The premise. Three big directors – Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To – each direct one segment of a movie, each roughly half an hour long. The catch: the first director shoots his part, hands everything to the next director and has no say in what will happen. That director looks at the first part, shoots his part and hands everything to the third director. Thus, something original and fascinating will hopefully be born, reflecting the style and sensibilities of the individual directors. Indeed, for fans of the directors, the handoff points in the movie are as clear as night and day. The three directors never opted to continue the style created by the others, instead stamping their own footprint in what they shot. The results may seem uneven in style and tone, but watching, say, the gritty realism of Ringo Lam contrasted with the idealistic romanticism of Johnnie To is a fun experience.

The plot. Three men are introduced, talking about wanting money. They all need it for one reason or another and we're all privy to that information in due time. The reasons are not always for respectable reasons. In fact, the relationships between the characters here are a bit sneaky to say the least. The trio gets their chance at fortune when a mysterious man gives them his card and tells them they can steal a treasure worth a lot of money. Crooked cops, cheating wives and desperate people collide to start off this movie with a bang. Tsui Hark knows how to create suspense and the movie has an incredibly tense start. Nail-biters, steer clear from the beginning. Quick cuts and fast music, combined with sticky situations and unexpected twists get this movie off to a great start.

The aftermath. After a smash cut, the three men have to figure out what they want to do. The movie slows down some, loses intensity, but the mystery quickly builds. Ringo Lam combines a maguffin-like piece of history and some slick camera, lulling the viewer into a false sense of security. Characters are explored and their relationships deepen. The cinematography changes and the emotions come out until the cop is handcuffed to a steel door, the cheating wife is at the mercy of her unstable husband, who happens to be handling the cop's gun.

The conclusion. After things don't go as planned, everybody is holed up in a small outdoor restaurant, the fuse of which seems to blow out all the time. In the middle of nowhere, these men are isolated and have to fend for themselves. Trust and cunning take over, and the three friends have to decide whether money or friendship is more important. Johnnie To's signature style is clear as black is the night, with smooth camera moves and airy music. The dark location lends itself perfectly to Mr. To's cinematography, who uses every shade of shadow and slow-motion movement to extract every bit of suspense and every layer of meaning created throughout the movie. Watching cops, mobsters and friends running around, shooting at each other, you’re left wondering how this will all turn out.