Year: 2013
Runtime: 105 mins
Language: Cantonese
Director: Alan Yuen
In Hong Kong, a group of thieves led by Cao Nan brazenly robs an armored car, showing a ruthless disregard for human life during their escape. Veteran police inspector Lui Ming Chit is assigned to the case and must employ unconventional and morally questionable methods to track down the criminals and bring them to justice. The pursuit leads to a dangerous game of cat and mouse with escalating stakes.
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Inspector Lui Ming-chit, [Andy Lau], and his former classmate To Shing-bong, [Gordon Lam Ka-Tung], were school rivals who trained in judo together. When To is released from prison for robbery, he quickly re-joins Cao Nam and his gang to hijack an armored car transporting cash. [Lui Ming-chit], [Andy Lau], leads his squad to stop the break-in, and a tense gunfight erupts, during which Cao kills a female hostage. Cao and his crew escape after To suddenly rams Lui’s car, triggering a chase that ends with To’s arrest. He insists the crash was an accident and denies being Cao’s accomplice. He is released after his girlfriend Yin-bing, [Yao Chen], arrives with a lawyer to bail him out, but Lui orders his subordinates to tail him. Yin-bing promises To a fresh start and finds him a job in a restaurant.
The Regional Crime Unit soon discovers the corpse of one of Cao’s underlings and the burnt remains of the getaway vehicle. Lui leads a raid on Cao’s hideout after recognizing one of Cao’s men, Chow, in surveillance footage. A firefight erupts; Lui manages to capture Chow, while To and Cao escape. At Cao’s residence, the police attempt to arrest him because Chow could testify against Cao, but Chow destroys evidence and throws himself off a building, thwarting the arrest.
Lui enlists his longtime informant Tong Keung to go undercover inside Cao’s gang. Tong joins the next heist, but the gang grows suspicious and attacks Tong. They chase Tong to his house after finding a phone provided by Lui, and Lui arrives to pull Tong to safety too late—the gang has already shot Tong. They also throw Tong’s 10-year-old autistic daughter, Yiu-Yiu, [Jacqueline Chan], off a building, and she eventually succumbs to her injuries. Enraged, Lui confronts Cao, who is driving toward the airport; after a brutal struggle, Cao is arrested and officially charged with the murders of Tong and Yiu-Yiu, with blood and fabric particles found on Cao’s hand.
Lui later receives a clip from Yin-bing’s drug-addicted younger brother, Kit. The footage, captured from Cao’s car, appears to show that Lui had framed Cao by wiping Tong’s daughter’s blood on him. Lui confronts Kit, who tries to blackmail him for HK$500,000 a month; Kit suddenly suffers an asthma attack and dies after Lui refuses him an inhaler. Lui then removes all evidence from Kit’s apartment.
Meanwhile, Yin-bing breaks up with To after he’s implicated in the previous armored car heist. She lies that she’s two months pregnant with another man’s child. To tries to salvage the relationship by claiming to be an undercover cop, and he later informs Lui that the mastermind behind the prior armored car heist and the murders is Paco, Cao’s sworn brother who has just been released from prison. Paco is portrayed by Ray Lui.
To offers to become Lui’s informant in order to arrest Paco, on the condition that Lui tell Yin-bing about To’s undercover status. Lui agrees but does not plan to abandon Paco and the gang alive. Paco leads the gang in another armored car heist, armed with heavy weapons, turning the operation into a trap set by the police. A massive firefight erupts, drawing in Special Duties Unit officers and spilling into the Central District.
As the betrayal unfolds, To, who has been in contact with Lui via a live feed, phones Lui from a hostage’s device to coax him into letting To flee in a car. Lui urges him not to surrender, hoping the criminals will be taken out by the police. After an intense shootout, the gang is wiped out, and To escapes but is fatally struck by a passing truck. Yin-bing, watching the chaos unfold on television, breaks into tears.
In the aftermath, Lui writes a letter to Yin-bing, declaring that To was an undercover officer and that he will turn himself in for his illegal actions. After providing his testimony, Lui asks whether the storm is finally over, and the reply—“yes”—brings him a quiet sense of relief and a measure of gratitude.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:08
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where the pursuit of justice forces heroes to cross their own lines.If you liked the morally grey tactics in Firestorm, explore these movies where justice demands a dark price. This thread features tense crime stories with heroes who cross ethical lines, blurring the distinction between cop and criminal, for fans of gritty, emotionally complex thrillers.
These narratives typically follow a dedicated investigator descending into the criminal underworld, either literally or figuratively, by adopting its ruthless tactics. The central conflict becomes internal as much as external, pitting the protagonist's original ideals against the brutal necessities of their mission. The story structure often builds towards a climax where a pyrrhic victory is achieved at great personal sacrifice.
Movies in this thread are united by their exploration of moral compromise as a central theme. They share a dark, tense tone, high emotional weight, and a focus on the psychological toll of fighting fire with fire. The pacing is often fast, driven by escalating stakes, but the emotional resonance comes from the heavy cost of victory.
Unrelenting, brutal action films where the violence has tangible consequences.Fans of Firestorm's intense shootouts and chases will find more relentless action here. This list features fast-paced, gritty thrillers where the action is brutal and consequential, creating a tense and emotionally draining experience similar to the high-stakes pursuit in the film.
The narrative is often straightforward, serving as a vehicle for escalating set pieces—heists, chases, and shootouts—that raise the stakes and intensify the conflict. Character development is frequently shown through action and survival rather than dialogue. The journey is one of endurance against overwhelming odds, often leading to a conclusion where survival itself is a form of victory, albeit a costly one.
These films are grouped by their shared emphasis on sustained high intensity and fast pacing. They prioritize visceral, impactful action over convoluted plots, creating a coherent experience of tension and release. The dark tone and heavy emotional weight ensure the violence feels consequential, not gratuitous.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Firestorm in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Firestorm is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Firestorm with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Firestorm. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Firestorm that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Firestorm: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.