TIFF Review: Vengeance
Vengeance
Directed by Johnnie To
Starring: Johnny Hallyday, Anthony Wong, Lam Ka Tung, Lam Suet and Simon Yam
For those that have read my TIFF reviews and updates over the past few years, you may remember me mentioning a director by the name of Johnnie To. Not only is he a great action director in Hong Kong, but I think he’s one of the best ever in the world. There’s something to his style that I just love, so you can imagine how happy I was that his latest film Vengeance came to TIFF.
Vengeance is the story of an older man with a failing memory named Costello (Hallyday) whose daughter is in a hospital struggling to survive, while her Chinese husband and their two kids lay dead after a gang hit. Who wanted them dead and why? Costello is immediately warned by police to stay out of the way and let them do their jobs. He crosses paths with some hitmen and hires them to find the ones responsible for hurting his daughter.
As the mystery begins to be solved we are treated to a number of scenes that can only be described as bullet ballets. We get shootouts at a picnic, gunfights in an apartment complex, and duels in an open field using tumbling bales of compressed paper as shields. Can Costello and the hitmen exact revenge on those responsible for the deaths of his family? Will his failing memory be the cause of their failure? Does the word vengeance have the same meaning when you can’t remember those that have wronged you or those that you’ve lost? Go see the movie to find out.
Obviously, since I’m a big fan of Johnnie To, I had high hopes. I love his action style. I like the slo-mo fight sequences. I love the shots of the guns in each holster and then the shots of the hands reaching for the guns all the way to having the weapons pointed at each other. To me, there’s an art form to it and I think Johnnie To has it mastered. Once the hitmen find those responsible, the film becomes non-stop action with gunfight after gunfight. Each time in a different location to keep it all fresh.
His regular cast of actors are all here, playing the three hitmen (Anthony Wong, Lam Ka Tung, Lam Suet) and the crime lord (Simon Yam). Solid performances from this crew as always. The one problem I had with this film was Johnny Hallyday. If you don’t know who he is, he’s a pop star in France. He’s been known as the French Elvis Presley. Not only are his singing chops nowhere near the caliber of the King, but he’s even a worse actor. It looked like Johnnie To showed up at the nursing home, checked Hallyday out for a bit and put him in the movie.
Even with the laughable and somewhat bizarre performance of Hallyday being the core of this film, the fired bullets, the blood splatters and the rising death count made this film enjoyable to watch. The back drop of Hong Kong is always a good setting for a hitman versus hitman war and with Johnnie To at the helm, this bullet ballet gets an extra curtain call or two. – Greg
Comments (6)
“…but I think he’s one of the best ever in the world.”
True words. And thanks to your review I am looking forward to see “Vengeance”. My favourites To movies are “Exiled”, “Throw Down” and “Sparrow”. If you ever watched the pickpocket scene in Sparrow shot like some shoot out you know why his movies are such a pleasure to watch.
Posted by Andreas on September 18th, 2009The poster of the movie has a great resemblance with one of the Oldboy posters. Makes me wanna watch the movie! Plus there’s the blood, guts and gunplay! Will def check this one out.
Posted by modesilver on September 18th, 2009Looking over Johnnie To’s resume as a director for 29 years, I’ve seen maybe ten of his films. His films have never struck me with having much flair or beauty, even his later ones that have won awards. I’ll have to pay more attention to his action style. I do find his films somewhat entertaining though. I wonder why he doesn’t have a cult reputation in the West like John Woo. Or does he?
Coincidentally, I picked up “Exiled” for $1.11 two days ago. I’ll have to create a new category for my reviews: Reed’s Killer Import Bargain Bin.
Posted by Reed Farrington on September 18th, 2009Sounds like a classic HK action/revenge film.
You can’t go wrong with Wong and Yam.
Posted by Duke Togo on September 19th, 2009Speaking for me and my friends Johnnie To is more appreciated than Woo. Watching Election 1 and 2 or Sparrow for example shows quite clearly that he can do much more than only action. Election is about the structure and traditions in a triad gang and in Sparrow he makes a declaration of love to the city of Hong Kong.
Posted by Andreas on September 22nd, 2009I just watched Vengeance and I must say Greg, you’ve made me a believer. I loved this film and the enigmatic last scene of the film probably sealed my appreciation.
I thought bullet ballets had been overdone, but To outdid any bullet ballet I’ve ever seen with this film. I think I belong in Andreas’ camp in which I appreciate To more than Woo. I love how the leaves started to fall in the forest set-piece. (Jay and I have this running joke where any movie which has cherry blossom petals falling seems to appeal to me.)
I didn’t even mind Johnny Hallyday’s performance. I didn’t find anything wrong with it. If he had started singing while killing, then I think this movie would be a masterpiece.
Posted by Reed Farrington on January 3rd, 2010Leave a Reply