526. Youth (Fang Hua); movie review
Cert 15
135 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, injury detail
I could easily forsake the barrage of naff Hollywood and Bollywood movies for a deeper immersion into the world of Chinese cinema.
The number of annual UK releases from the Orient can be counted on two hands but they are often compelling and/or very different.
Xiaogang Feng’s Youth is fascinating because it focuses on a time during which China was veiled from the west.
It highlights a group of young people who were brought together in an arts troupe which performed to the Armed Forces.
Initially, it is set in the final years of Chairman Mao’s leadership of the country and, therefore, there is a concentration on loyalty to state and communist party.
After Mao dies, China becomes embroiled in a war with Vietnam and some of the troupe go away to war. This is when the movie shifts, in Deer Hunter style, from what appears to be important to what really is.
Indeed, the second half of a film which initially seemed to be flighty is very moving.
Miao Miao is the picture's heroine - a young woman who has tried to start a new life and finds herself bullied by her colleagues.
They only see the depth of her character, hidden by her timidity, when the chips are really down.
Meanwhile, Xuan Huang plays the man with whom she has secret fallen in love and yet feels he is out of reach.
The human stories are very much secondary to the tumult which surrounds them in a China where the certainty of pre-determination is replaced by the doubt which comes with greater freedom.
Of course, China is not yet totally open so Feng is careful not to fall foul of the censors with any tacit criticisms of the state but that does not mean that Youth is tepid.
Far from it.
Reasons to watch: China's mystery era unveiled
Reasons to avoid: the story flicks around very quickly
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: yes
Nudity: none
Overall rating 8/10
Star tweet
I was disappointed by Feng Xiaogang’s “Youth”. First half dragged on (way too many creepy shots of dancers showering, changing clothes, etc), original story’s more interesting second half rushed, perhaps because he wanted to avoid criticising recent times
0 Response to "526. Youth (Fang Hua); movie review"
Posting Komentar