First of all, the story and script are solid. The director obviously pays homage to Hitchcock's suspense mode and throws out the MacGuffin very early.
Wang Yuanyang, a murderer who has been in prison for more than 20 years, is released from prison. Regardless of his appearance, character building, or his weird behaviors, he is a marginalized person in society, a typical prototype of a criminal, violent and cunning, lustful and greedy.
All the details are created by himself to confuse the audience, like beasts, one-to-many, expressionistic shots rendering the life and death moments in the prison bathroom, and paving the way with slow motion.
Coupled with the dim yellow tone of the entire story, it gives the audience a strong visual stimulation. Its blood and cruelty foreshadow the gloomy tone. Although the bright red and bloody scenes are weakened, it still cannot wash away the heavy-handed style of the director and screenwriter.
This beast with great vitality was finally released from prison after being imprisoned for more than 20 years. The first thing that came to his mind was revenge. Smashing the billboard of the famous soprano singer Xu Hanlin heralded the irreconcilable hatred between the two.
Going to an empty house, what kind of unforgettable past is hidden there?
When I saw Xu Xue, a college girl, tears burst out of my eyes. Where did the uncontrollable feelings come from?
One puzzle after another gradually took shape. Xu Hanlin's death completely opened the gap in the story. Many characters appeared one after another, pushing the suspense to a high point.
I have to say that the director made the first scene extremely patient and delicate, using a lot of pen and ink to enhance the tone and shape the characters.
Su Ze starts the story as a murderer, but as the story develops and the answers to the mystery are revealed, the audience sees a completely different character's heart.
This 180-degree turn is part of the film's suspense design and foreshadowing. Including the singer Xu Hanlin who looks positive, but is not what he seems.
Those answers are the true inner thoughts of the characters, which have been revised and filled up one after another with retrospective narratives. The death of Xu Hanlin and the appearance of Wang Yuanyang are all closely related to Xu Hanlin's daughter Xu Xue.
This collaboration allowed Su Ze to see Simon Yam's acting skills, which, although not as classic as those at his peak, were more restrained and profound.
As a bystander, Lin Zhengzhong joined in this cruel game of revealing the truth, successfully completed the core of suspense, deceived the audience, and then made the audience understand that everything is not what it seems.
The first half continuously creates a thrilling and suspenseful atmosphere, and even depicts bloody violence and the tragic details of the murder scene in extremely meticulous detail. The curious characters and mentality make people shudder and startle every step of the way.
However, the layout of being cold at first and then hot at the same time made fans who watched the whole film finally understand that the thriller and suspense are just the director's plot, but the core is love and family affection.
It turns out that the so-called victim is the real murderer, and the murderer who everyone thinks is innocent.
The scene that revealed the mystery at the end instantly made the audience overturn Wang Yuanyang's character of revenge and murderer, and turned the eyes that were originally thought to be perverted into touching dependence, and the prying turned into reluctance and nostalgia. The many layouts are all
Exonerate your loved ones.
The character's warmth quickly overturns the perception of a villain established at the beginning, allowing the film and characters to take a dramatic turn and bring the audience's emotions to a boiling point.
Not to mention donating your liver, but also donating your life for your daughter!
This cooperation is very new. It is the first time that Su Ze has such a deep understanding of the heart of a father. He can give everything for his loved ones, from forbearance to explosion, sacrificing everything without asking for anything in return.
The tenderness amidst cruelty is also the most obvious aspect of the style of Hong Kong films. Although it is a two-hero model, Simon Yam's character's functional setting actually greatly suppresses his room for development, which is a pity.
There are three manifestations of fatherly love: the police detective despises his daughter because of his work, because his wife's suicide makes him unable to let go of the past, and he pays more attention to the truth than anything else.
Clinging to Wang Yuanyang, she sympathized with his past and was shocked by his murderous motives. Wang Yuanyang finally taught him to let go, because the truth is worthless and completely unimportant in front of family affection and love.
This made him cry bitterly and re-examine his relationship with his daughter, as well as the importance of home and work. Therefore, Lin Zhengzhong can only be a bystander and participant.
And Wang Yuanyang is the planner and preacher.
At the end of December, the hunt was completed, and the last task of the year was successfully completed.
Taking stock of this year, it was basically suspense themes, accidents, witnesses, and the big chase that just ended, which made Su Ze, the king of suspense, hooked.
Ask yourself, I prefer suspense, whether the atmosphere or the characters are more attractive. It’s not that other types of characters are not good, it’s just a personal preference.
It's a pity that this year's three major awards have been postponed to the middle of next year due to face masks. Of course Su Ze doesn't care, but Kong Xue is very dissatisfied. There are so many good works waiting to be fed.
Hero of Fire, Wushuang, Sister Tao, Walking in Blood to Seek Plum Blossoms, Eyewitnesses...
Let’s see next year!
After reaching 10 billion movie stars, the box office is basically the icing on the cake. Ten billion and 20 billion are similar to the audience, and they are all awesome anyway.
What really matters is the evaluation of investors and the industry. For example, for example, this year's box office has not been released in the Mainland. As a literary film, Tao Sister can get tens of millions, which is already very high.
Accidents and eyewitnesses, especially the latter, and the classic case of Xiao Bo Da, with a return on investment of more than ten times, convinced the industry that Su Ze was the king of suspense.
Good guy, what is the most profitable thing for Su Ze to shoot?
So suspenseful!
Of the more than 20 works he has produced since his debut, more than half are suspenseful. The audience's first impression is also suspenseful. Whether it is true reasoning or socialism, they are all within range.
The only goal now is to win awards. There is no challenge for the Grand Slam in TV dramas. What is left is the three major Chinese awards. The Golden Rooster is like the Golden Horse. As long as Su Ze can win the Grand Slam before he is thirty-five, no, forty years old...
unprecedented!
Proper actor no1
I am full of confidence and expectations in this regard. What I am most proud of in my life is that I am Su Ze's manager. Now, not only him, I am also the top person in the entertainment industry.
The betrayal and loneliness of the past have long since disappeared, and without even realizing it, I can no longer find the betrayed person who I will never forget.
My future goal is very firm, which is to watch Su Ze reach the top step by step and see the most beautiful scenery in the world. Even after I get old and retire, I can still smile and proudly share this period of struggle with future generations.
Next year he will be thirty, and I will be forty. One stands tall and the other is not confused, and we walk through the eighth year together.
He is already the dearest brother in his heart, not just him, but also Shishi Xiaotong, and even all the brothers and sisters who fought with Jin Ze.
In these eight years of ups and downs, we have worked together to get where we are today. Everyone is a comrade who will never give up. They were in the past... they are now... and I hope they will be even more so in the future!