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Breaking News

Play trailer Poster for Breaking News Released May 22, 2004 1h 29m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A tense firefight between bank robbery suspects and police is caught on video, and the footage is humiliating for the cops. So when master thief Yuen (Richie Ren) and his crew are tracked to a dilapidated apartment building, Commissioner Rebecca Fong (Kelly Chen) decides to attempt a new approach to fighting crime: media savvy. Rather than initiating a siege, Fong starts packaging the upcoming arrest as a reality show. But Yuen hasn't been caught yet, and he's ready to turn the tables on her.

Critics Reviews

View All (19) Critics Reviews
Noel Murray AV Club [Breaking News] is one of [director] To's typically tangled meditations on the smearing of good and evil, in moments where instinct overcomes morality. Rated: B Nov 27, 2006 Full Review Frank Scheck Hollywood Reporter Prolific Hong Kong lenser Johnnie To delivers another solid action picture with this latest effort. Feb 13, 2006 Full Review G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle To, Hong Kong's best action auteur since John Woo left for Hollywood, doesn't disappoint. Rated: 3/4 Feb 10, 2006 Full Review Panos Kotzathanasis Asian Movie Pulse Johnnie To's direction is once more impressive, particularly the way he stages and shoots the action, taking full advantage of the narrow corridors of the building the gang has taken a stand in Jul 26, 2020 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews This is a film Michael Bay would green light in a heartbeat. Rated: C Jul 11, 2009 Full Review Kam Williams DallasBlack.com A brainless but harmless display of senseless slaughter! Rated: 3/4 May 2, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (166) audience reviews
leong c Reality TV / Police Operation show, with Kelly Chen being the flick-bitch... but I'm a fool for Johnnie To's movies... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Breaking News is quite out of the ordinary, providing a spiced action along with a psychological mediatic war. Strongly advised. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Lots of hardcore action and gunplay to be found in this action thriller! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review camille l Peu de films parviennent a meler la comedie franchement drole et le thriller policier tres muscle de maniere egale et efficace. Le film de Johnnie To en est un modele de reussite. Toujours spectaculaire, admirablement bien mis en scene (le plan-sequence de 7 minutes qui ouvre le film est parfait), constamment divertissant, teinté d'elements politiques qui enrichissent le recit sans l'entraver et tres bien mis en musique, Breaking News est un film exceptionnel. Richie Ren, Kelly Chen, Nick Cheung & Hui Siu Hung sont excellents. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Very smart thriller with a very powerful underlying message about society and media. This is pure action from the first to the last scene, no interruptions. A should see if you are into fresh experiences. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Action packed film about a televised bank robbery that ends up being terribly mismanaged by the police. This spectacular Chinese production is signed Johnnie To, a master of the genre. It includes enough great special effects and amazing fight sequences to leave its audiences more than just satisfied. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Breaking News

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A tense firefight between bank robbery suspects and police is caught on video, and the footage is humiliating for the cops. So when master thief Yuen (Richie Ren) and his crew are tracked to a dilapidated apartment building, Commissioner Rebecca Fong (Kelly Chen) decides to attempt a new approach to fighting crime: media savvy. Rather than initiating a siege, Fong starts packaging the upcoming arrest as a reality show. But Yuen hasn't been caught yet, and he's ready to turn the tables on her.
Director
Johnnie To
Producer
Cao Biao, Johnnie To, Buting Yang
Screenwriter
Chan Hing-Kai, Tin-Shing Yip
Distributor
Palm Pictures
Production Co
Milky Way Image
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 15, 2017
Runtime
1h 29m