MovieChat Forums > Tian zhu ding (2013) Discussion > What a Great Film *SPOILERS*

What a Great Film SPOILERS

posted 10 years ago by hexedd
4 replies | jump to latest

What a beautiful and truly artistic film. The first segment was incredible. Dahai's extreme reaction to what had happened in his village was breathtaking. I felt truly unsettled that I had just rooted for a guy who went and shot several people, and that moral ambiguity is (in my opinion) the sign of a truly strong film. The beautiful symbolism of the horse (representing the "old" way and tradition) walking down the road at the end of that segment was simple and beautifully stated. I'm not sure what the overall message was, but I took it that it was a statement that the "old" way was pure and less violent than the new way.

This was a beautiful movie that did a great job of showing the pervasiveness of violence, and the idea that "violence" doesn't always have to be physical. In many cases through out the film one can make a strong case that the "social violence" is more detrimental and harmful than the physical violence.

Thoughts?

[–] monkeygland69 10 years ago

As much as I liked the film, I'd hesitate to call it 'great'.

I just found it too overt and unsubtle - the film makes little attempt to conceal its thematic preoccupations or where its sympathies lie.

To be frank, it's equally obvious why the film has proved to be popular amongst Western critics: unlike Jia's previous The World, it's relatively easy to read and circumnavigate: it's themes (like its characters and situations) are writ large.

Touch Of Sin constantly draws attention to what its about and what its priorities are: opening our eyes to the violence of globalization and/or market forces upon the socially disenfranchised.

It therefore makes it easier for Westerners to critically comment on social injustices they tend to turn a blind eye to around the rest of the western world.

Having said that, it's still a remarkable film and best viewed as polemical. At the very least least, its a deliberate provocation and certainly thought provoking.

For the record, here's an article about the real life events that inspired the film's lament for modern China

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/630636-a-touch-of-sin-a-factual-representation-of-21st-century-china/

[–] wind_highlander 9 years ago

Thank you for the link! ;)

[–] PoppyTransfusion 8 years ago

I felt truly unsettled that I had just rooted for a guy who went and shot several people, and that moral ambiguity is (in my opinion) the sign of a truly strong film.

Dahai was not an ordinary guy. He was a tiger and tigers deal with threat and injustice differently.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer

[–] hexedd 8 years ago

Yes, of course. :) I hadn't thought of it that way.