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Wow, I remember this one from back when I was in high school, and now I got it for a great deal thanks to HKFlix.com. GOOD STUFF, from producer John Woo! | | AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR | | Y | You know, now that I think about it, this film pre-dates "Asian Westerns" that would follow years later: like Tears of the Black Tiger, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and Sukiyaki Western Django. I'm still waiting for Too Many Ways To Be #1 to his DVD!! | City On Fire |
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| | | | | Anyone interested in a topnotch film should run right out & see this one. Those looking for the kick-ass, ultra-cool Chow Yun Fat should note, however, that this ain't him. Instead, the director Wai Kar Wai has made an American-style Western (as filtered though Leone and, yes, Wong Ka Wai) and has given a wonderfully juicy role to Cecilia Yip as the totally unrepentant bad gal. The film walks the line between macho posturing and black humor, and delivers a riveting movie going experience. So - to sum up, if you want the Chow Yun Fat of ABT or Hardboiled, you will be disappointed. BUT, let go of that concept and you'll really enjoy a great ride. | | AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR | | Y | This is accurate, and your warning that this is a very different Chow Yun Fat character is worth much emphasis. | Jeffrey Frawley |
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| OK, I'll agree that this is a good-looking film. While the film is trying to imitate an American Western, it is distinctly a HK film in style and in the way that it is filmed. The comparison to ASHES OF TIME is appropriate because the action scenes are blatant rip-offs of the sword fighting in ASHES, including the blurry, cut-frame depictions of Chow Yun Fat's manic swordplay. I think the director was so concerned with Chow "looking good" that he forgot to give him any lines or even a character. He relied so heavily on Chow's reputation as an actor that he simply didn't bother to develop his part. The plot is so completely disjointed that there is not one character that the audience can sympathize with. While the director did an excellent job filming the story, he didn't put any thought into developing it. All of the characters are complete strangers to the audience. In my opinion, Chow Yun Fat's "last Hong Kong film" is also his worst. A true disappointment. |
| | AGREE? | READER COMMENTS | AUTHOR | | Y | I'm not going to make this a "NO": If one finds the character development scanty, this is disappointing. It didn't bother me, but I see what you mean. | Jeffrey Frawley |
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| A great-looking film. Set circa 1920, Chow Yun Fat plays "The King of Killers", a one-man killing machine who, after his wife's murder, has decided to set up the "Peace Hotel", a sanctuary where anyone can stay and be protected from those who want to harm them. Although Chow has pledged never to kick anyone out of the Peace Hotel, he is put to the test by the arrival of Cecilia Yip -- a lying, conniving, penniless swindler who is wanted by a vicious gang for murdering their boss. Now Chow must decide whether to keep his pledge to protect anyone who stays at the Peace Hotel and risk an all-out war with the gang, or whether to ask the no-good Yip to leave the hotel. Strong performances (particularly Cecilia Yip) and superb direction. However, the movie is bogged down in the middle by some unnecessary plot twists. By the climactic end of the movie, you are not really sure of the reason behind each character's actions. If not for the disjoint plot, this could be a truly outstanding movie; as it is, we will have to settle for a good movie. |
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