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[Review working title: "Love: A Revenge Story"]
Film: Revenge: A Love Story (Fuk Sau Che Chi Sei / 復仇者之死)
Year: 2010
Director: Wong Ching Po
Venue: Roxy Bar & Screen, London
Cast:
Juno MakSola AoiTony HoChin Siu HoRunning time: 90 minutes
Distribution:
Released & Distributed in the UK by Terracotta Distribution – details here (and more at foot of review):
Official Site: http://terracottadistribution.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TerracottaDistribution
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/TerracottaDistribution
Other Info:
Shown as part of the Asian Movies 'Meetup' - details here:
- Revenge: A LOGO Story (Boy, if only I'd come up with the horror sub-branding, 'Terror' Cotta!)
A tad of background: Tonight's movie was a surprise (in a way - because it was the outcome of a vote) and it was now many months after the aforementioned Terracotta Festival.
At the start of the film there is a wrestling scene which seems to last forever. Note: I don't mean wrestling in a ring - you can give a sigh of relief, Hulk Hogan does not make a guest appearance.
We are very soon subjected to images of women+1's. Yes, women with (unborn) babies. What takes place had some irony in it for me. You see, only a week or so before I'd been a tad taken a back by pregnant women scenes in the Japanese "Female Convict Scorpion" series of movies, so what was displayed tonight was hardly shocking. Ok... it was in a way, graphically anyway.
A suspect, and our main lead are soon shown in wonderful slow motion, being chased by those of the law. This lasts for quite a while. At a point where he appears to have been cornered we are riveted to, and focused on the slowness of the actions. In fact, when he puts his hands on to the back of his head we focus so intensely [his fingers are ever so closing together, causing a focal point] that the cut to the next scene is a bit of a surprise.
The latter 'slow'-mo could also be a coincidental comparison to the mind of this guy. Is he mentally slow or just gentle, genuine and quiet? He barely utters anything throughout the picture.
The remainder of this review is less about the story - intentionally - but more about it's nuances, style and comparisons to things in everyday life...
Starting with, the best 'stepping in blood' imagery I've seen in a while. Very realistic... Sticky but definitely not Sweet.
A very different use of pins is displayed. Drawing Pins? The sort you'd put on a Pin Board? Well, it can't be argued that they're not on a Board of some kind.
And, when we meet the 'love interest' I hadn't realised how popular the name Wing was, having also met a certain Wing the previous week.
We also have a good guy, bad guy chase culminating in a predicament which caused me to think "wow... this actor's on fire..." [literally]
Nearing the end and just when I was thinking that this has a hurried ending, we're a tad blown away by grey woodlands, white lighting (not White Lighting, to any English recovering alcoholics out there) & green greenery.
Then there's the red bloodery. Asian filmmakers seem to do blood the best! Perhaps though, as this is maybe best described as a whodunnit it also points to this film not being about the blood but more about who-done the spilling of it.
Lastly - and due to certain scenes near the end, involving young & innocent (looking) - I had resided in sub-heading this review & the movie itself as "Love: A Revenge Story".
So, you want a taster?
OK...
A Mini Mini Movie (i.e. Trailer)
"Revenge: A Mini Story"
[youtube=http://youtu.be/yYxIG_vzY14]
Find this Trailer and other Mini-er Movies here at:
http://www.youtube.com/miniminimovie
ENJOY!
For DVD fans in the UK and fanatics of behind the scene detail, I would recommend checking out the extras on the Terracotta release. They include:
- Making Of
- Producer Interview
- About Terracotta
- What Is Terracotta Festival
- Trailers - 8 Terracotta Films (including "Breathless" & "Sparrow")
Finally...
Film Footnote - "Virally Vended"
Further details of Terracotta Distribution and another Asian film favourite, Third Window Films are below. However, before you rush to clickety-click-away I'd like to use this space to mention the recent mindless riots experienced here in the UK. Did you know that these riots caused hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages and loss to our favourite independent film distributors? These are, essentially... Arrow Films, Artifical Eye, The BFI, Crabtree Films, Cine-Asia, Dogwoof Films, Exposure Cinema, Eureka, Kaleidoscope Films, Left Films, Masters of Cinema, Metrodome Films, New Wave Films, Peccadillo Pictures, Revolver Entertainment, Showbox Home Entertainment, Terracotta, Third Window Films and Warp Films.
So, with the latter in mind it is even more important to spread the word virally about these unfortunate vendors. On that note I leave you with these links... all which will, in some way assist in keeping such films to be distributed here in the so-called land of milk & honey.
http://www.facebook.com/thirdwindowfilms
http://www.facebook.com/TerracottaDistribution
http://www.Twitter.com/ThirdWindow
http://www.Twitter.com/TerracottaDistribution
http://www.Twitter.com/AIDED_Film
Thanks for your support... in every way.
