Shanghai Triad

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Alec B The tragedy of the ending is hurt by the meandering narrative that precedes it (I do like the nightclub scenes but I think they should have added a lot more character focused material to balance this out) which is a shame because the cinematography and set/costume designs are exquisite. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Audience Member The tragedy of the ending is hurt by the meandering narrative that precedes it (I do like the nightclub scenes but I think they should have added a lot more character focused material to balance this out) which is a shame because the cinematography and set/costume designs are exquisite. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review peter w We get an interesting perspective of 1930s gangland Shanghai through the eyes of the servant, Shuisheng, and the godfather's lover, Bijou, and it is far from complimentary. Shuisheng sees the wanton violence of the gang, and Bijou tries to stare down the godfather who objectifies her as an ornament. Many films romanticize gangster power dynamics but Zhang Yimou choses instead to turn a critical eye against it from characters outside of, but critical to the performance of, the power brokers. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Sumptuous period piece - but director Zhang Yimou can't seem to settle on which story to tell: the coming of age of the boy Shuisheng or the humanization of his "Miss" Bijou. Zhang's stumblebum Shanghai mob just gets in the way. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Depressing but visually poetic film. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Zhang Yimou is a director who continues to surprise me, even though I have only seen four of his films so far. I had only seen his more well known martial arts films like Hero, House Of Flying Daggers, and Curse Of The Golden Flower, but yet again I have been surprised by him in the form of this gangster film set in the 1930's in Shanghai. The film follows the point of view of a 14-year-old boy named Shuisheng, who is brought in by his uncle to be the servant of a woman named Bijou, who is a showgirl and the girlfriend of a mobster who is only known as "Boss." Though only a servant, Shuisheng gets to see some of the inner workings of the gangsters he works for and the life of the woman whom he serves, who treats him like garbage and is having secret affairs. Things begin to fall apart in this dangerous world of the Shanghai mafia when a trusted associate attempts to murder the "Boss" and kills some of his associates in the process. Now the "Boss" along with his girlfriend, trusted associates, and Shuisheng must go into hiding on a tiny island where things get progressively more dangerous as Bijou herself causes things to unravel, while her servant watches on. Shanghai Triad is a very subdued and quiet gangster film, rather than a bombastic and violence-filled one like most others. It's one that's all about characters, story, and making the viewer pay attention to all the little details as they watch. But, when it strikes, it leaves a powerful impact on the viewer. The acting is also quite good, especially from actress, Gong Li, who plays the troubled Bijou. Her character was the most complex and fascinating, especially when she begins revealing parts of her life before getting caught up in the criminal world. She really steals the show, though her fellow actors are no slouches either, and deliver fantastic performances as well. It's film that's all about story, characters, and little details for the viewer to process, which is why it gripped and engaged me so much from beginning to end. Shanghai Triad is easily one of the best crime films I've ever seen and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a film that is mostly story and character-driven. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Shanghai Triad

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