chung's interchangable officers), director Wilson Yip earns kudos for displaying a steady hand in doling out the drama with the action as well as for making Hong Kong feel like a character all its own.

Although Kill Zone fails to take as many chances as something like Wanted or Crank, it doesn't need to. It's a simple story -- yet one possessing the means and ambition to have a good time without always caving in to convention. It doesn't have the zip or zing of a Jackie Chan outing, but if you're itching to break into the burliest action Hong Kong has to offer, Kill Zone is the hard-boiled place to start.

MY RATING: *** (out of ****)

(Released by Dragon Dynasty; not rated by MPAA.)

Review also posted at: www.passportcinema.com.