Chinese filmmakers generally excel at fast-moving, technologically advanced spy stories, but this one feels rather disorganized. Following a complex surveillance and chase that results in the capture of “Nathan” (played by Nathaniel Boyd) and investigator “Yan Di” (Jackson Yee) sustaining a crossbow wound to his shoulder, the team returns to headquarters only to find their superiors suspecting a mole within their ranks. A new supervisor is brought in, and she, along with the director, believes the spy is either the injured “Yan Di” or his longtime colleague “Huang Ki” (Yilong Zhu). Adding to the tension, both are aware they're under suspicion. Simultaneously, “Yan Di” is experiencing problems in his marriage; his pregnant wife suspects infidelity, and we see him engaged in secret meetings with “Bai Fan” (Mi Yang)—though not for romantic reasons. The central question becomes: what’s really happening? That’s the core issue here. Around thirty minutes into the film, I began to wonder if it was a continuation of a series and I had somehow missed an earlier installment that would have introduced the characters, their roles, and the methods used by the criminals attempting to steal state secrets. The pacing is rapid, but without establishing much in terms of character development or plot progression, it frequently relies on flashy visual effects—effects that, as someone from Britain, make me seriously question whether we should ever permit China to construct a large embassy anywhere near the UK, let alone within a few hundred yards of our major financial district. The extent of surveillance, data manipulation, clothing tracking, and general monitoring is astonishing, and while I understand this is presented as fiction, it serves as a stark warning about the potential capabilities of a government with regulations covering virtually every aspect of life. That being said, it did also remind me how much cleaner their public restrooms are. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, and the ending suggested a possible “Scare Out II” might be in development, but this film really needed to prioritize a more unified storyline and well-developed characters, rather than relying so heavily on those intrusive on-screen graphics and drone footage of shopping centers. Ultimately, it's disappointing.

Source on TMDB