The Moon Thieves (2024)

Though it does over-complicate the plot at times. I did quite enjoy this daft crime caper set amidst the world of luxury watches. "Vincent" (Edan Lui) is a bit of a whizz when it comes to creating fake watches. He scavenges original parts, though, he is no cheap and cheerful merchant. He's also got a game going validating valuable timepieces for the wealthy, but clueless, folks who rather foolishly trust him to be honest!! Anyway, the plastic jacket-clad local kingpin "Uncle" (Keung To) - who looks about twelve - has his eyes set on a triptych of one-off devices that were supposedly worn by Picasso and lost after his death. They've turned up for auction in Tokyo, so "Vincent" is cajoled into the project along with his handsome buddy "Yoh" (Anson Lo) and two henchmen - the "Chief" (Louis Cheung) and his dim-witted muscle "Mario" (Michael Ning) and soon enough they are in Japan laying the plans for an intricate sting operation. "Vincent" has had a lifelong passion for the "Moonwatch". This is the watch worn by Buzz Aldrin when he went to the moon - but it, too, has disappeared. When it turns out that it, too, is at the same jewellers the whole carefully orchestrated operation goes a bit awry and that causes all of our would-be thieves to think again about what they are doing, why they are doing it - and just what's the motive of their childlike boss back home. Lui is quite efficient here as the boffin-thief, and there's a decent pace as the drama, peppered with a little comedy and an entertaining heist scenario flows along well enough until the lively conclusion. That's a wee bit convoluted, but it just about works with a solid production, not too much script and a few engaging on-screen performances from a cast who looked like they were enjoying this lark.