Movie Review for Lust, Caution

An Entirely Chinese Affair

by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 in Movie Reviews

Ang Lee’s latest film Lust, Caution is a challenging film to watch for various reasons. First, it is long. At a little over 2 hours and 40 minutes, many viewers won’t have the patience to watch the entire thing unfold. Second, it is mired heavily in Chinese culture, and some viewers may not be able to appreciate many of the finer details included in the picture. And thirdly, it is very explicit, and some people may not have the taste for the incredibly graphic sex scenes in the film.

That said, in this reviewer’s opinion, Lust, Caution may be one of the finest pieces of cinema to emerge this year.

Based on the story by revered Chinese author Eileen Chang, Tang Wei plays Wong Chia Chi, a young woman who moves to Hong Kong when Japan attacks Shanghai. In Hong Kong, she gets caught up in the plans of a group of patriotic students, who take it upon themselves to assassinate a notorious Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee. Wong Chia Chi falls into playing the role of a sophisticated Hong Kong lady, and is soon tasked with seducing Mr. Yee.

What makes this film amazing is the incredible attention to detail. The story is actually pretty simple, but Ang Lee lets his camera linger, regaling the audience with little touches that tell entire stories. The film submerges the viewer into 1930’s Shanghai with gorgeously lavish sets and costumes. This movie begins with a Mahjong game, and it perfectly captures all the little intricacies of the game, the little nuances that make Mahjong much more than just a game.

Despite its length, one feels that there is a purpose for every scene, since they reveal so much about the characters and the prevailing culture of the time. It doesn’t make for very kinetic filmmaking, but there really should be a place for slower-paced films.

But Ang Lee’s craft is easily matched by the performances in this film. Newcomer Tang Wei is fantastic in the lead role. She makes all the little changes in her character palpable, but never obvious. There is almost no need to mention how great Tony Leung Chiu Wai is as Mr. Yee, but it is worth noting that this is a side of Tony Leung we’ve never seen before. It is also worth mentioning that Joan Chen takes a fairly small role in this film, but manages to steal every scene she’s in.

But one has to acknowledge that this isn’t a film really meant for mass consumption. Ang Lee himself said as much, saying that he really only intended it for Chinese audiences. One does feel that a lot can get lost in translation, and that many of the nuances might be missed by people less familiar with Chinese culture. It is clearly filmed with a Chinese mindset, with a very specific tone and pacing that can only be described as Confucian.

But to not recommend it would be a disservice to the sheer artistry present in this film. To an open-minded, patient viewer, there will be much to admire.

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