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HIGHLIGHTS FROM SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016Posted on 06 Dec 2016 |
Genre: Comedy
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Official Website:
Opening Day: 18 November 2016 (SHOWING EXCLUSIVELY AT THE PROJECTOR)
Synopsis: Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupac. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
Movie Review:
We do not blame you if “The Lord of the Rings” is the only thing that comes to mind when we mention “New Zealand film production”. The film franchise based on J R R Tolkien’s fantasy novel and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson did contribute lots of money to the economy of the island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
But not everything about New Zealandis about hobbits, elves, wizards and orcs. Ladies and gentlemen, meet 41 year old Taika Waititi - film director, writer, actor, painter and comedian.
Signs that the Wellingtonborn is a talent to look out for? He was nominated for an Academy Award for his 2004 short film Two Cars, One Night. His horror comedy What We Do in the Shadows (2014) received critical acclaim. And after 2010’s Boy, his latest work starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison are the top grossing New Zealand films.
Based on Billy Crump’s Wild Pork and Watercress, the hilarious but affecting story sees a man and a boy becoming targets of a manhunt after feeling into the New Zealand bushes (this refers to areas of native trees rather than exotic forests).
After winning the Best Supporting Actor at the New Zealand Film Award in 2013 for Shopping (nope, we haven’t seen it either), 14 year old Dennison takes on the role of Ricky, a juvenile delinquent abandoned by his mother and subsequently taken by child welfare services to live in a remote farm. Neill (we’ll always remember the actor for his iconic performance as Dr Alan Grant in 1993’s Jurassic Park) is the cranky foster father who finds himself in the wilderness running away from the authorities – no thanks to Ricky’s feigned suicide following his foster mother’s death.
The two men, one old and one young, bring to screen a charming chemistry that is sorely lacking in the cinemas these days. Backed up by a story that is almost too absurd to be true, you will journey with the pair as they go on an adventure. This is no doubt a coming of age tale, but the genuine emotions make it stand out from many forgettable movies starring bankable (not to forget, good looking) stars.
The film also features a lovely soundtrack which includes Leonard Cohen’s “Song of the French Partisan”, Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” and DD Smash’s “Magic (What She Do)”. The score is composed by New Zealand based band Moniker, and is a fascinating mix of electronic influences that will have you smiling for the entire film’s 101 minute runtime. The awe inspiring views of New Zealandbushes are a bonus to this highly recommended film.
Above all, you will be moved by the film, and the poignant life lessons it carries. After going on the adventure with the two protagonists, you will realise there is always something to learn from people around you, regardless of age. When the end credits roll, both characters would have learnt something from each other, and you would have gotten some valuable takeaways yourself as well.
Movie Rating:
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(Both funny and affecting, this New Zealand film is a gem that oozes with charm)
Review by John Li
Genre: Thriller
Director: Keishi Otomo
Cast: Shun Oguri, Machiko Ono, Shuhei Nomura, Tomomi Maruyama, Tomoko Tabata, Mikako Ichikawa, Masatoh Ibu, Nao Omori, Yutaka Matsushige, Satoshi Tsumabuki
Runtime: 2 hrs 12 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Nudity)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: www.museum-movie.jp
Opening Day: 8 December 2016
Synopsis: A body mauled to death by dogs is found and other heinous murders follow. Mysterious notes are left at the crime scenes, hinting the killings were done to punish each victim and the bodies presented in a way as though to be found. The killer only appears on rainy days and is witnessed wearing a frog mask. Police detective Sawamura (Shun Oguri) is on the case and to his surprise; he finds out the next target of the Frogman could be his beloved wife and child who have left him 2 weeks ago. As the investigation progresses, Sawamura learns that the Frogman stages the murders like works of art, calling himself an artist. Sawamura tries to corner Frogman from the clues, but is devastated to find that all was a trap. Will Sawamura survive the deadly scheme of Frogman and save his family?
Movie Review:
Museum is the latest Japanese movie adaptation from a 4-volume manga series of the same name. This suspense horror has piqued quite an interest in Japan, and was also rewritten as a novel, released just a month before the theatrical opening of the movie. Although the movie may not have widespread popularity and was ranked second on the movie's opening weekend, it definitely has a unique charm and appeal.
The story centres around the violent and grotesque killings linked to the Frogman (played by Tsumabuki Satoshi). Police investigator, Sawamura (played by Oguri Shun) then learns through the development of the case that his family's lives are endangered as well. Sawamura was subsequently dropped from the case, but he continues to pursue the killer with his own ways and lands himself in yet another puzzle to unravel.
The box office sales in Japan for museum may appear to be less than promising, but it's important to note that it was against strong competition, i.e. Your Name (aka Kimi no Na wa) - the number 1 for many consecutive weeks. The movie has a lineup of great actors who helmed and complemented the story really well. Prior to this movie, Oguri Shun was also cast for a similar role, a police investigator officer in BORDER (a 2014 Japanese suspense mystery TV drama). Over these years, Oguri has achieved a breakthrough in acting, graduating from the past 'two-dimensional' kind of acting. With these prior experiences as well as the excellent backing by supporting actor Tsumabuki Satoshi, there was depth in the character development which puts flesh to the movie. Notably, Tsumabuki nabbed a prize for his supporting role in this movie.
The director of the movie, Otomo Keishi, is also a veteran in his own right. He first made his debut as a director in the 90s, and have bagged several awards for his films. He has definitely developed his own style from similar works such as Himitsu - Top Secret (2016) and Platinum Data (2013). Other than developing and strengthening his own style, Otomo also made stark improvement in terms of the pacing. Museum, unlike some of his previous works, was more engaging and did not bore at all even though the film duration was a bit long, going slightly over 2 hours. The atmosphere was held up well and only intensifies as the mystery unravels. The only complaint is that the ending appeared too deliberate and intentional, giving it an underwhelming resolution.
The movie attempts to explore many themes and issues (e.g. childhood trauma, judicial system, etc.), but it's a pity many of those barely scratched the surface. However, this was compensated with a very original story which intertwines all these together and is intriguing, packed with suspense. To not go on too much and spoil the story, the narrative is undeniably the key hook of the movie. If you're looking for a new stimulating, horror suspense experience, look no further than Museum.
Movie Rating:
(A horror suspense without any respite. Exciting and unprecedented development that will keep you at the edge of your seat!)
Review by Tho Shu Ling
Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Matthias Hoene
Cast: Mark Chao, Ni Ni, Dave Bautista, Francis Ng, Uriah Shelton
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 8 December 2016
Synopsis: Jack Bronson (Uriah Shelton) lives in a part-time virtual world. Bullied at school and on the pumptrack, he lives with his single mom, who's struggling to meet her mortgage payments. So every chance he gets, Jack escapes into the world of computer games - via his fearless avatar, the Black Knight. One day, Mr. Chang, the antiques dealer Jack helps out after-school, offers him a family heirloom - a mysterious Chinese chest. Little does Jack know that the beautiful box that so intrigues him is actually a "warriors' gate," a magical portal into the mesmerizing world of ancient China. So Jack is stunned when warrior Zhao (Mark Chao) suddenly appears in his room one night and entrusts him with the daunting task of guarding Princess Sulin (Ni Ni). At first, Jack resists. But before long, he's smitten with the charming-yet-feisty young woman. And when Sulin is suddenly kidnapped and transported back to ancient China, Jack leaps into the enchanted chest after her, in hot pursuit. Once in China, Jack teams up with the reluctant Zhao. With the help of a trickster wizard named Wu (Francis Ng), they set off on a coming-of-age journey across a vast, spectacular landscape littered with villains and obstacles, to save Sulin from Arun (Dave Bautista), the evil barbarian warlord who plans to marry the princess, become emperor of her kingdom, then promptly kill her on their wedding night. Cowardly Jack must learn to face his fears, conquer an unknown universe, become a skilled warrior and save both the princess and her kingdom. Only then will he be able to return home and meet the challenges of his own contemporary world. The Warrior's Gate is an action-packed adventure film with martial arts derring-do, seen through the eyes of a Gen Z video gamer and set to a hip-hop breakdance beat.
Movie Review:
It may wear its tag of being the first significant ‘French-Chinese co-production’ proudly on its sleeve, but ‘The Warrior’s Gate’ is really no more than a rehash of another East-meets-West action comedy that you may remember from about a decade ago called ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’. Like the latter, it sends an American teenager back to ancient China where he learns to summon the warrior inside of him and teams up with a noble companion to save a kingdom from the clutches of an evil warlord. Like the latter, its humour is based on self-aware anachronism and its action of the traditional ‘wushu’ variety. And last but not least, like the latter, it lets its modern-day Caucasian male protagonist fall in love with a steely yet gentle female from that era, the inter-ethnic coupling not only to pander to the teenage demographic but also to ensure its appeal to audiences on both sides of the continent. And yet, if you’re willing to put aside the obvious similarities, you’re likely to find this reiteration more entertaining than you’re expecting it to be.
Such faint praise however is also premised on little expectation at the start, which is a prerequisite for any manner of enjoyment. You should not, in the first instance, expect it to make much sense, for it gives scant regard to logic or coherence. As its hero Jack Bronson (newcomer Uriah Shelton) does, you should simply accept with little question that the English-speaking Chinese warrior Zhao (Mark Chao) in steel armour and straw hat who suddenly appears next to his bedside one evening has indeed travelled through a time portal in a waist-height drum-shaped chest he had received as a gift from the antiques dealer he helps out at after school. You should also accept the warrior’s explanation that the young lady who shows up with him dressed like a princess (Ni Ni) is indeed one, and that she is on the run from some very terrible people. And while we’re at it, you should accept that you are the hero they seek called ‘The Black Knight’ – because that is the name of your avatar in a similar video game – and not hesitate to journey back in time to fulfil your destiny. Like we said, disbelief is pointless if you intend to buy into its premise.
And so begins a fantasy adventure that sees Jack jump into the portal when said Princess Sulin is kidnapped by fierce-looking Mongol and Viking-like warriors and taken back to ancient China, where the barbarian named ‘Arun the Cruel, the Horrible, the Terrible, the Miserable’ (or ‘Arun the Cruel’ in short, played by Dave Bautista) has arranged their forced marriage in order to become Emperor. Jack thus teams up with Zhao to journey across the undulating lands to Arun’s lair, with some timely help here and there from a trickster wizard named Wu (Francis Ng) who may or may not have something to do with Jack’s current predicament. Theirs is a buddy trip, where encounters with a vile mountain spirit (Kara Wai) and a trio of wicked witches (think Macbeth) will foster the bond of brotherhood between them, such that Zhao will come to teach Jack the basics of kung fu and Jack will impress upon Zhao how the latter’s life could be a happier place if he simply learnt to have fun from time to time.
It is no mystery whether Jack and Zhao will rescue Princess Sulin in time before her fateful marriage with Arun, or for that matter if Jack will eventually turn out to be the valiant ‘Black Knight’ that prophecy had foretold. Neither the climactic rescue on the morning of the forced union nor the ensuing one-on-one between Jack and Arun will raise your pulse – you’ve probably seen bigger, better and more exciting ones from China/ Hong Kong period war epics like this year’s ‘Call of Heroes’. Indeed, what’s more notable is how director Matthias Hoene balances comedy and drama to keep the tone jocular without being satirical and thoughtful without being melodramatic. That is really more difficult than it looks, considering its far-fetched premise and the tendency of such East-West mishmashes to end up reinforcing the worst cultural stereotypes of each. It is these same sensitivities that inform the somewhat multiple endings, which suffice to say are specifically crafted in order not to land up forcing Jack and Sulin to choose his or her world over the other.
In the end, the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously is essentially why this potential misfire turns out a pleasant surprise by being mildly winning. Like we said at the start, we weren’t expecting much from this rip-off of ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’, which was itself diverting but disposable entertainment. The same can be said of ‘The Warrior’s Gate’, but at least not Hoene or its French co-writers (Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen) or its East-West cast deny. Heck, even the typical over-the-top villain such as Arun gets in on the fun with a running joke about his over-enthusiastic but dull right-hand man Brutus who keeps executing the wrong person. The young lead cast of Shelton, Chao and Ni Ni also have good chemistry between them, such that we root for the Shelton and Chao as well as Shelton and Ni Ni as buddies and lovers respectively from two different eras. As long as you keep your expectations right, you won’t end up disappointed, which is pretty much already an accomplishment for a movie like this that you’re probably thinking will bomb.
Movie Rating:
(It’s no classic, but some well-placed tongue-in-cheek humour and a generally light-hearted tone makes this East-West mishmash more entertaining than you’re probably expecting it to be)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Feng Xiaogang
Cast: Fan Bingbing, Guo Tao, Da Peng, Zhang Jiayi, Zhang Yi, Yu Hewei, Li Zonghan, Zhao Lixin, Fan Wei, Liu Hua, Li Chen
Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: Golden Village Pictures, Clover Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 November 2016
Synopsis: Ten years ago, Li Xuelian and her husband Qin Yuhe staged a fake divorce to secure a second apartment reserved by the government for single people. Six months later, Qin remarried - as agreed - but to a different woman. Furious, Li filed a lawsuit with the County Court. But she lost the case because Judge Wang Gongdao was convinced that the divorce papers were in order. Refusing to accept the court's findings, Li appeals to the Chief Justice, the County Chief, and even the Mayor, but fails at every turn. She decides that only Qin can give her peace of mind, if he will just acknowledge that the divorce was fake. Instead, he publicly accuses her of being a "promiscuous woman" because she was not a virgin on their wedding night, an accusation that drives Li back to the courts to redeem her reputation. From county to city, she goes through one trial after another, until deciding to make her appeal in far-off Beijing. In the capital, she is looked after by Zhao Datou, a chef who had a crush on her when they were students. Braving resistance, Li makes her way to the leaders in Beijing who take action - by firing the Chief Justice, County Chief and Mayor who mishandled her case. Ten years go by and the cases of Li's divorce and her ruined reputation have not been resolved. Li has continued to travel to Beijing every year, but this time Zhao - now a widower - urges her to stay away. Li is furious when she discovers that he has been instructed by county leaders to stop her from pursuing her lawsuit. Meanwhile, Judge Wang - from the original court case ten years ago - has since been promoted to Chief Justice. He is tasked with ensuring that Li's case does not disrupt the annual National People's Congress. While Li is on her journey to Beijing, Wang has been monitoring her every step. Years later, by chance Li meets the County Chief who was fired because of her. He asks her why she fought so hard for her case. She reveals that when her husband remarried, she was pregnant. She was fighting not only for herself, but for her unborn child.
Movie Review:
The English title of Chinese filmmaker Feng Xiaogang’s latest work is “I Am Not Madame Bovary”. Those who are familiar with European literature will know that Emma Bovary is the titular character of French writer Gustave Flaubert's debut novel – a doctor’s wife who indulges herself in adulterous affairs and luxuries to escape the emptiness of provincial life.
In Chinese, the film title translates to “I Am Not Pan Jinlian”. Those familiar with Chinese literature will know that Pan Jinlian is one of the most vicious and therefore condemned woman in Chinese history. A fictional character in the Chinese novel Jin Ping Mei and a minor character in Water Margin, she is a femme fatale who is married to a unsightly dwarf and eventually had an affair with a wealthy womaniser. This led to her killing her own husband and subsequently, her own execution by her brother in law.
For the benefit of those have no clue who Pan Jinlian is (read: film festival juries), Feng has this covered in the first few minutes of the film.
In Chinese culture, it is an insult for women to be called Pan Jinlian – no wonder Li Xuelian, the protagonist of this Huayi Brothers produced film, is determined to take her unfaithful husband to court, together with a bunch of officials who have made her life difficult.
Li (an almost unrecognisable Fan Bingbing in a very glammed down role) and her husband get divorced to cheat the Chinese system so they can get a bigger apartment. He unceremoniously compares her to Pan Jinlian after he hooks up with another woman. Infuriated, she proceeds to systematically petition every official she can locate in an effort to have the divorce invalidated, so that she can really divorce him. No thanks to the officials who feel that this doesn’t make sense and not putting any effort into helping the village woman, the drama has Li showing up at an annual government conference in Beijing– for the next decade.
Based on Liu Zhenyun’s novel of the same name, the social commentary on government bureaucracy and inefficiency shouldn’t alienate local audiences, especially public officers who would be able to testify to how most of them are just getting by their monotonous lives without upsetting the balance of the system. When your organisation’s vision is to improve the lives of countrymen, how much of it do you, as an individual, believe in?
Having helmed 2004’s A World Without Thieves, 2007’s Assembly and 2008’s If You Are The One (followed by a sequel in 2010), Feng s known as China’s most commercially successful director. This film may be his most personal work yet - it stays in a circular frame for much of the picture, changing to a narrow rectangular frame for scenes taking place in Beijing. It may put off some viewers who feel that this is a gimmicky visual approach, but you have to admit that extra effort was put into the cinematography and editing for this to work. Every shot feels like a Chinese painting, which works well for the story’s context.
Fan, who already won Best Actress at the 64th San Sebastian Film Festival and is nominated for the same accolade at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards, delivers a toned down performance, letting the men take the limelight. Acclaimed Chinese actors like Guo Tao, Da Peng, Zhang Jiayi, Zhang Yi, Yu Hewei, Li Zonghan play their roles well, and there is never a dull moment with the screenplay’s scathingly funny dialogue.
After 128 minutes, the story comes to a quiet conclusion. The narrator tells you Li’s eventual fate as the camera captures her looking forlornly into nowhere, and you feel a sudden and poignant sense of heartbreak inside you.
Movie Rating:
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(Feng Xiaogang’s satire about bureaucracy and inefficiency isn’t all laughs – it pays off handsomely with a poignant, affecting and heartbreaking story of a woman who is rooted to her beliefs)
Review by John Li
Genre: Drama
Director: Zhang Mo
Cast: Wang Da-lu, Wallace Huo, Ni Ni, Su Ma
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 8 December 2016
Synopsis: A 28-year-old heroine (Ni Ni) is successful at work but has an unhappy marriage with her husband, Mao Liang (Wallace Huo). One day after swallowing a piece of chocolate, she miraculously transformed into her 17-year-old self, before she met her husband. This strange occurrence becomes an opportunity for them to fall in love again from scratch…
Movie Review:
Everyone leaves a part of themselves in the past – the question really is how much. That’s the reason many self-help columns and books begin by asking what your older self would say to your younger self if the two met and vice versa. ‘Suddenly Seventeen’ – the directorial debut of Zhang Mo (or better known as the daughter of acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou) based on the novel of the same name by Black.F – explores this theme with magical realism, in which the 28-year-old Liang Xia (Ni Ni) transforms into her ambitious if rebellious teenage 17-year-old self (also played by Ni Ni) by consuming an enchanted piece of chocolate. Each one however lasts only five hours, and what Liang Xia’s younger self does during those five hours is unfortunately not known to her older self. The latter not only necessitates that her two selves communicate via video messages recorded on her phone, but also serves as a running joke in which her two distinct selves set out to prank each other by setting up the latter in embarrassing or awkward situations.
And so the younger Liang Xia will come to discover that her older self is trapped in an unhappy relationship with Mao Liang (Wallace Huo), her boyfriend of ten years who is now more interested in his career than about marriage or her for that matter. So desperate was the older Liang Xia to save the relationship that she had taken the extraordinary step at her best friend’s (Ma Su) wedding to propose to Mao Liang, and when the latter turned out surprised but unmoved, Liang Xia decides to walk out of their relationship altogether. By chance, her younger self lets loose her innate talent for art during one of the initial switcheroos, triggering an ironic turn of events where Mao Liang is forced by his boss to engage her as their company designer in order to make their cosmetics line look hip and appealing to a whole young generation of Chinese consumers. Yet the older Liang Xia has over the course of the last few years all but abandoned her love for painting, such that she no longer feels creatively inspired or competent to draw anymore.
Thus sets up a quid-pro-quo between Liang Xia’s older and younger self – in return for drawing on their behalf, Liang Xia’s older self will let her sassy younger self date the dashing but roguish Yan (Darren Wang Dalu), who spends his days hanging out with a gang of friends on their motorbikes living life day by day as it comes. Things of course don’t go too well at the start; not only is Yan utterly bewildered by Liang Xia’s change in attitude when the five-hour countdown is up, but Liang Xia’s older self has to contend with her younger self trying to hijack their body-switching in order that the latter can get to spend more time with Yan. That tussle for control forms the basis for a number of hilarious comic misadventures – one has the older Liang Xia purposely setting up a date for her younger self with Yan at a ‘fiery wings’ eating competition, leading the latter scrambling to a filthy loo shortly after to relieve herself; and another has Liang Xia’s younger self spiking a drink meant for her older self, such that the former takes over in the middle of a ‘friendly’ tennis match with Mao’s boss and ends up trashing him during the game.
Thanks to Ni Ni’s impeccable comic timing, the first half of the movie pops with sheer verve and wit. As good-looking as Huo and Wang may be, the show belongs unequivocally to Ni Ni who is just at ease playing a disillusioned young adult her age as she is a precocious teenager slightly more than half her age. Ni Ni’s versatility as an actress is even more prominent in the latter half, which sheds the earlier whimsical tone for a more contemplative one that sees the older Liang Xia re-discover her sense of self-worth and the younger Liang Xia come to terms with the inevitable heartbreak of puppy love. Neither coming-of-age story is original, but Ni Ni’s committed performance keeps you emotionally invested in both personas, even as we expect that one of them will eventually have to go. More than cheering for Liang Xia to be with either guy, it is a testament to Ni Ni’s vivid acting that we end up rooting for her character to simply find happiness in life once again, with or without a romantic partner by her side.
It may be Zhang Mo’s first time behind the camera, but you won’t feel so while watching her confident debut. At no point does she turn comedy into caricature or drama into melodrama; instead, she shows sensitivity, warmth and sincerity portraying Liang Xia’s grown-up or teenage woes. Not often do we compliment the use of music in a movie, but Mo’s choice of songs to complement the mood of her movie is impeccable. As fantastic as the premise may be, ‘Suddenly Seventeen’ is a sweet and poignant depiction of the advice of them self-help books or columns are likely to give about never losing sight – despite the passage of time and the advancement of age – of who you are, what you love and where you want your life to go. Whether you’re 17 or 28, it is never too early or late to ponder and keep in mind that message of self-actualisation – and in that same way, ‘Suddenly Seventeen’ is just as deeply resonant no matter your age.
Movie Rating:
(Witty, whimsical and warm, this magical fantasy that realises the hypothetical of our younger self meeting our older self is filled with both laughs and meaning)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, Alex Wolff, Themo Melikidze, James Colby, Michael Beach, Rachel Brosnahan, Christopher O’Shea, Jake Picking, Jimmy O. Yang, Vincent Curatola, Melissa Benoist, Khandi Alexander
Runtime: 2 hrs 13 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/patriotsdayfilm/
Opening Day: 12 January 2017
Synopsis: Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Peter Berg (LONE SURVIVOR, and DEEPWATER HORIZON), PATRIOTS DAY is an account of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the everyday heroes who inspired the world in the extraordinary hours that followed. In the aftermath of an unspeakable act of terror, Police Sergeant TOMMY SAUNDERS (Mark Wahlberg) joins forces with courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent RICHARD DESLAURIERS (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner ED DAVIS (John Goodman), Sergeant JEFFREY PUGLIESE (J.K. Simmons) and nurse CAROL SAUNDERS (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the intensity and edge-of-the-seat suspense that riveted the world.
Movie Review:
This movie would have worked a lot better if this reviewer was an American, or more specifically, a Bostonian. Rightfully so, because this thriller is based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent terrorist manhunt.
For those who are unfamiliar with the incident, two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finishing line at the Boston Marathon on 15 April 2013. The explosion killed three civilians and injured more than 260 others. What followed was a manhunt for the suspects – two Chechen brothers who were identified from photographs and surveillance videos. Eventually, one was fatally shot while the other was arrested and sentenced to death.
Based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, this 133 minute movie brings viewers behind the scenes of the incident, bringing out the dynamics between the involved agencies, as well as the personal lives of the different individuals.
If the tragedy happened on our shores, the sentiments towards this movie would definitely have been stronger. We still think this is a solid production though, as feelings towards the heroes behind the war on terrorism are universal.
Mark Wahlberg teams up with director Peter Berg after the success of Lone Survivor (2013) and Deepwater Horizon (2016) to play a fictionalised policeman caught in the action of the manhunt. He is joined by a godsend ensemble cast who play real life characters: John Goodman (Love the Coopers, 10 Cloverfield Lane) as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Kevin Bacon (The Darkness, Black Mass) as FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers and J K Simmons (La La Land, The Accountant) as Police Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese. They are joined by Michelle Monaghan (Pixels), Vincent Curatola (TV’s The Sopranos) and Michael Beach (Insidious: Chapter 2) in supporting roles.
You probably can’t please everyone when you adapt a real life incident into a movie. Details may be left out, and facts may be altered for dramatisation. This is probably the case here, as the movie tries its best to present the event in the most subjective manner possible.
We’d like to think that the filmmakers’ objective of making this movie is a noble one – to pay tribute to the people who played a role in the real life tragedy. While the more cynical viewers may feel that it is an exploitative move, we feel otherwise. Emotions and action are played out adequately, thanks to a capable cast. There are some truly gripping sequences: watch out for an exhilarating exchange of gunfire between the suspects and the cops in one scene, as well as another nail biting scene where the suspects carjack an an unknowing Chinese immigrant.
Production values are high in this recommended movie – from Tobias Schliessler’s cinematography and Colby Parker Jr and Gabriel Fleming’s editing, to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score. With filming done in Bostonwhere the incident took place, there is a sense of authenticity and grit.
As you’d usually expect from a movie based on real life events, the real life characters appear at the end to talk about their reflections, while those who have lost their lives are fondly remembered on screen. This approach always works, and you’ll walk out of the theatre feeling that we can really stand together hand in hand to fight terrorism.
Movie Rating:
(The real life tragedy may not have taken place on our shores, but the noble tribute featuring solid performances from its cast manages to evoke the right emotions)
Review by John Li
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Ringo Lam
Cast: Daniel Wu, Joseph Chang, Zhang Jingchu, Amber Kuo, Zhang Ruoyun, Fan Guang Yao, Wayne Lai，Philip Keung, Eddie Cheung, Jim Chim
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Encore Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 December 2016
Synopsis: Five years ago, a mysterious fire at the lab killed Professor Poon, and the notebook containing his research on a cancer cure ‘Ex-stem cell’ disappeared without a trace. His assistant Ko Yuk (Zhang Jingchu) escaped death, thanks to security guard Chong Tin-po (Daniel Wu). After losing his wife to cancer, Tin-po enters Sky One, a top-level medical facility financed by the tycoons, as its head of security, with the hope that the lab will one day develop a cure for cancer. At Sky One, Ko Yuk also continues the professor’s research on ‘Ex-stem cell’, and she wholeheartedly believes in developing a cure to save lives. On the other hand, her husband Tong Wing-cheung, who is Sky One’s president, is a ruthless businessman who wants to use the cure as bait for greater power and wealth. Meanwhile, Chia-chia (Joseph Chang) brings his cancer-afflicted sister Jen (Amber Kuo) from Taiwan to Sky One in Hong Kong to seek medical treatment, and they find themselves caught in the middle of a violent robbery at the facility. The robbery is planned by Professor Poon’s son Chi-man (Zhang Ruoyun), who had sworn to discover the truth behind his father’s death. Chi-man steals the ‘Ex-stem cell’ cure and engages in an explosvie battle against Tin-po and his security team.
Movie Review:
“Fire”, “City”, “Wild” and “Full”. Those familiar with action auteur Ringo Lam’s works will know that his movie titles somehow have the tendency to contain the above words. Be it coincidental or playful on the producers’ part, it’s always welcome to see yet another Lam’s work on the big screen.
His sophomore effort after his semi-retirement comeback effort Wild City is less gritty, less complicated and absolutely ridiculous. Set in a crumbling society, he attempts to tell a story filled with colorful characters each with their own motive and backstory. The ingredients are in place, the chef is ready; unfortunately no one realized the recipe is half-baked.
On paper, Sky On Fire sounds exactly like a high octane Hollywood blockbuster. A top-level medical facility, Sky One is on the brink of developing a cure for cancer. But somehow it’s linked to a mysterious fire which killed Professor Poon and destroyed his research material five years ago. With Poon’s passing, his assistant Ko Yun (Zhang Jingchu) wholeheartedly continued with the research. Her husband (Fan Guangyao) on the other hand is the ruthless CEO of Sky One, who has other plans for his ex-mentor and wife’s creation, the Ex-stem cell.
When the son of Professor Poon, Zhiwen (Zhang Ruoyun), hijacks the truck carrying the revolutionary cancer cure medicine, all hell breaks loose. In comes the head of Sky One security Tinbo (Daniel Wu) who will risk anything to get it back. At the same time, some dark secrets are about to spill along with an inevitable bloodshed because Zhiwen believes there is more to his father’s death.
In most of Ringo Lam’s classic past works, his protagonist is mostly a flawed character and not someone you associate with the typical hero. Take for example Ko Chow, the undercover cop in City On Fire, and Ting Ching, the prisoner in Prison On Fire. His movies normally celebrate the mayhem and the imperfection of mankind and audiences went crazy over his style just like those who loved John Woo’s ultra-violent set pieces. Lam’s subsequent works The Adventurers and The Suspect makes absolutely good use of location shooting in Thailand and Philippines, with Full Alert establishing itself as a worthy crime thriller between a cop and a crook set mostly in the busy streets of Hong Kong.
Sky On Fire reminisces none of Lam’s previous grounded works - unless he is trying to discard his old self. The entire movie is one boring chase after another with plenty of flashbacks inserted in-between that no one cares about. In other words, the entire movie revolves around the cancer-curing miracle and lame exposition. It offers so many familiar stars from HK to the Mainland to Taiwan but none has enough screentime to flash out the characters they played.
Daniel Wu’s Chong is a tragic character who lost his wife to cancer and subsequently lost his faith. Yet he is somehow determined to retrieve back the cell to save lives. He is supposedly the leading man in this action thriller but his screentime is limited to being a super soldier who engages in bloody PG13 fistfights. Taiwanese Joseph Chang reunites with Ringo Lam to play a brother who is desperate to save his cancer-stricken half-sister played by cute as a button, Amber Kuo. Save for a heroic leap from one rooftop to another, his role only requires him to scream a little and gets bloodily beaten up.
Those looking for action spectacle will again be disappointed by the lack of it. With the exception of a few badly framed car chases (a real Maserati is apparently used) and a few unmemorable hand-to-hand combat, the action sequences are pathetic. Making things worse is the heavy use of CGI, the kind that looks alarmingly bad on the big screen. We are confident you can easily spot a CGI tower, a CGI helicopter and lots of CGI explosions but nothing matches the enthusiastic performance of baddie Wolf (Li Haitao). The movie never fails to hit the high note whenever Wolf appears to beat up someone.
If Lam’s idea is to making a heart-pounding medical thriller with questions about morality and faith, he never accomplishes what he set out to make. Implausible and too ambitious for its own good, we deserve a much better movie, especially since it is coming straight out from the hands and brain of Ringo Lam.
Movie Rating:
(The most generic Ringo Lam movie ever)
Review by Linus Tee
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