REVIEW: DVD Release: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing – Complete Collection 2/2

Series: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing – Complete Collection 2/2
Release date: 23rd August 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 600 mins
Director: Masashi Ikeda
Starring: Ai Orikasa, Akiko Yajima, Hikaru Midorikawa
Genre: Anime
Studio: Beez
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Whilst Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, the second Gundam series, didn’t fare so well in its home country, it was immensely popular in the US when it aired on the Cartoon Network, and is considered by many the series that popularised the giant mecha-suit genre of anime.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is set far in the future in an alternate universe. Earth has conquered and colonised space, but rules its outer colonies with an iron fist.

Five scientists from different colonies each build a Gundam, a giant mobile suit made from a special alloy called Gundanium, and train a teenage boy to pilot it on a mission to disrupt Earth’s powerbase.

At first, none of the pilots are aware of each other, leading to confrontations as each goes about their separate missions.

The second box-set picks up the action where the previous episodes left off, with the various Gundam pilots – Heero, Duo, Wufei, Quartre and Trowa – split up and pulling in different directions. Wufei is forced to work as a double agent for OZ, the military wing of Earth’s government. Following the death of his father, Quartre has had a Gundam Zero built – a Gundam with a revolutionary targeting system, which has the unfortunate side effect of driving its pilot insane through prolonged use. Quartre’s battle with Heero and Wufei ends with Wufei’s Gundam destroyed, and Wufei missing presumed dead. In the meantime, the Rommefeller Organisation, which controls many of Earth’s countries as well as OZ, has pressed ahead with its decision to mass-produce Dolls – automated mobile suits. When Trieze, leader of the OZ, publicly declares his distaste, he is placed under house arrest. With the Gundam pilots and their archenemy disenfranchised, the fate of Earth lies in the balance…


There is a weird juxtaposition between the catchy, breezy theme tunes which book-end each episode, and the dark nihilistic heart that is contained within each chapter. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing’s overarching theme seems to be that whilst glory can be attained from individual battle, war itself is a dirty, confusing business, where noble causes can be left in the dust as people’s agenda’s change. The five Gundam pilots, sent out on a mission of hope at the beginning of the series, are seen as a dangerous liability by their creators by the half-way point.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is likely to be one of those TV series’ which is viewed with rose-tinted glasses – everyone remembers the striking mech design, not just the suits, but vast military hardware on display, and the beautifully rendered backdrops. What will have been forgotten is the dense plot with its cast of hundreds.

The story is pretty heavy going, with various factions appearing in the second half of the series, and previous organisations changing sides. The series thoughtfully provides two recap episodes to attempt to bring stragglers up to speed, but they are initially confusing because there is no mention that this is their intention. For those fully up to speed, however, these episodes aren’t redundant as they go over events from a fresh perspective (Relena and Trieze, respectively), painting some characters in a different light. Heero, for example, comes across as a dangerous psychopath through the eyes of Relena.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing isn’t a series you can just dip into. Taking episodes in isolation, it is sometimes difficult to register the series’ momentum with regards to its story, and the two recap episodes only help to slow things down as well.

The animation style is quite standard, especially for the period. The mech design contrasts with the stately, old fashioned uniforms and costumes, covered in lots of brocade and medals, whilst the people live in quaint villages and towns overshadowed by Fairytale castles. The various duels that take place are intercut with split-screen close-ups of the pilots spouting exposition, while the action remains a little confusing, even given the unique design of each Gundam.


Across its 49 episodes, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing delivered a complex storyline which didn’t flinch from either glorifying battle or vilifying the act of war itself. Whilst the series is dated in terms of pacing and animation style, the designs of the Gundam suits remain etched in the memory of every boy who’s seen an episode, and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing would pave the way for other, better series’, such as Macross. MOW

REVIEW: Blu-ray Only Release: Le Cercle Rouge

Film: Le Cercle Rouge
Release date: 13th September 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Starring: Alain Delon, Yves Montand, Bourvil, François Périer, Gian Maria Volonté
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: Blu-ray
Country: France/Italy

Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Cercle Rouge was originally released in 1970, and is an outstanding example of the director’s style. The film was the second collaboration between the director and actor Alain Delon, and represented the same sort of artist/muse relationship as exemplified by the likes of Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro, John Ford/John Wayne, and John Woo/Chow Yun Fat. Delon’s stoical style of acting lended itself well to the cool laconic characters of Melville’s films, such as Le Samourai and Un Flic.

Whilst being transported to prison via overnight train, convicted murderer Vogel (Volonte) makes a daring escape from inspector Mattei (Bourvil), the policeman guarding him. A huge dragnet exercise ensues in an effort to recapture him, but Vogel is able to evade the police by stowing away in the boot of a car. That car has just been purchased by Corey, just out of prison.

Corey has already managed to upset his old mob boss since his release, and is now planning a big jewellery heist based on a tip-off from a prison guard. Together, with the help of former policeman and expert marksman Jansen, they pull off a daring robbery, but the police and the mob are hot on their heels…


Le Cercle Rouge contains almost zero exposition, the audience expected to pick up on details as depicted on screen. During the opening scenes, we witness two men racing to the train station to catch their train at the last minute. It is only when the two men are inside their compartment that we learn something of who they are and what their relationship is: Inspector Mattei, handcuffed to his prisoner Vogel. Another example is the soured relationship between Corey and his old mob boss, which is never explicitly explained, but the fact that his ex-girlfriend is sharing the boss’ bed when Corey calls on him in the middle of the night just might have something to do with it. Similarly, we never discover why Vogel was being sent to prison, only that he is a murderer.

The people who occupy the world of Le Cercle Rouge are all men of few words (there is only one female character of note, and she has no dialogue at all). Despite the amount of intricate visual detail on show, there is very little discussion, and what there is takes place in a very oblique manner, and any information or exposition discussed between characters occurs either just before the start of a scene, or just after the scene cuts away.

Modern audiences more used to quick-fire editing and visual short-hand might find the meticulous pace of Le Cercle Rouge a bit tough-going. Melville likes to show the detail and process of every little action. Take, for example, the scene where Corey and Vogel finally come face to face, after Vogel has stowed away in Corey’s trunk. We watch as Corey drives his car into the middle of a muddy field. The camera slowly pans around 360 degrees to show that there isn’t a living soul between here and the horizon, so Vogel will know that he is safe for the time being.

Similarly, with the jewellery heist, Melville’s deliberate pacing mirrors the perfectly planned and executed robbery. Modern films would showcase the planning, taking the audience through it before it takes place, allowing the film to take short-cuts in its presentation. Melville, instead, chooses to leave the audience in the dark, forcing them to follow each step as it takes place.

Despite the glacier pacing, the film still manages to provide a number of surprises. When we first meet Jansen (Yves Montand), he is a wreck of a drunk, collapsed in a bed surrounded by empty bottles. He’s also suffering from some bizarre hallucinations, which Melville chooses to treat as real, physical manifestations to both Jansen and the audience. It’s a very surreal moment in a film which is set very firmly in the everyday. Another exemplary shot is towards the beginning, as we see Inspector Mattei framed in the window of the speeding train, as the camera pulls back into the sky. It’s the sort of shot which would only be attempted these days with the use of CGI.


Melville’s Le Cercle Rouge is a meticulous, drawn-out affair which may leave modern film fans restless. For everyone else, the film is a treat of cool posturing and intricate plotting. The Blu-ray edition is so picture-perfect that you’d think it had been filmed just last week. MOW

REVIEW: Blu-ray Only Release: À Bout De Souffle

Film: À Bout De Souffle
Release date: 13th September 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 87 mins
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Pierre Melville, Henri-Jacques Huet
Genre: Crime/Drama/Romance/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: Blu-ray
Country: France

A Bout De Souffle has influenced countless modern filmmakers, such as Quentin Tarantino, whose pop-culture literate style owes a lot to Godard. Michel’s plight is always on our mind – the film is peppered with reminders of how the police are closing in on him – but mainly we’re just hanging out with this young hip couple as they discuss contemporary music, films and novels, and smoke an incessant number of cigarettes.

Small-time hood and car thief, Michel Poiccard (Belmondo) kills a policeman with a pistol he found in his stolen car. Returning to Paris, he goes to see an American girl called Patricia (Seberg), with whom he had a fling with in Nice.

Michel needs to leave the country, and is trying to track down some colleagues who owe him money. In the meantime, he and Patricia hang out, as he tries to convince her to leave with him, while Inspector Vital closes in…


Jean-Luc Godard’s first feature was quite shocking for its time, not for its content but the way in which it was filmed and edited. Using lightweight equipment meant that Godard could set up a shot in a moment, filming on the busy streets of Paris in ways that had been impossible before. Many of the external shots of A Bout De Souffle seem to have been shot ‘guerrilla’ style, with members of the public passing by, oblivious. There’s a classic, blink-and-you’ll miss it shot of a girl with a similar haircut to Jean Seberg’s walking close to her, giving her hairstyle a critical look before walking on. This style of filmmaking works against the film at times though – some of the scenes shot at night utilise natural back-ground light and its nigh-on impossible to make out any detail. The dialogue was recorded in sync, too, and there are times where conversations are drowned out by traffic and sirens.

The most controversial element of the film is the editing. Godard had originally shot the film in a more traditional manner, with the requisite establishing shots and reverse angles, but the first cut running time came in well over two hours in length, needing to be closer to the ninety minute mark. As he wanted to achieve this without losing any scenes, Godard trimmed the scenes down, discarding establishing and reverse shots. This gives the film it’s strange, jump-cut look.

The jump-cut editing has a tendency to wrong-foot the film’s audience, giving the impression of an amateur filmmaker who has more or less cut-and-pasted scenes together, mismatching shots in the process. However, the camera-work is exemplary, never losing focus on the film’s protagonists. There is what looks like a crane-shot as Michel first catches up with Josephine, and they walk together down the Champs Elysee. Another wonderful shot is the finale, as the camera follows behind Michel as he runs down a busy street. Apparently, this was created by Godard pushing the cameraman in a wheelchair.

The story itself is paper-thin: Michel needs to call in some debts so he can flee the country, and spends the running time tracking down his erstwhile friends, and trying to convince Josephine to come with him. The problem is that Michel is a casually violent, sociopathic man-child. He’s a little older than Josephine, but a lot more immature. He gets away with it by being incredibly handsome, and has any number of women fawning over him. He’s obsessed by American-made cars - and makes a point of stealing them at any opportunity. Josephine, meanwhile, an American about to study at the Sorbonne, isn’t exactly wise beyond her years. Her attempt to rationalise a major decision she takes towards the end of the film is full of awkward adolescent musings.

Actress Jean Seberg was already a well-known star, having previously starred in Saint Joan, while Belmondo was a relatively unknown actor – at least until the film was released. The man just effuses Gallic Cool. Seberg is very easy on the eye, and gives her character a confident sexuality - someone who isn’t afraid neither to discuss sex nor to deal maturely with her lover’s more overt sexual advances.

Famously, Godard started production without a finished script (the original story was worked out by himself and Francois Truffaut), and was writing dialogue in the morning for scenes he was shooting that afternoon. This may have lent the characters their contradictory nature.

Studio Canal’s Blu-ray release contains a restored version of the film, colour-correcting some scenes and restoring shots which had previously been edited due to damaged stock. This edition contains a number of extras, including a great introduction by Colin Maccabe, who goes into some of the background to the making of the film. There are two documentaries, one interviewing American artists who came into contact with Goddard and how he influenced them, the other set in the hotel room rented by Michel in the film.

The subtitles for A Bout De Souffle need mentioning, especially in regard of the film’s final lines of dialogue. It seems that every new release of the film contains a different translation for this sequence, and Studio Canal’s version is no different. In each case, Inspector Vital takes Michel’s last words and twists them into an insult towards Josephine. Here, Michel utters, “I am such a creep,” and when Josephine asks what he said, the inspector replies, “He said, you are such a creep.”


Jean-Luc Godard’s first feature was a daring experiment in defying the conventions of cinema, almost by default rather than design. It established him as a darling of the French New Wave, and made a star of Jean-Paul Belmondo. Goddard focuses on the seemingly trivial rather than the conventional drama of a criminal evading the police, which becomes mere background noise in the face of the sheer sex appeal of the two leads. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Fireball

Film: Fireball
Release date: 18th January 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 90 mins
Director: Thanakorn Pongsuwan
Starring: Preeti Barameenat, Khanutra Chuchuaysuwan, Kumpanat Oungsoongnern
Genre: Martial Arts
Studio: E1
Format: DVD
Country: Thailand

There have been only a handful of movies that have tried to blend martial arts with mainstream sports. Stephen Chow’s Shoalin Soccer was a fine blend of a typical sports movie (underdogs overcome immeasurable odds to win championship) with fantasy martial arts (said underdogs were highly skilled Shaolin Monks). The Jay Chou vehicle, Kung Fu Dunk added teen romance to the above mixture. However, Thanakorn Pongsuwan has turned the idea on its head.

Tai (Barameeana) is finally released from prison after his twin brother managed to raise the appropriate bribe money. However, once on the outside, Tai discovers his brother is in a coma. It turns out that he’d raised the money taking part in a Fireball tournament – a cross between basketball and street-fighting.

Posing as his twin, Tai is recruited by Boss Den, an ambitious upstart wanting to gain respect with his peers. Tai and his team-mates must bond quickly. They have the individual talent but must work together if they are to win the tournament – let alone survive...


Forgoing the usual tourist sites of Bangkok, Fireball is wholly set amongst the crowded poor districts of the city - the poverty illustrating the drive of the young fighters to win the tournament and escape. Director Thanakorn Pongsuwan gives us a more gritty perspective of life on the wrong side of the tracks. This is exemplified best by a free-running training match, as the team compete with each other to get the basket ball from a tenement block to a basketball court.

The rules of Fireball are simple – to win you must score one basket, by any means, or to be the last team standing. It becomes pretty clear that the concept of actually scoring a basket is not something these guys are familiar with, preferring to beat the hell out of their opponents to win. The crowd seems to enjoy this approach, too. You suddenly realise just how serious things are when one team’s group of managers throw in knives and metal stakes to try and give their team an edge. It’s a fascinating moment in that no-one – not even our team – cries foul; they just deal with the new development as if it were expected.

Characterisation is streamlined at best, although we see each player in turn, either at work or at night with their families, illustrating why each wants to be involved in such a dangerous sport. This helps give some scenes, including a devastating betrayal, a lot of dramatic weight. However, when the film gives Tai a sub-plot involving his brother’s girlfriend this, unfortunately, slows down the film. Fireball definitely comes alive when focusing on the matches.
.
The action on court is very frenetic and brutal, but unfortunately a lot of the editing leaves you confused or disorientated as to what is going on. There is little flow to the antics on court, just a patchwork of images - but what images! If there is something Thai action movies get right, it’s turning a bone-crunching confrontation and into a photogenic spectacle.

Along the way there are a few plot twists and high tragedy, which for once in a Thai action movie make sense in the context of the story, building to the final match - an intense finale which takes place inside a shipyard, where the ball is forgotten about pretty early on.


Fireball is a million miles away from more recent martial arts/sports movies in style and tone – concentrating on gritty street-fighting, with the sport an almost afterthought. With a more subdued film style, the proposed prequel could deliver on this film’s faltered promise. MOW

SPECIAL FEATURE: DVD Review: Vengeance

Film: Vengeance
Release date: 28th June 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Johnnie To
Starring: Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Testud, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam
Genre: Crime/Action/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong/France

This is an English-Language release.

For many years, director Johnny To was Hong Kong’s best kept secret. Although Hong Kong fans became aware of his stylish direction with the likes of Heroic Trio, Executioners and Barefoot Kid, it wasn’t until 2005’s Election that the international film critics really took notice. Since then, every film baring To’s name has been eagerly anticipated. Last year’s Terracotta Asian Film Festival showcased To’s Sparrow (2008), and this year the festival featured his latest, Vengeance.

Johnny Hallyday is Costello, a retired hitman who now owns a restaurant in Paris. When his daughter’s family is brutally assassinated in Macau, he heads there to take revenge on those responsible. Meanwhile, Kwai (Wong) is ordered by his boss George Fung to kill his lover, who’s having an affair with one of his bodyguards.

Costello’s path crosses with Kwai and a job offer is made – help him find and kill those responsible for his daughter’s death. Two problems arise in their arrangement: Costello is losing his memory due to an old bullet lodged in his brain, and the man behind the assassination is close to Kwai...


There is so much to take in with Vengeance. On the surface, it’s a straightforward tale of revenge, as a father looks for his daughter’s killers. But, typically with Johnny To, there is much more on offer here. Vengeance is the final part of the loose trilogy, which includes The Mission and Exiled, and is another examination of the morals and codes of honour hitmen live by in the world of cinema. On top of that, the way the film is directed, acted, framed, shot, edited and scored puts it on a level of artistry few other films, genre or not, can achieve.

Take, for example, the scene when Costello first crosses paths with Kwai and his crew, who have arrived at the same hotel Costello is staying in to assassinate Fung’s straying lover. The hit itself is cold and methodical – the couple in bed don’t have time to realise what’s happening to them. As they come out into the corridor, Chu (Ka Tung Lam) turns left, his back to the camera. Lok (Lam Suet) turns right, and freezes, looking past our (the camera’s) shoulder. Finally, Kwai exits the room. It takes him a second to register something is amiss, and he and Chu turn to face in Lok’s direction. The camera then gives the reverse shot, showing what they are looking at: Costello, wearing a black raincoat and fedora (the look that Alain Delon made famous in Le Samourai) with oversized sunglasses. Not a word has been spoken. The four men stare at each other for a few heartbeats, then Costello slowly turns and walks away. Kwai, somehow sensing that the stranger is not a threat but a kindred spirit, turns and walks in the other direction, clicking his fingers to signal his gang to follow suit. Vengeance is full of such meticulously staged and framed shots. Even a simple scene showing the gang arriving by boat into Hong Kong ends up being a stylishly shot moment.

If you were to compare Johnny To to any other director, it would have to be Takeshi Kitano. There are moments in Vengeance which reminded me so much of Sonatine and Brother, in that certain scenes would drift off into a moment of complete whimsy. When Costello tells Kwai that he needs a gun, he’s gently ribbed about whether he’s ever used one before, which leads him and Chu into a competition to see who can re-assemble a field-stripped pistol the quickest while blind-folded. When the gang take Costello to get a gun from Kwai’s cousin, they end up using an old bicycle as target practice. The sunset lighting in this scene gives it a nostalgic, halcyon days flavour, and it ends with the four walking off in the distance while the shot-up bike keeps trundling on.

Aside from incredibly stylish shots and moments of whimsy, Vengeance also delivers some great action scenes. From the shocking opening to the exquisite locations and set-up of the finale, the film produces refreshingly new and innovative shoot-outs. Some are so sudden that blink and you might miss them; others, such as the shoot-out at the rubbish dump, are intricate dances of death.

There are a couple of elements which niggle, though. The first is the language barrier. Costello is French, the gang Chinese, so the middle-ground is English, a language they all murder to some degree. Luckily there isn’t a lot of English dialogue – these are men of few words after all – but what there is ends up sounding very stilted.

The second niggle concerns the plot about Costello slowly losing his memory due to the bullet lodged in his brain. In itself, it’s fine, and takes certain scenes in directions you just don’t expect. However, there is one scene where the gang have to remind him why he’s in Hong Kong – to get revenge – and Costello asks, “What is revenge?” Losing your memory is one thing, losing the ability to understand the meaning of revenge is something else. Luckily, the script agrees with me and sticks with the loss of memory angle from then on in. I was still not onside with the loss-of-memory plot until the finale, when it becomes a huge factor in the way Costello targets the guy ultimately responsible for his daughter’s murder. The set-up for the scene brings to mind Brian De Palma. You can see it slowly building, the pieces coming together, until you get a clear view of the whole picture - it just feels so inspired.

Most of the usual Milkyway players are present – the exception being Lau Ching Wan (Running Out Of Time, Overheard). Anthony Wong has never been cooler than he is here, and even Lam Suet manages to look tough. Simon Yam does ham it up a little as the Big Boss, though. As for Johnny Hallyday, his eyes look like those of a reptile, and he brings a stylish stillness to his role. He also manages to act in both a fatherly manner (both with his daughter and the gang) and as a lost, fragile person having to trust people he barely knows or even remembers (he takes polaroids of them at the beginning).

Finally, a mention for Tayu Lo, who did the score. It’s very sparingly used but when it is, a mix of heavy bass and blues guitars fits the mood perfectly.


One of the most stylish thrillers you’re likely to see this year, Johnny To’s Vengeance is a film likely to be discussed for ages by filmatists dissecting each and every scene. Full of action, moments of light frivolity and gorgeous camera-work, Vengeance is a treat. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Axis Of War: The First Of August

Film: Axis Of War: The First Of August
Release date: 10th May 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Song Yeming
Starring: Liu Jin, Hou Youg, Lue Leong Wai Ray, Wu Waidong, Zhang Zaixin
Genre: War/Action/Drama
Studio: Metrodome
Format: DVD
Country: China

Axis Of War: The First Of August is the first of a loose trilogy of films chronicling the forming of the Chinese Republic, and depicts the disruption of the alliance between the KMT and the Communist Party, leading up to the Communist occupation of Nanchang on August 1st 1927. From the outside looking in, it proves to be entertaining not so much as a film in its own right but as a piece of State-sanctioned propaganda.

This feeling creeps in right from the start, during the credits. Apparently in China, there is no need to entice your audience with the names of your actors - producers, production directors, executive producers, no less than five screenwriters, cameramen, art designer, editors, sound designers, etc., are all prominently displayed before the actors and directors get a look-in.

The film proper starts with a pretty decent battle scene, reminiscent of the trench warfare of World War I. The Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party) and its Communist Party allies are launching an offensive against the remaining warlords of the Northern provinces. It’s a bloody and brutal battle, which eventually turns in favour of the KMT, with the timely cavalry charge by General He Long.

Waise Lee (Bullet in the Head), the only recognisable name in the cast, plays Wang Jingwei, the head of the KMT. Whilst his forces fight hand in hand on the battle-front, at home there is a growing rift between the two parties…


This is a very confusing film for the casual viewer. Anyone without a decent knowledge of the events in question is going to be left dazed by the plethora of real characters who will carry no resonance whatsoever. It’s quite difficult to discern who is fighting for whom, at least for the first half of the film. Things settle down a bit, though, when the film concentrates on the CPC’s attempt to entice Ye Long to the Communist party. It’s a shame that the plot is so cumbersome, because the film is handsomely shot, with some nice cinematography and high production values.

The story is decidedly very one-sided, showing the dastardly lengths the KMT go to oust the Communist Party (lots of public executions of “traitors”) without actually delving into what caused the rift between the two parties. Waise Lee’s character, in particular, becomes more of a comic-book villain as the film progresses. Meanwhile, the Communist Party (and Ye Long in particular) are shown to be humanists who argue endlessly about the cost of taking up arms and rising up against oppressors. Even when inexperienced officers take draconian actions against some starving peasants who try to steal back some rice, it ends up being a lesson of stoicism vs. humility (and results in one of the most bizarre marriage proposals ever).

As the film draws nearer to its climactic battle, we are treated to scene after scene of patriotic propaganda – stirring anthems playing over battalions of soldiers all at attention, wearing their red neckerchiefs. To be fair, though, the propaganda elements and overt patriotic imagery probably aren’t much worse than the sort of stuff that appears in the likes of Michael Bay’s Armageddon or Pearl Harbour.

The film makes good on its promise of a decent scrap at the end, as the army led by Ye Long attempts to take hold of Nanchang, their red ties distinguishing them from the opposition. The battle scenes are juxtaposed with those of the temporary HQ where the party leaders attempt to coordinate their attack. The battle itself contains moments of derring-do to get the heart pumping, and ends in a climactic moment full of pathos.

The film’s main problem, however, is the script, which spends way too much time on ponderous conversations between would-be protagonists.


A film which will likely lose a lot of viewers in the opening third of the film, or will at least have them reaching for Wikipedia to get an understanding of what is going on, but persevere and the film settles down and becomes much easier to follow. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Phobia

Film: Phobia
Release date: 10th May 2010

Certificate: 18

Running time: 111 mins

Director: Paween Purikitpanya, Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, Banjong Pisanthanakun & Parkpoom Wongpoom

Starring: Laila Boonyasak, Pongsatorn Jongwilak, Maneerat Kham-uan

Genre: Horror/Thriller/Mystery

Studio: Icon

Format: DVD

Country: Thailand

Horror anthologies tend to be a mixed bag, containing stories which are sometimes memorable (in the case of “Dumplings” in 3 Extremes, unforgettable - no matter how hard you try!), and others which could charitably be called filler material.

Phobia (or 4-bia!) contains four stories which, while not directly connected, exist in the same plane of existence. In “Happiness”, a housebound young woman strikes up a relationship-by-text message with a young man who may not be what he seems. In “Tit-For-Tat”, a bullied schoolboy takes deadly revenge on the gang who’ve tormented him. “In the Middle” sees four guys undertake a whitewater rafting trip they’ll never forget, and in “Last Fright”, an air-stewardess must survive a flight on a plane empty of passengers, save for a corpse...


Happily, all four stories here, although very different in tone, work very well.

“Happiness” kicks things off with a story about a young woman with a broken leg, stuck in her apartment with her leg in a cast, being harried by her landlady for her late rent and awaiting the return of her room-mate. One evening she receives a text message from someone she doesn’t know, and ends up conversing with him through the night. Things are quite cute and buoyant until the boy asks for a photo, and she asks for one in return. When she receives it, she’s puzzled – it’s the same picture that she sent to him. However, to the left of her head is a ghostly image. Her chat-mate soon turns malevolent and some creepy goings on convince her she’s been flirting with a ghost – who’s now on his way to see her. This story manages to get a lot of chills from its single location – the girl’s small flat. With judicial editing and a few sound FX (the buzz of the girl’s phone seems to get more and more angry), “Happiness” successfully delivers some scares.

“Tit For Tat” is the most bloody of the tales, and doesn’t hold back on the impaling, eye-gougings and taunting demonic apparitions. It’s also the most convoluted of the quartet, and relies on our protagonists (who are actually a bunch of violent delinquents, and don’t deserve our sympathy) having knowledge of different types of deadly curses in order to info-dump exposition for the audience. Having said that, it’s quite a fast-paced tale, and the gore FX are handled rather well. The CGI demons, unfortunately, look very dated.

“In The Middle” plays for comedy, with four horror-movie obsessed teens camping in the woods, scaring each other with ghost stories at night and white-water rafting during the day. When their raft capsizes, three manage to scramble to the shore, but one remains missing until late that night – and there seems to be something a little off about his behaviour. It’s a pretty funny segment, as they tease each other about the films they haven’t seen. There’s a couple of digs at the Thai Film industry (complaining that they just rip off Hollywood ideas) and Asian ghost stories in general (why must they all have pale women with long black hair in front of their face?). However the punch line of the tale is rather silly, and very abrupt.

“Last Fright” sees a flight attendant being called in for a special duty. She is to be the stewardess on a flight taking a princess back to her home country. The stewardess has been specifically requested by the princess, as she was previously on-board her honeymoon flight. However, we soon learn that there is a more malevolent reason. The princess is being divorced by her husband – because he’s having an affair with our Stewardess! What’s more, the princess knows that it’s her – she has photographs of the two of them together and plans to torment her for the entire flight. However, a ‘mishap’ with the Princess’ food (she demands to be given the stewardess’ food, even though it’s noodles and shrimp and she’s allergic to shellfish) makes her violently ill, and she soon dies in hospital. The stewardess is told to escort the body back to Thailand, and then prepare for an enquiry into the death. The second half of the story is excellent in mood and execution, and brings to mind the “Terror At 20,000ft” story from the Twilight Zone.


The stories are very loosely connected – if you search carefully there is a reference in each to one of the other stories, and the tone overall resembles a Thai version of the EC Comics (Tales From The Darkside, etc). A fun anthology – the stories are well-produced and a couple are genuinely scary. I look forward to seeing Phobia 2. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: 20th Century Boys: Complete Saga

Film: 20th Century Boys: Complete Saga
Release date: 31st May 2010

Certificate: 15

Running time: 437 mins

Director: Tsutsumi Yukihihko

Starring: Toshiaki Karasawa, Etsushi Toyokawa, Takako Tokiwa

Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Mystery/Fantasy

Studio: 4Digital

Format: DVD

Country: Japan

20th Century Boys is adapted from the highly popular sci-fi manga by Naoki Urasawa. With the series’ three films released in just twelve months, it was a truly brave exercise with so many fanboys ready to pounce on any shortcomings.

Chapter 1: The Beginning Of The End. In 1969, Kenji, an elementary school kid and his friends built a secret base during their summer holidays. They fantasized about having to fight villains who were out to conquer the world and wrote their ideas in the Book of Prophecies. Years later, in 1997, Kenji becomes a convenience store manager and leads a regular life after giving up his dreams to become a rock star. His sister has run away, leaving him to bring up her daughter, Kanna. His mundane life is suddenly turned upside down when one of his old classmates dies mysteriously and an entire family in the neighbourhood disappears. At the same time, a religious cult and its mysterious leader, Friend, emerges and a strange chain of events duplicating exactly what is described in the Book of Prophecies follow. Is this the beginning of the end of the world? Who is Friend? Soon Kenji and some of his old classmates are being dragged into events which will change everything.

Chapter 2: The Last Hope. The year is 2015, Fifteen years after the world is nearly destroyed, people now believe that Kenji and his friends were satanic terrorists and Friend, the mysterious cult leader, is worshipped as the savior of the world. Kanna, Kenji's niece, is now in high school, and she resents that the history textbooks tell a fabricated account of the fateful day. She is forced to participate in the ‘Friend Land’ program to be re-educated when she is deemed to be anti-social. While in the program, Kanna uncovers clues to Friend's real identity, and the shocking discovery of The New Book of Prophecies!

Chapter 3: Our Flag. 3 years after the events of Chapter 2, Friend predicts the end of the World will occur on 20th August. Our heroes must join together once more, enter the walled city of Tokyo, save humanity and finally unveil the true identity of Friend...


20th Century Boys is a mammoth effort, adding up to over nine hours of screen-time. The story takes place over decades, and takes in countless characters, which, at times, are difficult to keep track of - although it starts off quite inconspicuous.

We are introduced to Kenji Endo, who has recently had to give up his position as guitarist of a popular rock band to look after his mother and niece after his sister mysteriously ran away. The put-upon Kenji manages a convenience store, with his niece Kanna always on his back, while his mother reads the paper aloud while minding the till. However, Kenji’s mundane existence is about to change in ways he couldn’t possibly imagine. Things start small – the discovery of a weird symbol etched on walls, which is oddly familiar - before the disappearance of whole families from the neighbourhood, including that of an eminent professor of robotics.

20th Century Boys is shot in a very low-key style, as if we’re watching a soap-opera, with lots of interiors and tight claustrophobic shots. However, the style opens up as the story develops, taking in more and more elements, while the flash-backs to 1970 are given the idyllic feel of an endless summer.

The whole trilogy’s momentum hangs on the central mysterious identity of Friend, and his Machiavellian schemes for world domination. The initial chapter lets you think you’ve figured things out, but then pulls the rug from under you in the closing moments. Chapter 2 deepens the mystery, as it becomes clear the man we thought was Friend may have only been a lackey - or maybe not.

20th Century Boys is packed to the gills with characters. Luckily each usually comes with a handy bit of exposition to remind you, and filling in what they’ve been up to while off-screen.

Although based on a manga series, don’t go into this expecting wall-to-wall action – even with the promise of Giant Robots! There are a number of decent action sequences throughout, but most of the running time is taken up with confrontations and revelations about the past.

The production design of the series is excellent, made to reflect Friend’s fragile state of mind - chapter 2 opens in the year 2015, and Tokyo looks pretty different with the sky filled with airships and the existence of Friendland, a Disney-gone-mad rehabilitation centre. Chapter 3, set in 2018, shows Tokyo redesigned back to its look in 1970.

You could form a comparison with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy – both feature a disparate group of individuals who separately try to take down an oppressive regime. 20th Century Boys also shares one of that trilogy’s main criticisms – the ending, which culminates in a cathartic epilogue which plays out over the end credits. However, stay tuned because there is another fifteen minutes which finally brings closure to the whole story.


An incredibly compelling story, which spans generations and draws in myriad characters. 20th Century Boys is a wonderful example of live-action manga. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Rain Fall

Film: Rain Fall
Release date: 29th March 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 111 mins
Director: Max Mannix
Starring: Gary Oldman, Kippei Shiina, Kyoko Hasegawa, Misa Shimizu
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Momentum
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Rain Fall is an adaptation of author Barry Eisler’s best-selling debut book of the same name, featuring central character John Rain. Barry went on to pen a further five titles with Rain - the thrillers topping polls and gaining award recognition - but has this production done enough to suggest the series will continue as successfully on the big screen?

John Rain is a deadly assassin who specialises in kills which look like natural causes or unfortunate accidents.

He is hired to take out a corrupt businessman and retrieve a memory stick with vital information. The plan goes ahead but the victim doesn’t have the stick with him. Rain soon realises that there are others after the stick also, and he may have been set up. His only chance is to recover the information and find out why it is so valuable, but to do so he must keep the victim’s daughter alive.

Unfortunately for Rain, a CIA task-force led by Walter Holtzer (Gary Oldman) is on his trail…


There are two major differences between the literary and screen versions of John Rain. Firstly, the novels are written partly in first person, so the reader spends a lot of the time inside John Rain’s head. The film can’t show that perspective without a whole load of voice-overs. The second difference is that the screen version features a very stripped-down character. The literary version of John Rain is an expert in Judo, loves jazz music and has an affinity to expensive single-malt whiskey. Not only are those details put aside, but John Rain himself almost becomes a side character in his own film.

The reason for this is that Gary Oldman’s Holtzer not only runs the CIA operation, acting as ringmaster to the spy circus around him, but he also owns the film. Rain Fall is heavily influenced by the Jason Bourne movies – especially the Bourne Supremacy’s Waterloo Station scenes, with Holtzer and his men watching a bank of TV monitors and positioning agents. Oldman’s intensity makes these scenes work - nobody can bark orders like he can!

Kippei Shiina (Shinobi: Heart Under Blade) isn’t bad as John Rain. As I said, a lot of his background and characteristics are left to the side, but he makes for a sympathetic killer, especially as he doesn’t like to see innocents killed for no reason. It’s a pity that the action scenes are choppy, overly edited affairs. It’s quite jarring because Rain Fall switches film styles during fight scenes.

There are certain “establishing” shots in films which act as a short-cut for audiences to relate to a location. A film set in New York, for example, would have a shot of the Statue of Liberty, or one set in London would have a red double-decker bus driving round Piccadilly Circus. In Tokyo, there is the multi-directional crossing which seems to be busy regardless of time of day. Whilst Rain Fall does fall into that cliché, it makes amends with some other stunning photography by John Wareham, such as a bird’s eye view of the city at night. There is also a scene on a rooftop with the protagonists almost in silhouette against a giant yellow neon sign, and a conversation between Holzter and his number two overlooking a lake – the tranquil surroundings at odds with the bitterness of the conversation.

Rain Fall is a slow-burning thriller that requires a lot of patience, especially at the start, where it’s a little difficult to get your bearings as to what is going on (you can thank Gary Oldman for making sure we do know). The plot is quite complex, and it takes two scenes of exposition to set everything out – Akira Emoto plays Detective Tatsu, who is investigating John Rain’s assassinations, each of whom were politicians in the pocket of a yakuza boss, whilst Dirk Hunter plays a British journalist who explains to Rain why the CIA is involved. Both of these scenes tie nicely with the ending.


Imagine a Bourne movie which was predominantly set in the CIA/FBI side of the fence and spent little time with Jason Bourne, and that’s kind of the set-up here. It’s a shame because the literary version of John Rain is a very interesting character, and I think Kippei Shiina could have pulled it off. However, the film still works, mainly because of the excellent performances from Shiina, Oldman and Emoto. If they develop any more of the Rain books, I hope they will allow John Rain more of the limelight. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Black Snow

Film: Black Snow
Release date: 8th March 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 107 mins
Director: Xie Fei
Starring: Jiang Wen, Yue Hong, Cheng Lin, Hongxiang Cai
Genre: Crime/Drama
Studio: Second Run
Format: DVD
Country: China

Black Snow is a pretty straight-forward tragic-drama in which our protagonist, a criminal who’s paid his dues, finds his path to a quiet life barred by his past in particular, and society in general. However, the curiosity factor is high as this film was made in Beijing, back in 1990.

Li Huiquan was arrested for his part in an assault in which a man was stabbed by his best friend, Chazi. Returning from a three year sentence in a labour camp, Li Huiquan arrives to his family home to find it deserted - his mother having passed away a few months earlier. He tries to connect with Chazi’s family, but they have turned their back on him.

Things start to improve when, after setting up a market stall, he meets a black marketer called Cui Yongli, who is able to supply him with more attractive goods and is asked to escort a young singer called Zhou home from a nightclub. Soon he is earning more money and has a shot at romance. However, it doesn’t last, as Yongli tries to pressure Li into undertaking more illicit merchandise and manages to steer the singer away from him. Not only that, but Chazi has escaped from prison...


Black Snow doesn’t deliver any thrills or action moments. Instead it’s a stark portrayal of a man trying to survive a system set up to oppose him. Left semi-literate thanks to the Cultural Revolution, Li survived by being in a gang, with a reputation for being a tough guy. One night he drunkenly accepts the notion of taking revenge on his friend’s two-timing girlfriend by beating up the man she’s cheating with – and he doesn’t seem to have any qualms about what Chazi intends to do with the girl.

Xie Fei’s film, although made in 1990, feels like it belongs in another era, a hybrid of Italian neorealism or French New Wave. The authentic, poverty-stricken locations lend to the former, while the red-lit nightclubs and cool-looking star point to the latter. The camera at times takes a neutral, fly-on-the-wall stance, while at other times, especially when nothing is actually going on, the camera slowly glides around, taking in little details (such as the pictures stuck on Li’s bedroom wall).

The neorealism is accentuated by the lack of a score (save for the songs Zhou peforms during her act). Instead we are constantly treated to the background noise of the neighbourhood – trains passing by, families fighting, dogs barking…

Black Snow is shot in a linear fashion except for the flash-back which shows Li and Chazi’s crime. It arrives unexpectedly and there is no signpost to let you know you’re in a flash-back. Instead you’re left wondering what the hell Li has just done. This is compounded when a policeman visits him the next morning to reprimand Li on his behaviour the night before.

Jiang Wen does a great job as Li. Even though we only see him the once before his imprisonment, you can tell that three years hard labour has changed him. Li can barely read and write, which hinders his career potential. His lack of education is highlighted in the correspondence he has with Chazi, and when he comes across an open-air concert, he has no reference or understanding of what is happening on-stage - and is bewildered when the audience starts laughing. Li just wants to settle down and keep out of trouble. But like Michael Corleone, he keeps getting dragged into potentially dangerous situations. Most of which are related to his dogged loyalty to those who purport to be his friend but continually exploit him. As he begins to earn money though, Li can’t help but swagger a little bit, and he reminds me of the too-cool spirit of Chow Yun Fat in A Better Tomorrow – especially when he’s wearing his aviator sunglasses at night.

Cheng Lin, who plays Zhou, is actually a musician, and sang all the songs in the film. When we first meet Zhou, she is a naive young woman who was a finalist in a state-run talent competition. While her PR guy tries to promote her as the winner, the first thing she tells her audience is she actually came fourth. She and Li might have had a sweet romance – the first time he walks her home, at the behest of her management, Li rides his bike while she walks beside him. Later we see Li letting her ride on the back of the bike. People try to warn Zhou away from Li but she can’t see the dark side to him.

Li and Zhou might have had a chance, if it weren’t for Cui Yongli. Cui befriends Li because he remembers the tough guy before he went to prison and wants a bit of muscle within his circle. He has big schemes, such as selling copies of porn videos, and constantly has piles of black market goods stacked in his house, like Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses. Thanks to his involvement in Zhou’s life, she ends up being a much more jaded person, hanging onto her career and not letting anyone – even someone who cares for her, like Li – take her away from it.


Black Snow is a film that grows on you. The languid pace doesn’t make it the most obvious choice, but the style of filmmaking is unlike anything you’re likely to see today, and it offers a unique look at life on the bread line in Beijing twenty years ago. MOW

REVIEW: DVD Release: Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge

Film: Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge
Release date: 16th August 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Jérôme Salle
Starring: Tomer Sisley, Kristin Scott Thomas, Miki Manojoivic, Melanie Thierry, Gilbert Melki
Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France/Belgium

Belgium and France have a long tradition of comic strips, aka Bande Desinee. They tend to be based less on costumed superheroes and more on a sort of reality squared – a reality both recognisable and fantastical at the same time. Asterix and Tintin may be the more famous titles internationally, but there have been film versions of others, such as Blueberry and Lucky Luke. Luc Besson has recently made a film about comic-strip heroine Adele Blanc-Sec, and finally we get to see the celluloid version of Largo Winch.

Largo is the adopted son of multi-billionaire Nerio Linch, and heir to his company and fortune. However, he has a rebellious streak a mile wide, and has had little to do with his father in the past three years, opting instead to travel the world having his own adventures. When his father is murdered, Largo must travel to Hong Kong to reveal himself to the company board who are reeling in shock from his father’s death. Mikhail Korsky, a sinister rival who has built his company through gun-running is preparing to make a take-over bid but luckily Winch Corp’s second-in-command, Ann Ferguson (Scott-Thomas) proposes a plan to launch a counter-offensive. Largo must prove his mettle both in the boardroom and with his fists, but who can he trust?


What unfolds is a globe-trotting, exciting “origins” tale. We first meet Largo in Brazil, getting into trouble and rescuing/bedding a girl-in-peril. His reward for his actions is to be arrested on false charges of drug-smuggling. One of the things Largo resents is his father using his wealth to buy his way out of situations. Largo’s motto is “I have my own way.” This is illustrated perfectly as Largo breaks out of the Brazilian jail at precisely the same time that Freddy (Melki), Nerio’s scar-faced “Mr Fix-it”, arrives to bribe the guards for his freedom.

The character of Largo Winch comes across as an amalgamation of Bruce Wayne and James Bond, with a touch of Indiana Jones thrown in for good measure. He has a classical education, a quick mind, and is as cool as ice when under pressure. He has issues with fitting into his father’s plans for him, and is constantly trying to escape his destiny. He’s also prone to making the odd mistake, which leads to people he cares about being put in harm’s way.

The plot is pretty sophisticated and takes in a lot of elements, including snapshots of Largo’s upbringing and his issues with his identity. The boardroom dealings aren’t too hard to follow but there is a lot of set-up and counter set-up going on. There are a number of twists along the way – some of which are signposted, while others come right out of the blue. Some characters, obviously important to the Largo Winch mythos, are merely introduced (one woman is rudely imposed upon whilst in the toilet, then is absent from the rest of the film), or are dropped into the film in such a way that will be confusing to those not familiar with the literary version.

I compared Largo to Bond and Bruce Wayne earlier. Luckily, director Jerome Salle delivers a number of exciting action set-pieces to back my claim. Largo is a gifted fighter and deadly with a knife. The fight choreography is mostly filmed in mid-to-long shot, showcasing Tomer Sisely doing most of his own stunts. The production design is pretty superb as well. The CGI’d Winch headquarters building dominates the Hong Kong harbour, and the sun-baked locations in Croatia are beautiful.

Fans of the original novels or the comic strips might take umbrage at the various changes made to some of the details that make up Largo’s world, but nevertheless Tomer Sisely (who can also be seen as a Muslim gangster in Paris Lockdown) is great in the role of Largo, making him a true iconic celluloid hero and embodying the athleticism, sex appeal and intelligence needed to bring the character to life. Kristin Scott-Thomas also does well as Ann Ferguson, providing much-needed backbone to the Winch boardroom.


We may not be as familiar with Largo Winch as our French and Belgian cousins, but I suspect that could soon change on the strength of this film. Considering approximately half of the film is in English, Largo Winch should find a large audience, and I for one am looking forward to the next instalment. MOW