Fridae

FEdison Chen may be embroiled in one of the biggest sex scandals in Chinese history. But there's no denying his still radiant sex appeal. In his new action film The Sniper, we get to see him walk around shirtless a lot (Thank you, God!), exposing his twinky torso for the benefit of red-blooded gay men and straight women who can't get enough of him.

Directed by Dante Lam (The Beast Stalker), The Sniper revolves around the tense rivalry between two police sharpshooters, played by Richie Ren and Huang Xiaoming. Both are excellent marksmen with unique shooting techniques, and both are gunning for the top position in the police force.

Things come to a head when the two are involved in a mission that ends disastrously. Xiaoming is blamed for the death of an innocent man and sentenced to jail. Xiaoming, however, blames Richie and his team for the bungle, and vows to take revenge.

Four years later, a rookie sniper (Edison Chen) joins the force and quickly catches Richie's eye with his effortless marksmanship. Richie handpicks Edison to join his team. But Edison stumbles upon Xiaoming's unusual shooting technique and becomes fascinated with jailed sniper instead. A relationship triangle develops, leading to an eventual showdown�

Helmer Dante Lam directs The Sniper efficiently, but he's also added a surprising touch of homoeroticism. Playing like a Chinese Top Gun, there are plenty of pretty boys, bare chests, macho swaggering and power play. The three-way relationship between Richie, Edison and Xiaoming feels almost like a love triangle, as the two older cops vie for the allegiance of the younger man.

The Sniper may be a B-grade film, but it's fairly watchable and unpretentious. It also marks a welcome return for Edison.