Cops and Robbers (1979)

Gun enthusiast Lee Bill would have been a policeman, had he not been cross-eyed. Unable to work in his chosen field, he opts for crime instead and joins two other men on a bank heist. The men take down two policemen in an alleyway and steal their firearms. Later, as their bank robbery progresses, a policeman is shot. The police, led by inspectors Chan and Chow, now have dual aims ‚ to get retrieve the guns and the cash. A lead prompts surveillance of one gang member. Soon finding the hideout, a sting results in one thief being shot, one being caught and one escaping. Now on the run and disguising his giveaway eyes, Lee wants revenge against the two lead policemen. And he sets about picking them off, using their loved ones as bait.

Cops and Robbers depicts a city where ordinary citizens hold little trust for the police; far removed from the post-ICAC Hong Kong of today. "Can't even look after their own guys," a man grumbles in a roast shop after the bank shooting. The main witness for that crime refuses to speak to the police on principle and even an Old Master Cute comic strip is raised to depict the public opinion. The portrayal of the policemen is decidedly heroic against this background, strengthened by a rousing rock number sung by producer Teddy Robin and coverage of their social lives. The guy they're up against has to be the creepiest villain I've ever seen in film, and his being cross-eyed is only part of the sensation. As he gets more and more screen time, Cops and Robbers builds into a strong and disturbing movie experience.