"Pursuit" is a female safety thriller and suspense crime movie directed by Zeng Yingting and starring Zhang Junning, Ruan Jingtian, You Anshun, Saji Apiwang, Chen Weimin, etc. The film will be released in Chinese mainland on November 11, 2023.
The story tells the story of Wu Jie (played by Zhang Junning), a policewoman who lost her lover, who encountered a murder case at the moment before committing suicide, and found that the female corpses in the case had their hearts cut out and their ring fingers cut off, indicating that these women had been subjected to inhuman abuse before they were killed, and a serial perverted murder case against Yalong female laborers slowly unfolded in front of Wu Jie. During the investigation of the case, Wu Jie found that all the evidence pointed to the victim's ex-boyfriend, the illegal human resource intermediary Lin Yousheng (played by Ruan Jingtian). His entangled love-hate relationship with the deceased makes him the biggest suspect in the case... What truth is hidden by the murderer in the name of love, the high-energy reversal, and the outcome is unpredictable.
Climax 1:
In the investigation, Wu Jie found that Lin Yousheng used to be a talented musician, but because of a car accident, he lost his legs and his musical dreams, and since then he has become an unscrupulous human trafficker, using his charm and language to lure female laborers from Thailand, and then betraying them to illegal organizations to carry out various cruel experiments and abuse. Lin Yousheng has both love and hatred for these women, and he treats them as his playthings, but also wants to find his lost love and music through them. He carved his own hearts on their bodies, and then dug out their hearts for his collection. He thinks that this will always have them, and that it will also make them feel their pain and despair.
Climax 2:
In the process of pursuing Lin Yousheng, Wu Jie is constantly troubled by his psychological tactics, and he uses Wu Jie's past to try to make her sympathize with him and even fall in love with him. He told Wu Jie that he, like her, was hurt by love, and was abandoned by the world, and that they should understand each other and rely on each other. He also revealed that he was actually a fan of Wu Jie, and he used to like her singing very much, and he considered her his soulmate. He even made a song exclusive to Wu Jie, wanting to touch her heart with music. Wu Jie fell into deep contradictions and confusion under the temptation and threat of Lin Yousheng, and she didn't know how to face this pitiful and hateful murderer.
Plot Evaluation:
"Pursuit" is a tense thriller and suspense film, director Zeng Yingting is inspired by real cases, exploring topics such as women's safety, human nature, and love, while also showing the underlying reality and multiculturalism of Taiwanese society. The film's rhythm is tight, the atmosphere is depressing, and the plot reversals are endless, leaving the audience in a state of tension and horror all the time. The visual style of the film is also excellent, with a lot of dark tones and shadows to create an eerie and terrifying feel. The film's music is also distinctive, combining Thai folk instruments and modern electronic music to create a unique conflict and tension.
The film's cast performances are also wonderful, with the rivalry between Zhang Junning and Nguyen Jingtian particularly eye-catching, and their performances are full of detail and intensity, showing two complex and full characters. Wu Jie, played by Zhang Junning, is a strong and fragile policewoman, she is brave and wise in the face of Lin Yousheng's challenges, but also weak and wavering, and her inner drama is very rich and real. Lin Yousheng, played by Ruan Jingtian, is a crazy and pathetic murderer, and when he shows Lin Yousheng's perversion and cruelty, he does not forget to inject some humanity and emotion into him, making him a flesh-and-blood villain, rather than a simple demon. The duel between the two is not only a contest between justice and evil, but also an entanglement of love, hatred and pain, which is difficult to let go.
Overall, "Pursuit" is a thriller and suspense film worth watching, which can not only bring excitement and surprises to the audience, but also make the audience think and feel, it is a movie with depth and connotation.