Breaking news

When the embarrassing defeat of a police battalion by five robbers is broadcast on TV,
the credibility of the police force drops to a depths of despair. Soon the position of the
robbers is discovered and the building they occupy becomes overwhelmed by
thousands of policemen. To beat the media at its own game, Inspector Rebecca
decides to turn the stakeout into a breaking news show by sending officers into the
building with wireless cameras atop their helmets. To her surprise, the robbers also
start using the media to turn against the police. Media warfare soon erupts amidst a
fierce battle of life and death.

To renew the great tradition of Hong Kong cop movies, the award-winning
director Johnnie To has added an extra ingredient to the genre: the media.
Screening out of competition in Cannes, Johnnie To's “Breaking News” mixes
hostage taking and media manipulation.