great visuals overcome confused storyline
Added 9/20/2009
***1/2
Good luck trying to make any kind of sense out of "Exiled," a largely incoherent Chinese mob drama that at least boasts exquisite photography by Cheng Siu-Keung and uber-stylish direction by Johnnie To to hook and enthrall us. In fact, so riveting are the movie's visuals that you won't even mind that you can't tell who's who without a program or figure out how any of the characters are related to one another in the context of the narrative. It all has something to do with a gang of assassins trying to protect one of their own from the very mob boss who has sent them on a mission to take the man out - but I'll be damned if I can explain anything more that happens in the movie.
Suffice it to say that with its meticulously composed, wide screen framing, its stylized action scenes - kind of a cross between Quentin Tarentino and Robert Rodriguez - its visual correlatives, and its dark, velvety colors, the movie makes it hard for us to tear our eyes off the screen even for a single second.
Almost a textbook case of style triumphing over substance, "Exiled" is a true cineaste's delight. And hang the story.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Unified China: Colonial Heritage
Added 7/5/2009
Gangsters of Hong Kong try to destroy gangsters of Macao for an unclear reason the gloomy future under oncoming gangsters of China unified to bring.
Technically staged and involving handsome actors, this horror-police-drama-piff-puff movie of male bonds and their ascendants oncoming is easily followed by liking motion rather than elementary sense and context of the screened.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Exiled: Guns and Friendship
Added 2/4/2009
Though Johnnie To is often associated with Hong Kong gangster films, the prolific director has actually tried other genres of film like supernatural or romantic ones. Still, the fact remains that the respected veteran is at his best when making films about the underground world with stylish visuals, and "Exiled" once again proves his expertise with his great camera and skills to tell a powerful story of brotherhood.
In the opening scene that reminds us of old Italian-made Western films, two gangsters visit an old house in Macau, where they think someone named Wo (Nick Cheung) is living. Wo's wife Jin (Josie Ho) answers the door and says no, shutting the door on their face. Then another two gangsters arrive, quietly asking the same question. Obviously those four men have some business to do, but their motives will not be revealed until one highly-stylized shoot-out begins.
"Exiled," which was filmed without script, is made of a series of set-pieces or vignettes mainly involving the friendship between the five male characters - Blaze (Anthony Wong), Tai (Francis Ng), Cat (Roy Cheung), Fat (Lam Suet) and Wo. There is a ruthless triad boss Fay (Simon Yam with over-the-top acting) who has unfinished business with Wo, whose only wish is to leave money to his wife and child.
Johnnie To has shown his great talent as director here with his wonderful camera work in the several shoot-out scenes that are impressive. But as in some of his previous films (like fantastic "The Mission") "Exiled" is not just about actions, but is about camaraderie between these male characters. There isn't much dialogue because these men don't need them, and the chain of events in "Exiled" which includes incredible coincidences about robbery and subplots about Wo's strong-willed wife, always stresses their relationship. Those characters may look stereotyped, but with the terrific acting from the entire cast, their story of friendship is a genuine one.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
really really good crime drama with bad lighting...
Added 6/17/2008
i've seen The Mission and Full time Killer and have generally been pleased with Johnnie To's work.
the acting was great, the story/writing/characters were good, but lighting some of the action sequences (the shootout in the restaurant, followed almost immediately by the shootout in the doctor's office) were almost impossible to follow because of his choice of angles and lighting. now, i have a region 1 disc, so if there is a better version out there, get it.
this was a really good movie that, in terms of acting, writing, and directing; is on par with anything that john Woo has done.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
|
Johnny To riffs on The Wild Bunch in Macau
Added 12/28/2007
Exiled isn't as good as Johnny To's previous effort, Election 2, although still stands head and shoulders among most recent action movies despite its flaws. The protracted opening sequence tends to feel a bit too much like posing until it really gets going and despite usually being at his best in To's films, unfortunately Simon Yam goes all Jack Nicholson this time out as the gang boss whose impatience causes all the problems. There are some nice moments of humanity, like the widow continually squeezing the trigger of a gun long after she's emptied it, but the riffing on The Wild Bunch starts to feel awfully self-conscious at times. Still, Red Bull must be pleased as punch to have the classiest bit of product placement in recent years, and "There's no furniture" may just be my favorite line of dialogue all year.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
