(may contain spoilers)
The Wandering Earth 2
Douban rating: 8.3
Director: Frant Gwo
Starring: Wu Jing, Andy Lau, Li Xuejian
Douban Comments: “Three and a half stars. Frant Gwo’s sincere approach to filmmaking is evident in the meticulous scene design and visual effects, once again raising the industrial standard for Chinese sci-fi. Veteran actor Li Xuejian is as skilled as ever, and Andy Lau takes on one of his most challenging roles in recent years. Unfortunately, the narrative of this sequel is too loose. The parallel storylines of Liu Peiqiang and Tu Hengyu, combined with the extensive focus on Zhou Zhezhi, lead to indecision in the plot’s pacing and structure—something that’s particularly problematic for a sci-fi film, where rhythm is key. The weight and depth of character development should be the top priority for the series moving forward.”
“The story is long and fragmented, trying to cover too much without fully explaining anything. The 2044 timeline doesn’t really need to be in this movie. The film touches on themes of life, civilization, reality, and the virtual world but only presents labels and slogans without any meaningful discussion.
Throughout, it’s about a group of stubborn individuals resisting nature, refusing to be swayed by anyone or anything, and imposing their will on Earth and all its life forms, which they call ‘courage’. They complain about ‘humanity using the strongest codes for weapons of mutual attack’, but then divide people into ‘us’ and ‘them’, claiming that ‘we are more right, great, and glorious than anyone else, and you should listen to us’. They try to appear conciliatory, saying they are acting for the good of all humanity and taking responsibility for the consequences of their ‘great, glorious, and correct decisions’, not trying to be domineering. The movie’s forced humor pales in comparison to the self-contradictions it presents.”
“Four and a half stars. ‘The Wandering Earth 2’ shows significant improvement over the first film and elevates domestic sci-fi to unprecedented heights. The world-building is impressively hardcore, and the action scenes and special effects are both grander and more detailed, particularly the portrayal of the space elevator, which is stunning.
The storytelling is also more solid, with two major crises (the space elevator disaster and the moon crash), two conflicting ideologies (the digital life plan vs. the mountain-moving plan), and two main characters with intertwined yet distinct roles. The conflicts are clear, and the characters are well-developed.
Additionally, Zhou Zhezhi represents the new era’s version of ‘Yugong’ (foolish old man), making it fitting that Li Xuejian was cast for this role. The film provides a richer and more powerful portrayal of the Yugong moving the mountain spirit, distinguishing itself from Hollywood blockbusters.”
Killers of the Flower Moon
Douban rating: 7.2
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone
Douban Comments: “I was excited to watch the latest film by Martin Scorsese, the famous American director who is 81 years old. The movie is nearly three and a half hours long, but every minute is well-used. I really enjoyed it!
I learned that the film is based on a novel and is told from the perspective of a son-in-law, which helps to focus on human nature and emotions. The powerful performances by Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio are the highlights of the film.”
“I watched an early IMAX screening, and unfortunately, this is the worst Martin Scorsese film I’ve seen, with the main issues being his adapted screenplay. The best way to approach this story should have been through multiple perspectives, focusing on the female lead, the uncle, and the agent. While DiCaprio’s character is central to the narrative, he should have been more of a supporting role.
DiCaprio’s character is made the main focus, which causes the Native American elements to almost disappear once the female lead exits in the latter half. The antagonist, already obvious, is revealed too early, draining much of the story’s tension. By the third act, the drama is reduced to a bunch of confused old white men just going through the motions.
If DiCaprio’s acting had been strong enough to carry the three-and-a-half-hour runtime, it might have masked some of the script’s flaws. But, unfortunately, his portrayal of a ‘rich man’s clueless son’ seems to consist only of one expression—pouting and frowning—leaving the audience stuck enduring it for a long time.”
“The entire 200-minute film is honestly quite dull. To ensure that American white audiences remember the historical wrongs, the film chose to focus on DiCaprio’s character, Mollie’s husband, instead of the FBI detective played by Jesse Plemons. However, it seems that when it comes to depicting the suffering of Native Americans and the crimes of white people, Scorsese struggles to do it justice. He ends up simplifying the portrayal of the villains.
The true horror of the story isn’t just about how evil the uncle is or how foolish the nephew is, but rather the fact that in 1920s Oklahoma, nearly all the white people participated in the murders of the Osage Nation. All the white investigators who tried to help were also killed. The number of victims wasn’t just in the dozens but exceeded a hundred.
This film might have been better suited for a young director from A24, turning it into a different kind of horror film. Of course, American filmmakers are hesitant to tackle Native American stories in such a bold way, so they stick to a more conventional and straightforward approach. Scorsese didn’t quite capture the terrifying and absurd reality of the true story.”
Leave the World Behind
Douban rating: 6.0
Director: Sam Esmail
Starring: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke
Douban Comments: “The blockbuster movie of 2023 has arrived! The whole film was incredible, and 138 minutes just wasn’t enough… I wish it could have kept going. It covers the apocalypse, armed conflict, human nature, and the lives of the wealthy. There are so many unforgettable scenes: a cruise ship crashing onto a beach, herds of deer gathering, flamingos flying into a pool, a plane crash on the shore, ultrasonic weapons, communication being cut off, Tesla malfunctions, and finally, the explosion on Long Island. The youngest character, Rose, ends up as the last one standing. She walks into the doomsday bunker built by the rich and finally watches the last episode of Friends. The way the story slowly reveals its secrets was just amazing.”
“The film had a great high concept premise, but it mixed in too many elements. It kept ‘digging holes’, creating suspense, and making a big show of it all, but it ended up inconsistent and unable to tie everything together. It felt like a patchwork of disaster movies, apocalyptic themes, Jericho, A24 vibes, and ‘The Purge’. The filming style was enjoyable, with well-designed shots and a good narrative pace. There were some interesting spectacles and imagery, like the animals, cruise ship, plane, flyers, and Tesla, which could have made for a dense and interpretable story. It’s a bit of a missed opportunity. The Friends idea was intriguing, with its six characters and their interwoven relationships, but it only scratched the surface and didn’t go deeper.”
“The film’s setup is somewhat similar to Knock at the Cabin from earlier this year, but it leans more into science, offering a satirical take on our technology-driven world. It explores how, when people are cut off from technology, suspicion, distrust, and panic can arise, potentially leading to the downfall of a nation. On another level, it seems to reflect some of the anxieties from the COVID era – being trapped at home, the fear of the virus, and concerns about societal collapse. The actors did a great job bringing everyday scenes to life, and the film’s sound design and cinematography were quite interesting. The special effects were mostly convincing, except for the plane crash, which had a noticeable CGI feel. However, I didn’t quite grasp the symbolic meaning behind the animals, which felt a bit overly mysterious. Still, it’s nice to see Netflix occasionally deliver a surprising gem.”
