Film review of “The Unwavering Brotherhood”: Hong Kong gangster drama is familiar but entertaining

In any case, I would be happy to have the trust of the series’ producer, Ng Kin-hung, who has started shooting this third film – and is thus once again working with The Brotherhood of RebelsThe director, screenwriters and main actors were also revised and the narrative framework was even recycled – before it hit theaters.

Like in this movie, The Unshakable Brotherhood tells the story of three mid-level gangsters – Wah (Bosco Wong Chung-chak), Fei (Louis Cheung Kai-chung) and Kwok (Carlos Chan Ka-lok) – who make some very bad decisions and inadvertently bring about the downfall of the leader of their beloved triad faction.

Returning director Terry Ng Ka-wai's gripping if familiar film finds the trio once again testing their loyalty, this time after they are mugged while transferring money; the conflicts here stem mainly from Fei's need to pay for the operation of his seriously ill sister (Angel Lam Chin-ting) and Kwok's gambling on the stock market.

Aside from the leading trio of blood brothers, it is surprisingly their boss, the honorable Fa Kam, and his fiercest rival for leadership within the syndicate, Kwan (played by Mark Cheng Ho-nam and Michael Tao Dai-yu in striking supporting roles), who are the most entertaining.

Cheng, who is in both Young and dangerous 5 (1998) and Choice 2 (2006) is extremely charismatic as the protagonists' lovable father figure. Tao, on the other hand, who is not exactly known for nuanced acting despite his numerous leading roles in television dramas, is suitably despicable as the villain.

The Unshakable Brotherhood offers the kind of feel-good film that long-time fans of Hong Kong gangster movies should be looking for. Rather than wasting time reinventing the wheel, the film simply adopts the same old genre formula and briskly drags its tragic heroes to their predictably bitter end.