Hit Team (重装警察; Chung Zhoong Ging Chaat in Cantonese and Chong zhuang jing cha in Mandarin) is a 2001 Hong Kong action thriller movie directed by Dante Lam, starring Daniel Wu and Alex To with supporting roles from Jo Kuk, Samuel Pang, Chin Kar Lok and and Michael Lui. It had a IIB rating when it was released throughout Hong Kong and had a budget of HKD$2,265,354.00.
The movie takes place during a raid on a triad gang that officer Chong Chin Ho was involved in during an undercover op. During the raid, Chong got hit in the spine and was rendered disabled by the Hong Kong Police Force. Despite efforts led by officer Don to give him some benefits due to being discharged under serious injuries, officials from the force did not listen to requests to help him with his medical condition through benefits. Rather, they blame him for getting himself injured by not following protocol when the shooting started. This forces Don and his friends in the HKPF to resign in protest, except for one who stayed behind to serve as the inside man via the Special Duties Unit, and take on the triads by robbing their underground banks to pool enough funds to get Chong a flight to Switzerland. Unfortunately, Don's first action results in killing the Triad 49ers in the raid after one of them gets unmasked during a fight.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau investigates the shooting and summons Inspector Chung Chau of the Surveillance Support Unit's D Team (aka Hit Team) to investigate the incident. He later learns of Don's involvement in the case, but not before Don and the other rogue officers hatch a plan to launch another score and take on a triad-owned armored car in order to get enough money and fund Chong's trip.
Of course, The Triads and the Tongs realize that they've been hit and placed their men nearby to ensure that Don doesn't get away without a fight.
The official Hong Kong website can be accessed here
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The film provides the following tropes:
- Action Prologue: The movie starts with a raid on a triad gang. It also shows Chong getting shot In the Back somehow during the crossfire.
- Big Damn Heroes: Near the end of the movie, the other SSU officers raid the stronghold to help Chung out by rappelling through the roof.
- Bulletproof Vest: The SSU uses them during raid since one shot to the body, depending on where the person is shot at, can be fatal.
- Don wears one after the SSU arrests him since he's an important suspect in the case and the triads can send someone after him. It also works since his vest absorbed some of the 7.62x39 bullets fired at him during a raid to save his buddy.
- The triads also wear them during the raid. However, being shot at by a hail of 5.56 NATO and 7.62x39 bullets constantly don't protect you over time.
- Don wears one after the SSU arrests him since he's an important suspect in the case and the triads can send someone after him. It also works since his vest absorbed some of the 7.62x39 bullets fired at him during a raid to save his buddy.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Zigzagged a bit. Chong is able to go to Switzerland and start surgery to help him recover from his spinal injury. Don, being the sole survivor of the raids (aside from another rogue officer who's in custody in a hospital) is arrested by the SSU for perpetrating the robberies in Hong Kong. He, however, accepts it and thinks highly of the inspector, telling him that they could've been partners.
- Elites Are More Glamorous: The movie is one of the few that centers on the SSU's work, since they're not that portrayed in everyday media due to the line of work.note The SDU shows up near the end of the movie to serve as an escort force when the SSU arrests Don.
- Every Car Is a Pinto: Don fires a shotgun at the unmarked squad car Insp. Chung uses after it crashes during a raid on a triad stronghold.
- Fast-Roping: Jo and the other SSU officers raid the triad stronghold by roping down from the roof. Since it has multiple holes, they're big enough for several officers to rope down and surprise the armed 49ers from the back.
- From Bad to Worse: The SSU realizes that one of their own has been launching a vendetta against the triads, but they've been stealing arms in order to properly equip themselves before launching the one heist in broad daylight.
- Human Shield: An armed suspect takes Jo hostage during a SSU raid. However, she was able to get out of the situation by drawing her sidearm and shoot at his leg. Insp. Chung later takes him out with his M1911A1.
- During the raid, one of the triad 49ers uses his buddy to soak up gunfire from a stolen AK-47S.
- Market-Based Title: In Japan, it's known as Hit Team: Special Duties Unit and in South Korea, it's known as Purple Storm 2.note
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: Superintendent Chan in the CIB doesn't agree to Insp. Chung's request to continue investigating the case despite the fact that one of Don's comrades were taken captives by armed triad 49ers. The force wants to sweep this incident under the rug for good because it's an embarrassment if the public learns about it. In his words...Sup. Chan: Case closed... This is an order.
- Oddly Small Organization: Insp. Chung's D Team in the HKPF is portrayed to at least have 10 officers involved. The real Hit Team actually has more than 40 officers involved.
- Police Are Useless: A major theme in the movie. The HKPF refuses to provide major benefits to help Chong recover and integrate back to civilian life, blaming him for getting shot.
- Sup. Chan refuses to let Insp. Chung continue investigating Don's case, forcing him in the end to team up with him when Don calls him out for not helping one of their own after being caught prisoner and take on the triad gang responsible for decimating Don's team. See Obstructive Bureaucrat for more details.
- Protagonist Journey to Villain: Don and his friends in the HKPF turn from being noble law enforcers to armed men willing to take on the triads.
- Shown Their Work: Given that the movie is about the SSU, the officers involved are correctly shown to be involved in surveillance ops against person/persons of interest before launching a raid to arrest them while they're still unaware of their presence when they don their tac gear.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Don nearly assaulting his superior during a hearing on Chong's case doesn't give him any leeway in his condition. Rather, it just gives them a good reason and case to not provide support for Chong, as well as to defame Don's character.
- Don is not hailed as a good guy for helping the SSU take down the triad gang in the end. Instead, he's arrested due to being the mastermind in the raids after he left the force. Although he gets plus points for agreeing to be taken in.
- Urban Warfare: The SSU launches a raid and gets into a firefight in the rural side of Hong Kong in a cramped apartment block.
- Don and the other officers ambush the triad cash van in a stretch of road outside of Hong Kong.
