This two-hour pilot for the Canadian TV series is inspired by
John Woo's 1991 Hong Kong film of the same title, but the story has been altered extensively. Mac (
Ivan Sergei) and Li Ann (
Sandrine Holt) are the foster children of a powerful crime boss. With their foster father's biological son Michael (
Michael Wong), the three make up a trio of high-tech burglars. When Li Ann is forced to become engaged to Michael, she tries to escape with Mac, whom she really loves. On their way, they pull a failed heist on one of their adoptive father's warehouses. Mac goes to prison believing Li Ann is dead. Years later, he is released from prison by a covert law enforcement agency based in Vancouver and is pressed into using his skills for good. He discovers that Li Ann is a part of this agency, but so is her new fiancé Victor (
Nicholas Lea). When they're assigned to stop a Hong Kong crime family that's taking over Vancouver, they realize they're going to meet with Michael once again. The fact that this thriller is actually a television program and not a feature is evident in its slightly lower production values; however,
Woo proved with the original
Once a Thief that he could make a thriller without much violence, and the 1996 edition still has the ability to entertain. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide