Exiled

Good luck trying to make any kind of sense out of "Exiled," a largely incoherent Chinese mob drama that at least boasts exquisite photography by Cheng Siu-Keung and uber-stylish direction by Johnnie To to hook and enthrall us. In fact, so riveting are the movie's visuals that you won't even mind that you can't tell who's who without a program or figure out how any of the characters are related to one another in the context of the narrative. It all has something to do with a gang of assassins trying to protect one of their own from the very mob boss who has sent them on a mission to take the man out - but I'll be damned if I can explain anything more that happens in the movie.

Suffice it to say that with its meticulously composed, wide screen framing, its stylized action scenes - kind of a cross between Quentin Tarentino and Robert Rodriguez - its visual correlatives, and its dark, velvety colors, the movie makes it hard for us to tear our eyes off the screen for a single second.

Almost a textbook case of style triumphing over substance, "Exiled" is a true cineaste's delight. And hang the story.

With this tile Johnny To has succeeded in having an original perspective on the action / crime genre. He seems to be playing around with his gangsters in his movies. Have them act slightly different from what you expect. Perhaps making a little fun of them with their code and ethics. Or he genuinely thinks the world of them.

Anyway the gangsters in this movie are on a mission to kill an ex member who was exiled. After a intense shootout they clean up the place, cook and eat dinner. As they were all friends once they offer "Wo" the exiled one a favour. He wants do a last job in order to provide enough income for his wife and baby. The way things play out is a bit abstract and not much is said. Through the dynamics of the main characters it is obvious though that they share a bond. And that is all you need to know. Of course matters don't go like they planned which makes events rather compelling. All of the main characters are marvelous but in particular Anthony Wong. (Come to think of it, I don't think I ever seen him do poorly.) They show emotion without having much of a expression. As always Simon Yam is wonderful as the bad guy. Something about his look and charm that makes his characters even more evil than they already are. It is like second nature to him. Let's face it if it weren't for these actors this movie wouldn't work. It would have been average, dull even. The pace of the movie on the whole is moderate but when the action begins the pace is real fast. The action scenes are beautiful as they are stylish and intense. The finale is short but a real treat. Heroic bloodshed with a lot of blood.(Only this blood isn't fluid but some sort of red powder. Very nice effect nonetheless. Clearly CGI, but not bothersome.) Overall Exiled is an excellent crime drama with high tense action that I can truly recommend.

I had the fortunate opportunity to see this at the Toronto International Film Festival. Johnnie To and actress Josie Ho came to the first screening at TIFF to present the film. I am afraid To is more comfortably vocal in the interviews on his DVDs.

To begin, the film is not a sequel to The Mission. It is the same general cast with a new actors telling a completely different story with different characters. It is however, in very much in the spirit of The Mission. The good news however is that Exiled rocks. The film starts with a hand knocking on the door. A baby is crying in the background and a woman opens the door. Two men ask for a man named Wo. The woman claims she has never heard of him. The two men, who are assigned to protect Wo, leave. The door is knocking again and another pair of men ask for Wo. The woman claims she has never heard of him once again and shuts the door. The two men have been assigned to kill Wo. The four men meet and wait. Wo pulls in on the street in a truck. The film is done in such dramatic simplicity it does not need translation. And that's a sample of what Exiled is all about. The tension is on for shot one and things move only with a purpose.

These actors all are the character actors of Hong Kong; they usually don't' get lead roles and play supporting roles or lead villains. To uses them to their potential in this. Even though you wouldn't classify any of them as being a star or physically good-looking it is astonishing how much presence each of these actors take up on the screen. There's a part in the film where a police car pulls up to a conflict between the hit men in the film, two of these actors turn around and look at the police car and it gave me goosebumps. Beneath each of these five men who are cold-blooded killers underlies a deep sentimentality and it is felt throughout the film. Between these men, actions speak more than words. Anthony Wong, Lam Suet, Nick Cheung Ka Fai and Roy Cheung play their roles with an underplayed subtle intensity. Francis Ng is between explosive and withheld intensity. The five actors play well together, in the film's dramatic and comedic moments. It's nice to see Simon Yam play a clumsy over-the-top gangster boss after the two Electionfilms. Something to note amongst the actors is Josie Ho as Nick Cheung's wife with a baby which works as the driving force for the entire film. Ho's performance feels real. It is also a surprise because To's films usually are about men and women rarely take a stand but it's nice to see that change now finally. A question asked to the cast at the Venice Film Festival if it was possible that any of the cast members be nominated for acting awards, to which the cast reminded the press that they are an ensemble cast. Each member is just a part of the team and they are working together to reach the same goal. Each member of the team are very good actors in their own right but sadly that makes it harder for each of them to be nominated individually for an award. However in Exiled's case, they do succeed as an ensemble.

The gunfights are phenomenal. I truly believe that even though everyone else have recently caught up; Hong Kong still leads the trend in action film-making. I do not mean that in terms of scale but rather the innovation and effort that goes into these action sequences. What really comes out in the gunfights in Exiled is how closequarters the gunfights actually are. These are multiple gun men in Mexican standoffs shooting at each other closequarters in claustrophobic Macau spaces. At Venice, one of the actors conversed with an American reporter and asked him how gunfights would be set up in Hollywood. The reporter looked back and said, "They wouldn't. There wouldn't set it up like this." I have to say I believe that is true as you literally see the gunpowder flying into the actor's faces.

The film is a film designed to garner more international attention for To it seems but there is nothing wrong with that. If anything, Johnnie To has earned all this; being one of the most consistent HK directors and one of the major reminders of what Hong Kong films are all about. Exiled is not new territory for Johnnie To. It is a combination of all the good elements from Johnnie To films, which include underplayed acting, dormant action set-pieces, empty night spaces, well-fleshed characters, boyish immaturity ^^ and a dark quirky sense of humor. It'll be familiar to fans, but again, Johnnie To has given us enough good films to make this. Exiled hits all those notes but some may say that the film does stray in the second act. I say, it's all in good fun. Hell, it's better.

A fitting homage to himself – Johnnie To…

Johnnie To is a heck of an amazing director and without a single question of doubt, Exiled is very much a movie that is all about himself – Johnnie To. It doesn't really make a difference as to whether or not this movie is a sequel to The Mission, as it stands on its own feet more than adequate enough. Exiled is a perfect example of a Johnnie To movie and perhaps a movie that is paying homage to his vast library of work. The action is stylish, the actors are well drawn and indeed the direction is almost perfect. It certainly isn't To's most important movie, but Exiled shares a lot of his themes. With an outstanding cast, ranging from leading roles to cameo performances, To have created a movie dream for his fans. Those that never liked To's crime thriller, will not have their opinion turned around, but for people like Neo, it is a beautiful experience.

The movie goes like this: Wo (Nick Cheung), a gangster who went into exile for a few years after attempting to kill Boss Fay (Simon Yam), returns to Macau with his wife (Josie Ho) and their newborn baby, hoping to settle down. There he meets his four friends, two commissioned by Boss Fay to kill him and the other two coming to aid him. The five hit men open the film with a carefully designed gunfight that brings out both enormous tension and peculiar elegance.

It must be worth noting that full credit must be given to the actors of this flick. Anthony Wong showed exactly why he is one of the best actors in HK. The ease of his performance lies in his simple acting method and yet it is still so damn effective. There some highlighting scenes that involves the ever dependable Francis Ng, who is probably one of the few actors in the world that can overact and still is just as menacing to watch. A regular in almost all Johnnie To's flicks, Lam Suet is once again the laughing stock and his comic timing is all the more welcomed. Who can forget Simon Yam's expression, when he realizes that he got shot in the penis? A funny moment of cinema and when that can happen, you just know that Johnnie To is in top form tonight. Recent additions to To's cast of actors, include the ever improving Nick Cheung and the underrated Richie Ren. Cheung has definitely matured under the direction of this master of crime dramas. The movie moves along at a brisk pace and within every shot, you can almost sense, the art of Johnnie To.

Perhaps, I have been referring to the director more than about the movie itself, but don't get me wrong, this is very much a movie filled with To's usual trademarks and ultra simple yet effective soundtrack. What's so great about Exiled, is that you won't give a thing about whether the movie is believable or not, as the ride alone is so smooth and entertaining to endure. May be, you really have to love To's art of directing, before you can fully embrace the beauty of his work. Each gun shots remind the audience of an aspect of his past efforts and the shot of the red bull can seamlessly flying through the air in slow motion sets the tone of the gunplay. It is fascinating to realize that it is only in recent years that To's talent is finally recognized internationally.

All in all, Exiled isn't really a film that requires any sort of reviews, as it is very much a film for the fans of the filmmaker. In some movies, you can always identify the flaws, but somehow, for this particular movie, it is seemingly impossible to do so. Everything seemed so perfect and even the impossible seems so possible. To have created something special and perhaps it is feeling that might not occur again. It is a movie that allows the audience to relax and sit through in an enjoyable afternoon and lifting up their feet onto the table. It is that relaxing and at the same time, allowing the audience to constantly reflect. Johnnie To loves the toss of a coin and seems to suggest that fate exists in life. It is ironic out about some extremely random or minor characters always succeeds in the world of To – the chick ends up with a bucket load of gold, when everyone else is down on the floor. It is an aspect of filmmaking that will only work in a Johnnie To's film, showing that luck and being at the right place of the time, plays an important role in the determination of your life. Exiled is a heck of beautiful film and by the end of the film, as ironic as it seems to be – somehow a smile will appear at the edge of your face… (Neo 2006)

I rate it 9/10

• www.thehkneo.com

So stylish was Exiled that the Italians must be jealous, with Sergio Leone buzzing in his grave. A simple story set in Macau, the restrained dialog and general lack of facial expressions cannot diminish the loyalty that these men have towards each other, even when they have been ordered to act otherwise. Between wonderfully orchestrated concerts of claustrophobic bullet symphonies are beautifully drawn out scenes utilizing the mundane aspects of life to help further the bonds of ancient friendships. And all of this, action and drama alike, drawn forth by the devils of fate, where one can either choose his fate or be torn apart through lack of choice. The acting was great for what this was, with the wickedly beautiful Josie Ho acting as the mostly silent, secret force that foments the deadly events to come. Johnny To's direction was phenomenal in his ability to allow things to come together almost by fate. Everything about this film oozes a style reminiscent of John Woo though a step ahead of even this master of action.