The Flowers Of War

I’m surprised that I want to write about Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers Of War. Not because it was bad. Quite the contrary. It’s actually very good. Stunning in fact. But I’m surprised that I’ve chosen to write about this particular war film for the simple fact that it’s not the best I’ve seen, yet something about it has really gripped me, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Yimou, of House Of Flying Daggers and Hero fame has crafted something quite spectacular here.

Based on the novel ‘13 Flowers of Nanjing,’ by Geling Yang, The Flowers Of War tells the story of a group of young Catholic girls trapped in their convent during the “Rape of Nanjing” at the time of the Second Sino-Japanese War. A mortician from the United States, John Miller (played, surprisingly, by Christian Bale) stumbles upon the convent, posing as a Priest to protect the girls, whilst offering shelter to a group of flamboyant prostitutes from Nanjing’s red light district. As Japanese forces conquer the city, Miller vows to get the girls out of Nanjing before they are all killed. The plot sounds a tad ridiculous and I was wary of investing time in it, but Yimou’s war epic makes for fascinating and compelling viewing. 

John Miller (Bale) poses as a Priest to help the convent children.

First off, I have to say the cinematography is breath taking. Chinese film has really pushed the boundaries in recent years, rivalling, even surpassing Hollywood in visual terms. Yimou throws us right into the deep end from the ‘get go,’ plunging us into the heart of battle. The violence never feels gratuitous or melodramatic; Yimou wants to show us the unflinching barbarities of war, its representation one of the best I’ve ever seen. Yimou counteracts this chaos with beautiful, lingering shots of the convent that the girls are trapped in, a safe haven amongst this hell. I particularly enjoyed the transition of steady, sweeping shots in the convent to the shakiness of the handheld camera outside the church walls. Yimou disorientates us when he explores the streets of Nanjing, yet that’s exactly as it should be, and the film is stronger because of it. Maybe this is where Chinese cinema surpasses Hollywood. Yimou is not afraid to show us events that many directors would usually shy away from. The brutality of the Japanese soldiers is played out in front of us in excruciating detail, whether it be the execution of children or the rape of women. There's no holding back here and some of it is incredibly uncomfortable to watch as I'm sure was intended.

I love Yimou’s use of colour. It plays a large role in the film whether it be the dark, dusty greys in war torn Nanjing or the incredible multitude of colours that radiate from the stained glass windows of the convent. Topped off with a simple, haunting and delicate score, The Flowers Of War is a technical triumph.

Prostitutes from Nanjing's Red Light District arrive at the Convent seeking shelter from the invading Japanese.

That's not to say the film is without its problems. Christian Bale has always been a ‘hit or miss’ actor for me. I could rave for hours about his performances in films like The Fighter, American Psycho and Empire Of The Sun yet others like The New World, Reign of Fire and Little Women leave a lot to be desired. Even his portrayal of Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight Trilogy’ isn’t really praise-worthy. There have always been stronger actors in the Batman films that have reached new heights of brilliance while Bale seems to get left behind. His performance in The Flowers Of War is a mix of both, and I think he’s hindered by the script. Having a high profile Hollywood actor play the part of John Miller is somewhat confusing. Why, I kept asking myself, does he have to be American? Nationality plays a big part in the film as you’ll see if you watch it, yet I don’t think the mergence of Chinese and American cinema is quite as smooth as it could be, and it shows here in some respect. Some of the dialogue between characters is jilted at times as a result of this. Having said that, there are elements of truth here. Americans did, apparently, attempt to help Chinese civilians when it emerged that the Japanese were not attacking ‘Westerners.’ It doesn’t help, of course, that Bale (in my opinion) is once again ‘out-acted’ (if there is such a phrase) by his young Chinese co-stars who turn in some ridiculously good performances as the young convent girls. Special mention must go to Huang Tianyuan and Zhang Xinyi. It must be hard, at a young age, to appreciate the gravity of themes and issues explored in such films, yet these two are totally believable in their portrayal of two girls clinging to survival in war. 

The prostitutes and convent girls meet for the first time.

The arrival of the prostitutes is interesting. Many of the reviews I have read claim that the film’s more pressing issues arrive along with these new characters. I disagree. The group dynamic between the convent girls and prostitutes, the ‘saints’ and the ‘sinners,’ is intriguing to watch and fascinating to explore. Of course, a sub-plot regarding the mutual attraction between John Miller and Yu Mo (Ni Ni) is included and rushed through, which adds unnecessarily to the two hour and twenty minutes run time, yet it’s a small issue.

Yu Mo and John Miller.

Other scenes in the film seem out of place, ridiculous even. Two of the prostitutes, for example, flee the convent and journey to their brothel to gather strings for their instrument so they can play to the dying soldier who they are caring for in their hideout. Another scene where the prostitutes play a song for the convent girls descends into something of a farce and there’s no real place for it in context. I hate to say this, but it’s laughable. By all means, inject humour where humour can be injected, but don’t force it on your audience. The Flowers Of War sets its sombre tone too early on in the film to then throw such strange and weird scenes at us as it heads towards its climax.

The Flowers Of War is quite special. Deep, emotional and thought provoking, Zhang Yimou continues his winning streak here. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely something you should see. The film only has a 41% approval rating on review site, Rotten Tomatoes, which, quite frankly, baffles me. Many have compared this to City Of Life And Death, another film that deals with similar events. Apparently, it’s superior, although I cannot judge as I have yet to see it. Judging The Flowers Of War on its own merits, however, I can safely say that this comes highly recommended. 

Rating: * * * *

The Troll Hunter

THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

Another ‘found footage’ film has made it onto our cinema screens this week. Troll Hunter, a Norwegian ‘mockumentary,’ written and directed by André Øvredal, follows a group of students who set out to make a documentary about a supposed Bear poacher, Hans. As the trio secretly follow and film Hans, they uncover a truth more shocking than anyone could ever imagine. Hans is a hunter, working for the Norwegian Government, killing trolls that have escaped their ‘territory.’ Unlike Apollo 18, this film treats its ‘found footage’ style as an asset. Surprisingly, Øvredal has crafted a little gem here, and while it may not achieve mainstream success, it will most certainly earn a cult following and rightly deserves it status as one of the better films of summer 2011.

Troll Hunter is not a horror and it doesn’t pretend to be. Part drama, part comedy, part social satire, Hunter works because of its tongue-in-cheek attitude towards itself. As a piece of film, it shines due to its ability to never take itself too seriously. Maybe this is what sets it apart from its Hollywood counterparts. There’s a sense of uniqueness here, a sense of foreign originality which is all too lacking in film these days. Yes, we are indulged with beautiful shots of the Norwegian landscape, but its genius stems from more than its patriotic, loving scenes of its homeland. Hollywood conformities are ignored and whilst the ending is predictable because of the way it is filmed, the rest is unpredictable, thrilling, and at times, down right menacing.  

Considering Øvredal shot Troll Hunter on a challenging budget of US $3.5 million, the special effects are of the highest standard. The creature designs in this remind me of Guillermo del Toro’s work on his own masterpiece, Pan’s Labyrinth. Combined with sweeping shots of Norway’s spectacular scenery and Hunter contains stunning cinematography that really adds a sense of scale to events. Although I was quite critical of the style in my previous review of Apollo 18, the ‘found footage’ aspect really gives the film a raw, authentic feel and is an excellent example of how this doesn't only have to be employed in horror films.

Creature designs reminscent of Guillermo del Toro's work.

Øvredal has fun with the creature’s ‘look.’ He is not concerned with how scary they seem. Indeed, the physicality of these monsters border on the humorous. Øvredal focuses on an ‘event’ in the film and its repercussions, rather than how he expects his audience to feel. This, in a way, adds to the realism of the picture and helps with the development of its characters. Jumping at times from the hilarious, to the tense, to the absurd, it all somehow works. Keep an eye out for the slight pokes at Hollywood blockbusters: Hans attempts to lure one of the trolls out of hiding using a sheep as bait, an obvious throwback to the infamous scene in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, whilst a sequence where our heroes are fleeing an attack in their car is almost identical to the Tyrannosaurus Rex chase. Moments like this, with an underlying subtle humour, is where Troll Hunter excels.

I suppose UK and US audiences cannot fully appreciate the more ‘knowledgeable’ parts of the film’s humour. Hans is played by Otto Jespersen, a famous (and apparently controversial) Norwegian comedian who may be largely unknown to international viewers. The other main actors seem comfortable in their roles although a largely improvised script has its limitations and issues. When one of their team dies, they do not seem as upset as expected and within minutes they already have a new member joining them for their expedition. For a film that ‘pampers’ its realism, this seems a little disjointed compared to other moments of brilliance.

It may be slow in places, but this post-modern take on local folklore will certainly leave you feeling both satisfied and shocked. 106 minutes may be a little too long for this kind of film and the climax seems a little rushed, but its strengths overshadow any criticisms that it draws. It’s wry, it’s clever and most importantly, it’s fun. Go and see it before the inevitable Hollywood remake is released.

My Rating: * * * *

While I’m here, I must criticise the UK trailer. If you’ve seen it, ignore it. What the distributors of Troll Hunter were thinking when they put out such a ridiculous, cheap, tacky advertisement, I don’t know. In an attempt to make the film appeal to a wider audience, they’ve made it look like some ‘zany’ comedy. Isn’t it better to advertise a film on its own merits rather than trying to mould it into something it’s not? 

The official trailer you SHOULD watch!

 

The awful UK trailer: