PLOT: On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine “Joey” Kwang, one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?
REVIEW: Luke Evans is one of those actors who I always thought deserved to star in an action franchise. His James Bond-esque good looks and debonair stature made him a natural in The Hobbit franchise and The Fast Saga. Having appeared in supporting roles over the last few years, his last significant lead being 2017’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Evans makes a case for headlining more action vehicles with Weekend in Taipei. Co-written by The Transporter and Taken creator Luc Besson, Weekend in Taipei is a propulsive action flick that harkens back to the pulpy 90s-era films of Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. With some creative action sequences and a sense of humor, Weekend in Taipei is a fun little diversion that may not tread new ground but has some fun revisiting familiar territory.
Weekend in Taipei opens with the trial for Korean cartel leader Kwang (Sung Kang) whose legitimate business is threatened by legal action. The wealthy executive lives in Taipei with his wife, Joey (Gwei Lun-mei), and her son, Raymond (Wyatt Yang). Wyatt does not trust Kwang, and Joey longs for her former lover and Wyatt’s biological father, DEA agent John Lawlor (Luke Evans). When Lawlor takes it upon himself to head to Taipei to collect evidence on Kwang from an anonymous informant, he is thrown together with Joey after fifteen years apart. John, Joey, and Raymond must escape from Kwang and his henchmen with the evidence to take the villain down while also trying to figure out their complex familial situation.
Filmed on location in Taiwan, Weekend in Taipei boasts some pretty exciting action sequences, including an early one set in a kitchen that gives Luke Evans a solidly choreographed scene straight out of a Jackie Chan movie. Evans holds his own in the action department and even reunites with his Fast and Furious co-star Sung Kang, this time with the two actors playing inverse hero and villain roles. Evans dons a convincing American accent as he partners with Gwei Lun-mei as the two former lovers are now reunited. The entirety of Weekend in Taipei is performed in English despite being filmed with an entirely Taiwanese cast. It works to make the film more accessible for Western audiences while feeling a bit inauthentic, especially during the blatantly dubbed over profanity moments used to get Weekend in Taipei a PG-13 rating.
The film is fairly violent, with some creative gun fights that echo the European style of Luc Besson’s directorial efforts, namely The Professional. There is a blend of Asian influence beyond the geographic setting, and the cast and crew as the balletic action reminded me of John Woo’s early output. The stuntwork is impressive, including some of the car chase sequences through the streets of urban and rural Taipei, showcasing a view of the scenic island of Taiwan. Filming on location also affords the film an authentic feel, which is accented by some pretty jaw-dropping locales, especially Kwang’s penthouse, which boasts an elevator specifically for cars. There is no doubt in watching this movie that the Taiwan production efforts helped make the budget look loftier than it actually is.
Weekend in Taipei is George Huang’s first feature directorial outing since 2001’s How to Make a Monster. Huang’s resume boasts the masterpiece black comedy Swimming with Sharks and the underrated teen sexy comedy Trojan War starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Since then, Huang has honed his skills working as a producer and consultant for Robert Rodriguez, which shows in his ability to stretch a budget for maximum benefit. Partnering with Luc Besson, Huang wrote the screenplay for Weekend in Taipei alongside the man responsible for The Fifth Element and La Femme Nikita. Besson has shepherded numerous filmmakers over the years, and his mentorship jives with George Huang’s visual sensibility. Even though Huang has not directed an action movie like this before, he definitely shows an aptitude that should afford him more opportunities like this in the future.
While it mines the action formula of countless movies that came before it, Weekend in Taipei works thanks to having a solid antagonist from Sung Kang, a great lead in Luke Evans, and a talented leading lady in Gwei Lun-mei. As an introduction to these characters, Weekend in Taipei checks the requisite boxes for a fun action romp, even if it is a little light on the originality. This movie is good enough that I would not be opposed to seeing this turn into an ongoing series with Evans, Gwei, and Wyatt Yang traversing the globe for future weekend excursions that find them fighting like a family of ass-kicking transporters. Don’t expect Weekend in Taipei to be on par with movies like John Wick, but it is not far behind.
Weekend in Taipei opens on November 8th.