A_Different_Drummer

A very non-traditional Chinese action film, very Italian in terms of plot and story. Vendetta, inter-generational revenge, odd friendships, these are common themes in many European films but not what you expect in a film about Triads and gangs. The production values are flawless and top notch. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed. It is a simple story, well told, that holds the attention. Builds empathy. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The movie is above-average, the writing sharp, it holds interest, and Law, who has been absent from the big screen for some considerable time, gives a performance which reminds us why he was a Hollywood breadwinner for so many years. But the real secret to the film is how comfortable it feels. Even though dealing with a terrible topic, and terrible people, for many older film-goers it is a strange pleasure to encounter a movie based on old and recognizable themes, a movie where you do not need to take a sensitivity course, or learn a pronoun table, just to understand who is doing what to whom. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

... for an impossible movie. I tracked down this film because its creator was the artist behind Mr. Nobody 2009, one of the most brilliant (but flawed) films I have seen. This was hard to find, and there is a reason for that. It is insane. An adjective not often used to describe a movie, but appropriate nonetheless. Past the halfway point, there is a scene where Catherine Deneuve, once considered one of the most beautiful people on the planet, is discovred in bed with a large gorilla. And quite nonchalent about it. As is the gorilla. This film's observations on The Deity make Kevin Smith's Dogma seem so conservative it might have been crowd-funded by a faith-based organization. It is well produced, we expected that, and parts are interesting, yes, but overall the effect is strange, almost alien. Sometimes even the best of creators do the wrong films for the right reasons. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))