It's funny. I had the really badly-translated DVD of this movie for years and could never watch more than 5 minutes of it without throwing my hands up in exasperation. But when I saw the "Redux" version in a theater, it became my second favorite WKW movie instantly. Beautiful and profound from beginning to end, and just as heartbreaking as "In the Mood for Love."
Here's what's strange to me, though. All the reviews, even the good ones, said the plot is impossible to follow. Are American critics stupid, or what? I had no problem following the story WHATSOEVER once it had decent subtitles. The character connections aren't immediately apparent (by intention), but by the end, everything comes together and all the character arcs dovetail. It's certainly no harder to follow than "Short Cuts" or "Magnolia." I'm truly perplexed by the idiocy of people who are supposed to be smart when it comes to movies. Sadly, I think they scared away the audience that would've made this a sleeper hit. Is it really that hard to follow?
reply
share
s0s
14 years ago
It's not hard to follow, but it does require a certain degree of concentration. Personally, I needed a second viewing to understand the main story, and that's probably because Wong Kar Wai is extremely visual. He doesn't just tell a story by showing what the characters do. Significant parts of his stories are told purely by the looks of the shot, and the environment that the character is in at the time.
Also, he never explains anything, he relies on images in a way that most American directors can't - either because the studios don't let them or because they don't dare to.
I'd say you don't "watch" a Wong Kar Wai film - you experience it.
reply
share