Overview
A dying man embarks on a desperate quest for vengeance, but time is not on his side.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- stylish
- urgent
- late night thriller viewing
- hong kong cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, tightly paced Hong Kong crime thriller elevated by its central cat-and-mouse performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Wah's four-week terminal prognosis gives his escape and revenge plan a deadline while Inspector San relentlessly chases him.
Wah's awareness that he has little time left drives his determination to avenge his father.
The robbery, escape, and detective chase are staged as an escalating game through Hong Kong's dense city spaces.
The plot frames Wah and the pursuing inspector as competitors in a winner-takes-all contest rather than a routine arrest.
Films like Running Out of Time, and why
Infernal Affairs
shared hong kong crime thriller setting, cat-and-mouse pursuit, and stylish action choreography
The Killer
shared terminal illness premise, criminal underworld tension, and emotionally charged revenge narrative
Drug War
shared detective thief rivalry, escalating pursuit, and tightly controlled hong kong action filmmaking
Movie Details
- Director
- Johnnie To
- Release Date
- 1999-09-23
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (174)
Cast
- Lau Ching-Wan
- Andy Lau
- Yoyo Mung Ka-Wai
- Benz Hui Siu-Hung
- Lam Suet
- Waise Lee Chi-Hung
- Hung Wai-Leung
- Oscar Lam Wai-Kin
- Ruby Wong Cheuk-Ling
- Jimmy Wong Wah-Wo
Common questions
- What is Running Out of Time about?
- A terminally ill thief turns a revenge mission and a detective’s pursuit into an intimate, high-stakes game across Hong Kong.
- What is Running Out of Time like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Running Out of Time as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Running Out of Time violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Running Out of Time as brutal.
- What did critics think of Running Out of Time?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, tightly paced Hong Kong crime thriller elevated by its central cat-and-mouse performances.
- Which films are like Running Out of Time?
- Films with a similar feel include Infernal Affairs, The Killer, and Drug War.
- How long is Running Out of Time?
- Running Out of Time runs 93 minutes.
