Ni shi ying jiu

Since the media frenzy caused by the Three Body Problem winning the Hugo award, Chinese sci-fi community has been taking advantage of the situation and pushing for major expansion. The abrupt increase of Chinese sci-fi films production is the evident result. However, the sustainability of this development relies on the quality of these products. Although still rusty by art standard, this film is good enough to earn further support for the genre from the public and officials alike.

This film is set in near future, with somewhat detailed characterization of near future life.

On the story side, the character development of the main protagonist seem a little too fast to be natural, which is only justifiable if attributed to the side affect of time travel. However, the contrast of these personalities is rather interesting.

It also consists of all the necessary elements of a successful film in China, action, humor and weird personas. Also, an obvious educational element is added at the end of the film to secure the dragon seal required for a mainland release.

This film basically is about time travel, about how a researcher tries to save her child from various circumstances by travelling back to the amount of time permitted.

This does sound familiar, however, one thing to note is how there were a few seemingly random scenes at the beginning of the film which would remain unexplained until near the end of the film. Thus, it will be kinda mysterious and confusing here and there.

What I find this film lacking is how it presents the scenarios. There were a few scenes which were so incredibly impossible or careless that I really find it hard that this is catered to adults. Thus, the story line becomes boring and predictable, and I kind of lost interest halfway the show. However, there were also quite a few unexpected twists which made the plot line interesting.

In conclusion, this is a film that you should take a pinch of salt with when watching because even for a sci-fi film, it doesn't look very realistic. Watch for the action, not the logic.

"Scientists advance the technology enough to be able to connect to the past (via alternate timelines). A competing company wants their advancements and will do anything to get them."

From an interesting concept, to the great execution and intricacies in the story that make it stand out. An uncommon development, deeper implications than expected, and a resolution with meaningful change of the lead character / adaption to the situation. It's not particularly tense, and a tad predictable, but still has some surprises. Although, the involved technology and everything tied to it is extremely over simplified. Doubts are raised over details, but ultimately doesn't matter. It's a film to pass the time! I was reminded of the caliber and content of a Liam Neeson release, where they are quality movies with good delivery and action.. but still a little "questionable" at it's core.

Overall, good production! Very appealing visually. Be it every physical location, style, design, interfaces, etc. It's when CGI is used that it looks a tad cheap.

The cast is good as well.. with Mi Yang starting a little weak in her performance, but surprising me in the end. Wallace Huo (a Chinese Joel Kinnaman lookalike), as a good villain. And the child does a good job too.

No complaints here and an easy recommendation! Enjoyed it enough and it felt smart at times, and my time didn't feel wasted.

Reset is an emotional, entertaining and stylish Chinese science-fiction thriller that is much better than its reputation. The movie tells the story of single mother and scientist Xia Tian who is working on wormhole technology to allow people to travel back in time. One day, her son gets kidnapped and Xia Tian is forced to steal the scientific results from her facility within one hour to save his life. The challenge ends in a disaster with her colleagues getting killed, her facility getting exploded and her son getting killed. As last resort, Xia Tian decides to become the first human being to travel back in time to get a second chance to save her child. However, she soon realizes that her personal fate is part of a much more complex conspiracy and that she has to face much more opponents than expected to repair the past.

Reset is a movie that convinces on many levels. First of all, the depiction of the near future seems surprisingly grounded and realistic but also includes vehicles, technologies and buildings that are stunning to discover. Secondly, the plot is compact and has fluid pace which makes for an entertaining viewing experience from start to finish. Thirdly, the special effects are rarely over the top and find the right balance between brutality and elegance. Fourthly, the acting performances are quite good as one cares about the sympathetic main character but also about her trustworthy colleagues and even about the villains who are much more complex than one might initially think.

There are only minor flaws in this film. First of all, the plot is somehwat predictable and could have been a little bit more complex. Secondly, the movie's twist wasn't much convincing and could have been more detailed.

In the end, Reset is a very strong science-fiction movie that is filled with action and emotions from start to finish. The film's camera, light and special effects look greater than many contemporary Hollywood films. Therefore, the movie deserves more acclaim and attention than it gets. Give it a try and you will get excellent entertainment if you like science-fiction films with depth.

This is perhaps not a 1982 Blade Runner or Brazil, but it is not too bad either. Lately the American movies are getting stupider by the day, especially the SF ones which are just buckets of PC, and the Chinese market tries and succeeds in dethroning Hollywood from the pedestal. What goes up will go down. I suspect that in few years we'll see really good SF Far East movies. We'll just have to adapt to a different language. The movie keeps up your attention and for that, it's great.