Running Out of Time 2

{{Short description|2001 Hong Kong film by Johnnie To and Law Wing-cheung}}

{{Infobox film

|name = Running Out of Time 2

|image = Running Out of Time 2 DVD cover.jpg

|caption =

|director = Johnnie To
Law Wing-cheung

|producer = Johnnie To

|writer = Yau Nai-Hoi
Au Kin-yee
Milkyway Creative Team

|narrator =

|starring = Lau Ching-wan
Ekin Cheng

|music = Raymond Wong

|cinematography = Cheng Siu-Keung

|editing = Law Wing-cheung
Yau Chi-wai

|studio = One Hundred Years of Film
Milkyway Image

|distributor = China Star Entertainment Group

|released = {{Film date|2001|12|27|df=y}}

|runtime =

|country = Hong Kong

|language = Cantonese
English

|budget =

|gross = HK$5,937,545

}}

Running Out of Time 2 ({{zh|t=暗戰2}}, literal title:Hidden War 2) is a 2001 Hong Kong crime caper film co-directed by Johnnie To and Law Wing-cheung. It is a sequel to To's 1999 film Running Out of Time, with Lau Ching-wan returning as Inspector Ho Sheung-sang, who this time has to go after an elusive thief played by Ekin Cheng.

Synopsis

The film brings back Inspector Ho Sheung-sang (Lau Ching-wan), this time to contend with another clever thief (Ekin Cheng, whose character is nameless).

The story begins when the mysterious thief targets Teresa (Kelly Lin), a wealthy businesswoman who becomes the center of an elaborate extortion scheme. Unlike the terminally ill mastermind from the first film, this new adversary is motivated purely by the thrill of the challenge and financial gain. The nameless thief demonstrates his cunning by orchestrating a series of seemingly impossible heists and puzzles that baffle the Hong Kong police force.

Inspector Ho Sheung-sang finds himself once again matched against an intellectual equal who delights in creating intricate cat-and-mouse games. The thief's methods are theatrical and precise, designed not only to achieve his criminal objectives but to engage Ho in a battle of wits that tests both men's limits. As the stakes escalate, the thief's schemes become increasingly elaborate, incorporating elements of misdirection, technology, and psychological manipulation.

The film explores themes of obsession and professional pride as Ho becomes personally invested in capturing this elusive criminal. Meanwhile, Teresa finds herself caught between the two men's dangerous game, her safety hanging in the balance as the thief uses her as both target and bait. The narrative builds tension through a series of cleverly orchestrated set pieces that showcase the thief's ingenuity and Ho's determination to match his opponent's every move.

As the final confrontation approaches, both the thief and Ho must confront the personal costs of their obsessive pursuit of victory, leading to a climax that tests not only their intellectual abilities but their fundamental understanding of justice and morality.