Screening Asia - Essay Example

? Screening Asia SCREENING ASIA Derek Elley gives a positive review for the movie Election. He discusses the main themes of the movie and relates them to other movies that deal with Hong Kong and Mainland China Triads. The theme for this movie, as discussed by Derek in his review, deals with the dynamic relationships in the Hong Kong underground Triads, particularly its leadership. He does this by pointing out the political ramifications of the choices taken by various members of the triad. Those who choose wisely benefit from those who get into power, while the others end up being killed (Scott, 2007: p1). In short, Derek points out the most important message of the movie; in the triads, you win or you die. Only those who manage to get into leaderships positions are able to control their own destinies. The ones who are content with being their master’s servant will suffer for his sake and will be doomed if their leader loses. The reviewer also discusses the theme of tradition as presented in the movie with the triad leader required to fulfill several obligations that are required, for the leader, to assume power. These include getting the Dragon’s Head Baton and the violence that follows when the two antagonists try to get to it. The latter reveals the deep-seated traditional respect the triad members hold for the baton (Scott, 2007: p1). The reviewer also manages to place election in its proper context, which is within the Hong Kong Triad traditions. By comparing the movie to other triad movies and the fact that Election does not have guns, unlike other triad movies, Derek Elley already gives the reader the setting for the quintessential triad movie. The reviewer also compares it to classic triad movies such as To be Number One, PTU, and The Mission. The reader already expects that such a favorable comparison to these classic movies will adhere to the classic triad movie storyline. He moves on to further contextualize the film as being set against the backdrop of a triad election, which differentiates it from the other movies he compares it to and makes it a separate entity to these movies. The reviewer is also awake to the genre that election belongs to, and as discussed, goes as far as comparing it to the classic To be Number One. However, I do not feel that he discusses this genre well enough to allow the reader to form a conclusion as to whether the movie is good enough to be a classic. The techniques in the movie are well addressed with the reviewer noting that, unlike previous triad movies that rely, on violence and gunfights, to show the struggle within these triads, the film employs hand-to-hand combat, as well as power-play conversations, which works towards supporting one of the movie’s main themes of tradition. Brian Gibson gives a similar review for election, although he also gives a review for the sequel, Election 2. Like Derek, Brian discusses the movie’s theme at the beginning of his post, which involves Hong Kong Triads and their control of the Hong Kong underground. Unlike the previous review, Brian delves into these activities; including prostitution rings, gambling operations, and drug smuggling. By including these activities, the reviewer, illuminates the theme better than in the early review. It shows a world with no morals, and this sets the stage for him to discuss the bitter and no-holds barred competition between the two men vying for leadership of the triad (Scott, 2007: p1). The reviewer, just like in the previous review, also discusses the theme of tradition in the Hong Kong underground, which is a major theme of the movie. In his review for the sequel, Brian also covers the theme of crime adequately enough, particularly because it is the main theme of the sequel. In this case, he also discusses pornography as part of the triad’s new dealings, which forms another theme of the movie. However, unlike in the previous review, Brian is more critical of the movie, particularly its sequel, comparing it unfavorably with the first installment. According to review, the movie does not seem to add much to the storyline started in the first movie, although it does have more violence than its predecessor does. However, even this is criticized in the review with the reviewer claiming that the violence does not work in the way it is supposed to. Whether this is due to the lack of violence in the first movie, is not discussed. Instead, the reviewer contends that the violence introduced in the sequel is too willfully perverse and explicit to form a disturbing image of the Hong Kong underground. This contrasts starkly with the review he gives for the first installment, in which he praises the toned down violence as helping to focus the audience on the intricacy of the power struggle between the antagonists. The reviewer also does his best to put the movie into context, choosing to begin by discussing Hong Kong films about triads and their visible forms. He discusses the imagery of men sitting in dark corners controlling their crime empires remotely while making money. He also addresses the context of the movie in terms of triad leadership handovers and the bloodletting, which occurs as different members realign with those they believe should be in power. In addition, the reviewer also discusses the techniques that the movie employs with the lack of violence, which is substituted by meetings that discuss the violence, as well as hand to hand combat, in coming up with the new leader of the triad. Unlike the previous review, Brian also discusses the movie’s score and the effect that it has on the overall movie. According to him, the score is effective in adding drama and suspense to the movie. He discusses the camerawork in the movie, as well, which he contends makes the movie akin to an art-house gangster film. In addition, it also gives the movie a dark elegance that aids the movie to create the image of vicious criminals. The two reviews are somewhat similar with the main differences being on the detail each reviewer pays to the techniques used in the movie. While they both discuss the themes adequately, the latter review gives a better critique of the techniques employed in the movie. The two reviews are also generally positive with regards to the first installment of Elections, although the review by Brian about Elections 2 is negative. However, the first review does not do any review of this sequel, and as such; it is not possible to tell whether this view of the movie was biased since no comparisons can be made. References Scott, A. O. (2007, April 25). A Low-Key Gangster’s Rise in Sunny Hong Kong. Retrieved September 12, 2013, from The New York Times: http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/movies/25elec.html?_r=1& Read More