"Style over substance" is phrase which is today mostly associated with major Hollywood studio film makers, which isn't very surprising, considering the shallow content of their work. That phrase, however, can be at times applied to the work of film makers who represent the anti-thesis of contemporary Hollywood – people who make films outside USA, win festival awards and enjoy rave reviews by snobbish critics. One of those film makers is Zhang Yimou, who in the past decade was the best known and most respected director from mainland China. Unlike his colleagues from neighbouring Hong Kong, he didn't have much of the reputation among ordinary filmgoers. This partly had to do with anti-"art" bias and partly because the themes explored in his films didn't look attractive to wider audience. The one which did, at least according to title, was 1995 drama Shanghai Triad.
The plot, based on the novel by Li Xiao, is set in 1930s Shanghai. The streets of that city are ruled by Triad, ancient and deadly criminal syndicates that represent Chinese equivalent of Mafia. Shuisheng (played by Wang Xiaoxiao) is a 14-year old boy from the country who doesn't have a clue about Triads or urban life in general. He is called by his uncle (played by Li Xuejian) to Shanghai in order to work for Mr. Tang (played by Li Baotian), powerful boss of the Triad that controls Shanghai's prostitution and narcotics trade. Shuisheng, who had witnessed gangland execution on his very arrival in Shanghai, is given humiliating job of serving Xiao Jingbao (played by Gong Li), beautiful lounge singer and Mr. Tang's mistress. Xiao lives in great luxury and treats young boy like dirt, but deep down she feels trapped and abused both by Mr. Tang and his young lieutenant Song (played by Sun Chun) with whom she has clandestine affair. After the bloody attack by rival gang, wounded Mr. Tang and his mistress seek temporary shelter outside Shanghai - on the isolated island farm owned by widow Cuihua (played by Jiang Baoying).
Zhang Yimou at the very beginning shows that he is not going to treat all-too-familiar set of gangland stories, characters and motives in conventional manner. Organised crime in 1930s Shanghai - both its glamorous exterior and bloody reality - isn't that different from 1930s Chicago. What makes this film unique is the perspective. Big, modern and, for the most part, Western-looking city is seen through the eyes of naive, innocent and inexperienced boy who comes from the place that didn't change much in the last few thousands of years. Zhang Yimou allows audience to participate in the boy's amazement by wonderful production design, costumes, music and long shots that try to soak as much period detail as possible. This works perfectly, but in the second part of the film that approach becomes part of film's problems. This time the setting isn't wonderful, good-looking and exciting Shanghai - the film relocates in beautiful but prosaic countryside where nothing of importance happens and the only music is annoying childish song. The audience is not amazed or amused any more and Shanghai Triad starts looking much longer than its running time would indicate. The viewers' boredom manages to blunt the contrast between the corrupt opulence of cities and simple innocence of countryside.
Even the acting leaves something to be desired. Young Wang Xiao Xiao doesn't seem experienced enough for the complexity of his role. Stunningly beautiful Gong Li, the brightest star of Chinese cinema, also disappoints, mostly because of the script that doesn't convincingly explain her transformation from spoiled gangland princess into simple country girl. On the other hand, Li Baotian radiates enough charisma and menace in his role of Mr. Tang and proves to be one of the most formidable villains of 1990s cinema.
However, those viewers who are patient enough to sit through Shanghai Triad would probably appreciate wonderful cinematography and few instances where Zhang Yimou shows great directing skills. The ending is also unconventional for this sort of stories, at least in their Hollywood incarnations. Because of that Shanghai Triad is a film that deserves recommendation.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on May 13th 2004)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
Cent profile https://beta.cent.co/@drax
Minds profile https://www.minds.com/drax_rp_nc
Uptrennd profile https://www.uptrennd.com/user/MTYzNA
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
Congratulations @drax! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!