Ahda is a young guy in Taipei with a unique hobby: he's obsessed with "vaulting," a mythical martial art about flying through the air. Right from the start, the film introduces us to the idea of vaulting with on-screen notes, setting the stage for a story about chasing secret knowledge. He spends his days doing some side gigs and his nights practicing the martial arts. His quest for a master is inspired by the legendary Red Lotus Society, a secret group of vaulting masters told about by an old man named Mr. Mao in a Taipei park. This mission leads Ahda to some quirky mentors, including a blind masseur and a high-powered businesswoman named Miss Sung, who might just be a link to the secret society. There are some light moments in the film, like when Ahda's father, a doctor and acupuncturist I guess, has an altercation with a patient, a drunkard. There's a subtle battle of West vs. East medicine and the tensions between traditional and modern life here too. The mix of comedy and the very real troubles his father is having with jade racketeers adds a nice layer to the story. Ahda's life isn't just about his dreams; it's also about dealing with his family's problems and a complicated romance.
What really ties it all together is the cinematography by Christopher Doyle and the background score by Fumio Itabashi. Christopher Doyle gives the film a really slick look, even when the subject matter is a bit somber. The film has this great visual style that makes Taipei feel both ordinary and full of strange possibilities. The music is a huge part of the movie's charm, whether in the fun or the bittersweet moments. While the movie sometimes feels a bit heavy with all its plot threads-like it's trying to do too much at once and the story starts to wander-it's always interesting to watch. The film is more of a gentle, thoughtful journey, with some decent high-flying martial arts moments, especially near the climax.
The copy I saw was a VHS rip, and man, it had those early special effects, ranging from juvenile to outright awful. But you quickly look past that because the heart of the story is so strangely compelling. Ahda faces his share of failures, both in his vaulting quest and in his personal life, but the film treats it all with a casual, chill tone.
In the end, this film, despite its occasional wobbles, has a little bit of magic in a world that often feels too heavy to leap over. I recommend this movie; it's a quirky, character-driven slice of '90s Taiwanese cool.
