【電影簡介】

故事緣起一宗平常的交通事故，香港知名證券商羅敏生（劉青云飾）的座駕被發現遭人竊聽，警方調查所得，竊聽器屬軍事用途，保安科介入案件，經總督察何智強（古天樂飾）查出，竊聽者為一名退伍軍人司馬念祖（吳彥祖飾），警匪雙方展開了連場追逐，頓時烽煙四起。何智強本以為只是一宗單純的勒索案件，沒想到在深入追查之下，竟揪出了一個名為“地主會”的神秘組織，傳說這“地主會”三十年來主宰了經濟體系的興衰成敗，而羅敏生及司馬念祖更與“地主會”有著敵友難分的關系。何智強被卷入其中，竟與羅敏生及司馬念祖連手策動一場驚心動魄的風暴。

【音頻文本】

Since the director killed off two of the main characters in the first installment, Hong Kong film Overheard 2 starts with a different story, but retains the same leading actors and the same reference to the use of surveillance technology.

A car accident reveals that a successful stockbroker, Luo Minsheng, is being tracked by a military surveillance device. Captain of the Anti-terrorist Force He Zhiqiang is called in to investigate. He discovers that Luo belongs to a secret group of stock fixers called "The Landlord Club," and Sima Nianzu, the son of the late leader is tapping almost every member of the Club, in an effort to locate the current murderous leader and avenge his father.

But the secret surveillance storyline serves only as an appetizer, while the main course is the director'srealistic understanding and presentation of humanity. Rather than the classic 'good guy vs. bad guy' cliché,the film showcases a diversity of personalities, from an objective perspective such as that of an indifferent bystander. Not only are the so-called 'bad guys' consumed by greed, but ordinary people are also vulnerable to its corruptive hold.

A complete and efficient legal system is perhaps the last safeguard against the dark side of humanity. Even the dice-rolling stock tycoons are in constant fear of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and are willing to kill to stop the whistleblowers. The lonely avenger doesn't take on the entire Landlord Club single-handedly, as is often the case with Hollywood movies. Instead, he leads the police force to theculprits in his quest for justice.

The plot is well-knit and develops quite smoothly. In fact, it develops so smoothly that the film is practically a rush from beginning to end, not allowing viewers much time to digest the story. The film also fails to give all three leading actors a balanced opportunity to show off their excellent acting skills. Fortunately, the three leading actors, Lau Ching Wan, Louis Koo and Daniel Wu will get another opportunity when the director includes them in the next sequel.

The element of finance is diluted by the prevailing plot. Some finance jargon does fall out of the actors'mouths, and stock fixing does constitute a part of the background story, but that is where all the financefuss stops and the plot begins. The director has expressed the intention to drop the finance element for the next sequel.

So the film's objective observation of humanity is plausible, but an overemphasis on plot may have spoiledthe taste a little. Hopefully, when the next sequel comes, the leadings actors will be given a fairer opportunity to present themselves. On a scale from one to ten, Overheard 2 deserves a SEVEN.

輕松調頻EZFM 微信mrweekly