Hello everyone, I'm in Alaska with glasses and a microphone, tablet.
When it comes to "secret agent films", it is estimated that most people may first think of "007" or "Spy Movies".
Punks even think of Extreme Agent.
Under the influence of these works, many people's understanding of secret agents is often relatively fixed:
For example, all kinds of high-tech that break through the dimensional wall, such as the physical skills and marksmanship of the heavens and the earth, such as the walking humanoid seeder...
In short, the only difference between the old brothers who wear suits and cargo pants in traditional secret agent films and super Saiyans is that they will not rub turtle qigong with their bare hands.
The work we want to talk about today, although it can also be classified as "secret agent department", is not the same as the above-mentioned secret agent films.
This is Zhang Yimou's new film
Above the cliffs
I had the privilege of attending the screening and creator meeting of "On the Cliff", and listened to the audience's evaluation after the show.
And then... The controversy is actually quite big...
The reason is nothing else, that is, compared with the "secret agent films" that we are familiar with, "On the Cliff" is somewhat different.
Although "Under the Cliff" is also a secret agent film, it is not a "cool film".
Its existence is more like a "humanistic work" that takes place in the background of the war and under the group of agents.
If your original intention to watch the film is to be "cool", I personally suggest that you can first look at my analysis and then make a decision.
As for why, listen to me slowly.
In view of the fact that there will be a small plot introduction next, the friends who are afraid of spoilers can slide the screen by themselves.
The warning is over, let's first review the story a little:
The story takes place in the northeast during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where four Chinese agents trained in the Soviet Union are ordered to carry out top-secret missions code-named "Utra" in two ways.
Rescues a survivor of a Japanese concentration camp on the Back Shade River, Prince Yang.
However, because the troops receiving the inland defected, the operation was exposed to the Japanese SpecialKo.
Zhang Yi and Xiao Lan relied on keen observation to eliminate the traitor agents who came to ambush.
But On the other side, Wang Yu and Chu Liang were deceived by Japanese agents.
Although the existing problems were discovered, Wang and Chu were already held hostage by the Japanese army, and their operations were in danger.
Our party agents and Japanese agents thus wrestled between light and dark, and saw that the fighters had been pushed to the top of the cliff.
But as everyone knows, there is also a lurking agent soldier Zhou Yi in Japan's Teco.
The existence of Zhou Yi has become a key role in turning the tide of the tide.
The subsequent story began to move forward around the three lines of mission joints, battlefield survival, and Zhou Yi's identity.
In the end, although the warriors paid a heavy price, they did not fail in their mission.
It should be said that the entire "On the Cliff" story itself does not have a high cognitive threshold.
If you have watched "Far East Task Force" broadcast by the Six Princesses more than a decade ago, you will even feel that the setting is very familiar.
From the plot point of view, several character positions and plot reversals, as well as a variety of whimsical joint code words inside.
Personally, I feel that while doing something unexpected, I don't get too blunt.
On the contrary, it is the laying of the early stage and the portrayal of the character, with the acting skills of the old drama bones.
It can make me feel that Lao Zhang has really worked hard.
The decisive snow night gunfight and car chase, although not as cool as the next door "Rapid", added a bit of realism.
But the question remains the same:
A "very cool" theme, and did not shoot "cool feeling".
And because of the lack of this "cool", I personally judge that "On the Cliff" is likely to have serious polarization.
The problems with "On the Cliff" are almost exactly the same as the situation in "One Second", which was also directed by Zhang Yimou and starred zhang Yimou and Starring Liu Haocun some time ago.
It's that the narrative process is quite flat.
If "One Second" is just a moment of a special era, you can enlarge the story and tell it again.
But "On the Cliff" has the blessing of "period drama", "anti-war drama" and "secret agent drama".
These elements, which sound like people's blood, are performed in a relatively peaceful tone unconventionally.
After reading it, it is indeed easy to have the feeling of "being publicized".
Just when I was about to put a coffin on "On the Cliff."
A sentence from teacher Qin Hailu in the main creative team gave me a new direction of thinking.
The saying goes, "Play a human-like agent."
Indeed, whether it's the aforementioned 007 or the more surreal S.H.I.E.L.D.
Every new Agent IP appears, all the way to the super Saiyan and Ultraman settings.
It should be said that the logic of personal heroism overriding everything, coupled with the cool and handsome scene construction can last forever.
To a large extent, this commercial routine is recognized by the market.
Because it really looks cool.
The agents in "On the Cliff" are unusual, almost can be called "back to basics".
They are just a bunch of ordinary young people, and the threat of the invaders makes them abandon their homes and businesses and throw themselves into the torrent of battle.
They are rigorously trained to play better, smarter, sharper, and stronger than the average person.
But, in the end, they are just a bunch of ordinary young men and women.
Therefore, like Chu Liang, because of a mistake in judgment, they will almost cause a catastrophe.
Like Zhang Xianchen, after being injected with hallucinogenic drugs, he will subconsciously say the joint code.
They have their own strengths: perseverance, unity, faith, not afraid of death, dare to charge.
They also have their own weaknesses: no agent has really pushed the physical limits of being human.
So seeing the back, although I believe that Zhang Yimou will definitely give a "justice must win" ending.
But the four agents all look too "unremarkable", and at some point, I will still worry about whether the task will be completed.
Of course, the task was finally completed: Xiao Lan sent away the traitors of Wang Ziyang and Zhou Yi's hand blade.
But the secret service squad also suffered heavy casualties.
Before every martyr dies, there is no slogan, no inner OS, no righteousness.
It's a silent death.
Dead martyrs, whose existence was obscured by winter snow;
The living warriors continued to prepare for the next battle in the gray corner.
Perhaps, this is what the "hidden front" really looks like.
Writing this, I am reminded of this photo from the recent shortlist of the "25th Chinese Youth May Fourth Medal".
This national security fighter named Jiang Jian has made great contributions to the country.
But due to confidentiality, his photographs could not be shown to the public.
Some netizens even speculated that even the name "Jiang Jian" may be fake.
Maybe it's a fake name used internally, maybe it's not a person at all, but a figurative representation of a national security warrior.
Just like Zhou Yi, Wang Yu and Xiaolan in the film, they have no flowers and applause.
Just like Chu Liang and Zhang Xianchen in the film, they did not complain when they sacrificed.
It seems to be undisturbed, but it is also very real.
I also ask all kinds of capital not to waste our national security fighters
However, there is still a difference between watching a movie and taking a film review class.
The "flatness" of "On the Cliff" will make the film look more realistic.
However, using "Ping" as the main body to interpret a war film or a secret agent film is not an advantage at least for now.
If you don't play your cards according to the routine, the risk is still quite large.
So here's a little emphasis:
If you prefer realism, or like to deliberate on delicate human relations, this movie may bring you a surprise.
But if you plan to rush to watch a traditional secret agent film to enter the scene to "cool", please choose whether to buy tickets according to your preferences.
But just like the former "Hawthorn Tree Love" and the aforementioned "One Second".
Abandon the mature commercial film routine, and integrate Director Zhang's own deconstruction of the script and the elaboration of deep meaning.
With the transformation of popular aesthetics, "On the Cliff" may be canonized one day in the future.
But the high probability won't be now.
And Zhang Dao's move this time, whether it is "pioneer" or "pulling crotch".
Time has yet to be tested.
At the last point of the article, I will nag two more sentences:
Although the film's approach may not be accepted by the public, it may soon be forgotten.
But the fighters who fought for the country in the film are still worth remembering for everyone.
Just like the action code name "Utra" in the movie translates to "dawn".
We used to be terrified at midnight, waiting for the dawn to come.
And these nameless warriors, with their youth and life,
Become a puncture