Husheng
At the end of "Crackdown", the huge two words "riot control" are played on the big screen, coupled with exciting background music. And my feeling is: What, this is the end?
On the bright side, it's a fast-paced, tight-plot film. But to be honest, a whole movie is lively and vigorous, and when it comes to the end, my mind is blank: what is "Anti-Riot" about?
Don't get me wrong, this is not to say that the content of "Riot Control" is not rich enough, and the plot is not exciting enough. On the contrary, everything that should be in a police movie, it has it. For example, a protagonist with a strong sense of justice and super ability, a big villain with both charm and appearance, tense and fierce street gun battles, and the battle of wits between good and evil factions...
However, as rich as the plot is the film's confusing behavior, like the bath towel that Wu Yanzu and Wang Qianyuan could not fall off during the duel in the bathroom, which became a suspenseful case.
In the trailer of "Crackdown", the scene of Wu Yanzu and Wang Qianyuan's bathroom duel is the selling point
How can this be? The two protagonists invariably watched "Blood And Two Heroes" in the video hall, one wanted to learn how to catch the bandits by the police, and the other wanted to learn how the bandits escaped. This is undoubtedly the most important metaphor for this film: to pay tribute to traditional Hong Kong films, but also to play new tricks in the new era and new space.
The characters played by Wu Yanzu and Wang Qianyuan in "Crackdown" sat in the same video hall to watch the Hong Kong film "Blood Double Males"
As a result, not only does Wang Qianyuan and Wu Yanzu belong to the "mix-and-match", but this film has also become a completely chaotic stew: the main creator wants to stuff everything into it, not only is he reluctant to accept the classic passages of traditional Hong Kong films, but also wants to cater to the needs of the mainland market. Thinking too much, the film is naturally chaotic.
The first is that the theme of this film is messy enough. It is said that "Anti-Riot" should of course talk about "eliminating violence and being good" and that evil is not victorious over righteousness. However, the humble bandit Wu Yanzu is handsome, and the main creator also adds love drama, family drama, and brotherly love to him, in short, he looks like a good man with feelings and righteousness. On the other hand, the righteous policeman Wang Qianyuan's image is blurred to the point of no return. Except for the fact that he is very good at fighting, we have no idea what kind of person he is, and his personality is flattened to the point of a blank piece of paper.
Stills from "Crackdown", Wu Yanzu plays the gangster Zhang Falcon
This is probably the "water and soil inconsistency" of Hong Kong police films. The portrayal of Wu Yanzu is completely the old routine of old Hong Kong films, but when he arrived in the mainland, even the director knew that he could not do so, so he forcibly arranged for Wang Qianyuan and his colleagues to tear up the bridge section of the advertisement pasted on the propaganda poster in an attempt to sublimate the theme. However, clear-eyed people can see which side of the film's feelings tend to. This kind of "dilemma" makes the narrative of this film always in a swing, and it is not chaotic to be strange.
Stills from "Crackdown", Wang Qianyuan played the justice policeman Zhong Cheng
The second is that the emotions of this film are chaotic enough. In a very hardcore gunfight scene, the director suddenly intersperses an inexplicable love scene. Why did Chunxia and Wu Yanzu attract each other because they looked at each other more in the crowd? If you want to say it's because of the face, then I have nothing to say.
This is also an old problem with the ancient Hong Kong police films. Because of the pursuit of entertainment effects, the creators of course hope that the more elements in the film, the better. But after so many years, how can we not keep pace with the times? Honestly, as far as the whole film is concerned, the role of Spring and Summer is purely dispensable, but it is a pity that her acting skills are a pity.
Spring/Summer
Stills from "Crackdown", Wei Shiya plays policewoman Chen Qian
Similarly, Wei Shiya, who was beside Wang Qianyuan, was also purely chicken ribs. In terms of image, she did have a breakthrough, but her effect on the advancement of the plot was almost zero. I don't know why the director arranged such a role, is it to balance with the gangster side?
Again, the logic of this film is messy enough. Many of the plots look fine at first glance, but they don't stand up to scrutiny at all. For example, Wu Yanzu and his Eagle Gang have nothing to do to provoke the police, what role can they play? The worst thing is that, apart from untying the four safes with the rope buckle, we don't see anything superior about this group of bandits. From the beginning to the end of the film, they completely rely on violence to solve the problem, so it is difficult to understand why these 6 people can play so many policemen. Compared with the detailed display of the criminal process of the similar movie "Peerless", this film undoubtedly falls behind.
Wu Yanzu's brother was also desperate, and took the initiative to cut his own ears in order not to let Wu Yanzu "lose". However, the film has not explained how deep their brotherhood is before. Before, in order not to leave a living mouth, Wu Yanzu did not hesitate to destroy another brother, so fierce, why did he have to be dead to him? From his girlfriend to his brother, the people around Wu Yanzu are so neurotic, it is strange that he is not caught.
Walking out of the theater, I suddenly found that in addition to Wu Yanzu, Wang Qianyuan, Chunxia, and Wei Shiya, I couldn't remember any other characters in this film. I don't remember their names or what they did. Obviously, there are many characters in this film, Wang Qianyuan has so many comrades-in-arms, and Wu Yanzu has so many brothers, but who are they?
Stills from Crackdown, Friendship Store
In fact, there are many highlights in "Riot Elimination". Friendship Store, Panda Pan Pan, XO Foreign Wine, Passion Wall Calendar, Video Hall... The rough picture really has the feel of the 1990s. The parallel montages of the two protagonists, the artistic movement of the mirror, and the formal sense of emptiness all show the good taste of this film. However, too much and too full, but the film has no time or energy to concentrate on solving small problems and small details, and a pot of chaotic stew finally becomes a cup of boiled water.
Wu Yanzu repeatedly asked Wang Qianyuan what he had said when he was kidnapped. The mystery was finally revealed: I just wanted to bite you. I almost laughed out loud, this is not the way the mainland police handle the case and the style of behavior, and we do not respect the lone hero in the Hong Kong police film. In the end, the forced transplantation has made this film taste.
Stills from "Crackdown"
As a result, the audience always feels that "Riot Elimination" can be better, but it is so bad. Wu Yanzu and Wang Qianyuan played in the bathroom in the dark, and what the audience friends were concerned about was what brand of bath towel on their waists, the quality was so strong, and the personality was so tenacious? The bathroom is going to be demolished, the bath towel is not falling, everyone feels very unhappy, this is probably the most profound feeling after watching "Riot Elimination".
This issue is edited by Xing Tan