| Overall Grade: |
A |
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| Story: |
A |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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Lust caution...
by Chen Zhang (movies profile)
Jun 18, 2008
94
of
97 people found this review helpful
The author of the original short story, Ms. Chang seemed to use a pun in her choice of the word "Jie", meaning, in English, "caution" or simply "the ring". No idea why "caution" is picked over the "ring" in the English translation of the Chinese title, it was in fact "the ring" that played an important part of the movie's plots toward the end.
The movie to me is not about either the lust or caution. It is about the experience of a rightious young life in a nation under foreign oppression. This experience is not culture-based, in the sense it is unique to China, but should be felt by any member of a nation that was once under foreign occupation and oppression. You don't have to experience it yourself and all you need is to be member of a nation that experienced such oppression that left in its collective memories.
In such a life, love is no longer love, and sex is no longer sex and both are entangled with humans sufferings caused by loss of love, life, family, children and most important of all, dignities that define who you are in the world, Chinese, Jewish, Irqis or others.
It is a patriotic movie, poor rankings in the American "mainstream" media indicates lack of sympathy toward oppressed nations and individuals. I can understand that, because foreign occupation is not in the collective memory in the U.S. That is why the movie garnered prize in Europe instead.
Two most touching episodes in the movie: one is the drama within the drama, the main female character played a part in the theatre play in the movie, kneeling down to the "resistant army member", crying out "China will not die", Simple but forceful; the second being that the main female character sings a Chinese folk song to the main male character in a Japanese club. The song conveys love and sadness at the same time...when both of them meet each other's heart halfway in a way that is hard to be articulated simply: female leading, if there is no war, I could love you as a regular girl, but now I am on a mission not only to end this love but your life as well and on the other hand, the male leading, aware that he is prostituting himself to the Japanese occupation, yet still knows his own identity of being Chinese and appreciates the beauty and melencholy of this popular Chinese song in this country without nationhood...
Sex plays a role, reminding us that we humans live in this relationship between male and female all the time and in any circumstance, in war or in peace, between lovers or enemies. Sex and love that grows from it transcends and sometimes belittles responsibilities, families, age, professions and even patriotism. Reminds us that love knows no rightiousness or political agenda and if it does, it ceases to be love and not worth any more.
One of the earlier reviewer says to the effect that, be cautious about lust, it will lead to death, and even worse, love. Interesting comment.
I believe it is a terrif movie based on short story that depicts the struggle and eventual plight of individuals in time of national crisis and only those who knows that 300,000 civilian lives were lost in Nanjing at the time of the story the movie depicts without someone telling them so and who are themselves members of this nation that went through such travails can fully appreciate courage, indignation, sorrows, inner struggles and sacrifice that Ang Li tries to convey.
The true person based on which Eileen Chang wrote the short story displayed the ultimate courage and undauntedness and may she rest in peace along with so many other unknown heros that lost their lives in the struggle for that basic human diginity. |
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