This is a Chinese film. Made with the sensitivity and sensibility of a meticulous Chinese director. At the end of the film, Mr. Yee sacrifices his Love for patriotism and Jia Zhi sacrifices patriotism for Love. The film is based in a period of turbulence where simultaneous to resistance struggle against the Imperial Japanese Army was the Civil War between the KMT (Nationalist Army) and the Communist Army. Many reviewers are concerned with the sex scenes which were nothing more than a metaphor for domination (first sex scene) and lust and finally passion where the two protagonists without so much a word of endearment falls in love and in the historical status quo beyond their control surrenders it. Mr. Yee's act of love by the gift of the diamond ring was initially construed as a conspiracy thereby ending up in the tragedy. It is an illustration of the national dichotomy. In spite of its length, the film was neither boring nor long drawn. It was full of suspense : the physical war between the imperialists and local populace and the war that was raging between the interlocking political Parties due to differences in ideology. Li An though has not brought this out in a detailed and explanatory manner has somehow blended them into the background of the plot. And finally when it was all over Mr. Yee returns home and sat on the bed, I burst into tears for the personal tragedy which has been shaped and caused by divided ideology of the fractions. The acting and especially of Tang Wei's was very good and very convincing. Jia Zhi at the offset was not particularly involved in the patriotic movement : the movies she went to watch on her own were Western Movies; the books she took to school were books in English; her father was in England and she was expected to join him. Even the clothes that she wore was meant to reflect her role for the moment : from Western designs to the traditional Qi Bao. It seems to me that it was more of peer pressure than a specific sense of patriotism that she was involved in the plot. Probably it was also due to her hope to be near Yu Min. Her infatuation for him was admitted when she made up her mind on the man in her life. With every film of this nature; some background knowledge would be useful to put the film in its historical context. From what I can gather the reviewers who gave bad reviews were those who failed to see that context and like most people who do not want to think beyond their initial reaction; this film is lost on them. No fault of Li An.
With "Brokeback Mountain" and "Lust Caution"; Li An is well on his way to become one of the great directors to emerge in the last twenty years. I believe that where his films are unsatisfactory, the studios have interfered too much. This is evident by the fact that all his uneven films are inevitably American Films with an American Cast.
With "Brokeback Mountain" and "Lust Caution"; Li An is well on his way to become one of the great directors to emerge in the last twenty years. I believe that where his films are unsatisfactory, the studios have interfered too much. This is evident by the fact that all his uneven films are inevitably American Films with an American Cast.