He was known for his action and crime films produced during the Hong Kong New Wave, many of them comprising entries in the heroic bloodshed subgenre.

Lam's other notable films include Aces Go Places IV (1986), Prison on Fire (1987), Undeclared War (1990), Twin Dragons (1992, co-directed with Tsui Hark), and Full Contact (1992).

He also directed several films in the United States, beginning with 1996's Maximum Risk, with Jean-Claude Van Damme.

His final film, a segment in the omnibus Septet: The Story of Hong Kong, was released posthumously in 2020, two years after his death.

[3] After taking a few acting roles, Lam went to Canada and studied film at York University in Toronto.

[6] Lam's next feature film was The Other Side of Gentleman, which was released 28 June 1984 in Hong Kong.

[11] After Aces Go Places IV, Karl Maka allowed Lam to make whatever type of film he wanted.

[18] The film contained an international cast including Olivia Hussey, Peter Lapis, Danny Lee and Vernon Wells.

[28] In 1995, Lam directed another period film set in 1975 starring Andy Lau titled The Adventurers.

[29] The film was shot partially in the Philippines and the United States and grossed HK$14,839,584 in Hong Kong.

[29][30] In 1996, Lam made his American debut with the film Maximum Risk starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

[2] Lam returned to Hong Kong where he shot his next film Full Alert which was budgeted at $13 million.

The film featured a supernatural storyline and had its ending changed on its Hong Kong theatrical release.

[39] Lam directed two more films in 2003: the Hong Kong production Looking for Mister Perfect and the American direct-to-video release In Hell starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

[44] Lam stated that his story in the film represented "a metaphor of my attitude towards filmmaking: It is always a love-hate process.

[44] In 2014, the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily reported that Lam would return to directing with a film with funding from Mei Ah Entertainment with a cast to include Daniel Wu and Shawn Yue.

"[43] Lam attended the New York Asian Film Festival in 2015 where he was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

[47] On 29 December 2018, Lam was confirmed dead at his Hong Kong residence at age 63, after his wife found him unresponsive in his bed.

[48][49] Lam had been working on a film "Eight and a Half" with Milkyway Image with Ann Hui, John Woo, Tsui Hark, Patrick Tam, Johnnie To, Sammo Hung and Yuen Woo-Ping.

[4] Lam chose the English titles for these films stating that it gave them "a sense of energy, of action".