Fong juk

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

Mainstream Asian cinema owes as much to Hollywood as mainstream cinema anywhere in the world. Hollywood perfected cinematic storytelling in the 30's and 40's and its influence is still present in practically everything we watch. The transition from Hong Kong to Hollywood has elevated (or destroyed, depending who you ask) the careers of many directors and actors: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, John Woo and Tsui Hark to name a few. To his credit, one director has avoided the calling of the West and remained in Hong Kong not only to buoy HK cinema, but also to redefine himself as perhaps the most interesting of all mainstream Asian filmmakers.

Johnny To may be the only HK filmmaker who possibly owes as much to Jean-Luc Godard as he does to Hollywood. As such, the similarities between To's films and Tarantino's are impossible to disregard and, like Tarantino, To elevates the tired clichés and conventions of genre pics (the same traits John Woo is (sac)religiously married to) into revisionist works of art. But To's influences don't begin and end with Godard and Exiled hammers this home since it is crammed full of references to Leone's famous Spaghetti Westerns and also to the classic John Ford Westerns that made John Wayne a household name. Make no mistake about it, Exiled is a Western and even though it masquerades as a HK triad shoot em' up, every single detail on the screen is cherry picked from Westerns.Exiled is a good example of how a film can, at first, smack of familiarity before taking off on a fresh, uncharted flight of fiction. Despite a few clunky sequences and some thin writing, Exiled will not only be hailed by To fans as one of his best films, it will also find converts thanks to its Triad trimmings (and those in search of a post-modern Western).

In Exiled, the premise of a typical gangland hit evolves into a blossoming character study of five friends whose pasts unfold in increments alongside the growing chaos of present circumstances. While gun play cracks throughout, To's style is nothing like Woo's, where, instead of making the action the proud centerpiece, To uses it sparingly as an infrequent catalyst to propel our protagonists story arc from one escalating situation to the next. That's not to say the action isn't palpable, but the action is merely a flash of style that's deliberately trumped by the predominant substance throughout. Exiled makes a strong case that if John Woo were to permanently abandon the West for his homeland, he'd have some catching up to do with the current king of Kong.

http://eattheblinds.blogspot.com/

If you favor your gun play elegantly crafted and choreographed-EXILED is the film for you. This Asian action pix could have worked just as easily as a western for Sergio Leone had it been set in the American old West. And, Hong Kong cult director, John Woo has covered this same ground in many of his films. EXILED is set on the territory of Macao just before the Communist takeover in late 1999. Two groups of hit-men meet up again for a few bloodthirsty and challenging capers, yet we more than suspect that no one will get out alive. Johnny To, the director, has consciously placed the action in the forefront at the expense of the storyline. However, in these types of action/adventure yarns it is not the tale, but the execution which is of prime concern. The narrative is glacially paced, rather than suspenseful, yet the 'pink mist' of the stylishly orchestrated gunfights more than make up for it. In the case of EXILED, 'Style' trumps 'Substance', and it works!

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.

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.