Chungking Express Reviews

Stunning visuals and an unforgettable performance from Faye Wong

I think it's fair to say that 'Chungking Express' is a movie more concerned with aesthetics and film technique than conventional plot or character development. I'm usually wary of movies of this type, but I surprised myself a little by liking 'Chungking Express'. Not just liking it, but liking it a LOT. The film deals with two separate love stories, both featuring cops who frequent a takeaway food bar in Hong Kong. The first story features Takeshi Kaneshiro as the cop, and Brigitte Lin as a mysterious blonde wigged woman he encounters in a bar. Lin's character left me cold, but Kaneshiro I liked, especially his jogging to prevent crying, and collecting cans of pineapple to mourn his recent breakup. The story itself however seems rather boring and trying too much to make itself exciting. The second story was much better and makes the movie. Here Tony Leung plays the cop, and Faye Wong is a girl who works at the food bar. Their relationship is very odd and unexpected, and I really enjoyed every minute of it. Leung is easily the best known actor in the movie (Woo's 'Hard-Boiled',etc.). Everybody knows he's good, but Wong (a pop singer, not an actress) is a real revelation. She's incredibly cute, charismatic and sexy, and the scenes featuring 'California Dreaming' will stay with you forever. Anybody watching her will immediately think 'boy, what a star!', but she hasn't really seemed to pursue acting since. Wong is the main reason to watch 'Chungking Express', but there's also some stunning visuals on the screen, and Wong Kar-Wai's style seems to have been quite an influence on the others such as the Pang brothers. I've no doubt that 'Chungking Express' will continue to inspire other film makers in the years to come. It's THAT good!

Cleverness for the sake of it?

The only-slighly-interesting story of two Hong Kong policemen who have loved and lost. The first 30 minutes is very promising, until it dwindles into yawnsville. Don't bother.

Pointless

Due to the overall rating, I dismissed the low rated reviews and went ahead with renting. After the first 20 minutes, I was tempted to stop watching, but I persevered…to my own detriment.

It sent me to sleep halfway through, although at intervals I was awakened by the loud music of "California Dreamin" by Mamas & Papas.

The acting was dull and the film was pointless – a wasted Saturday night.

10 years

I can't believe it's 10 years since this first came out!

A portmanteau movie of three interlinked stories.

Fast-paced, visally engaging with something to say about city life, alienation and good old-fashioned love.

Amazing

Wong Kar-Wai on his finest form - beautifully crafted direction, stunning visuals and a sprawling plot held together by amusingly self-effacating characters. The dialogue is exquisite - simple and poignant.

A lovely, moody film that doesn't take itself too seriously; a treat.

Weird

Confusing movie not memorable

[Highly rated reviewer]

Stringing two stories together round a particular part of Hong Kong did not really work for me. Granted the fluid camerawork is impressive it's a pity that the actual setting of place does not really come across. OK, so we don't want a travelogue but more of a sense of HK would have enriched the film. I suspect that this was an artistic choice rather than budget constraints. The content has the feeling of being rather glued together instead of being a fluid narrative. Not a major piece of work so it looks like Wong Kar-Wai may be over-rated as a director. All right for a couple of hours in front of your tele as long as you don't mind the subtitles.

Top notch film-making (half of it)

This is two stories linked together by the food counter of the title. The first one doesn't really work at all, being too obsessed with some obvious thriller dynamics and a mysterious blonde wigged criminal femme fatale.

Luckily the second story is brilliant, a sweet, tender and captivating little tale, that replaces the cliches and pretensions of the first story with genuine heart and originality.

This is a film that gets really good about 45 minutes in, as the first section is too art-school pretentious to generate much interest. The whole film is however brilliantly photographed in natural light by Brit drunkard Chris Doyle, at times turning the city streets into a neon-noir-science-fiction landscape.

Trivial

Maybe I'm in the wrong age group. I barely managed to sit through this pointless, mostly boring film. A disjointed tale of people whose lives are slipping away without any coherent effort on their part to make them meaningful.

Just a beautiful film.

If you loved Amelie, you'll love this. Simple as that.