Maybe
the most bewildering thing about Kar Wai Wong movies is that, they seem
too normal while you watch it but once done they start to haunt you. And they
are overly narrative and sometimes overly expressive in minor elements of the
plot yet not so detailed and mysterious about some of the far deep and seem to
be important areas. And it seems like the director intentionally hide certain
things from the viewers and viewers are left to go through a journey of
discovery them selves if they want more answers than the ones are obvious. Yes
strikingly more answers we find more things left to ponder. Chunking Express is
such mysteriously touching piece of artistic cinema that boils down to a very
simple yet very complicated story about everyday people.
The
story is woven around two Hong Kong cops. At a glance they both share certain
similarities as characters and circumstantially and losing their girl friends
is one of the prominent ones. Chunking Express deals with their emotional
despair and hope as they struggle to overcome the uncertainty and the
loneliness they feel in their post relationship recovery period. The beauty of
the script is that these two characters have no intention to overlap yet but
only to connect deep down in the observance of the viewer.
Chunking
Express expresses it self-using narratives. And these narratives in the form of
thoughts of the characters who speaks to them selves are very powerful and
strangely unique. When you listen to them closely it opens up a variety of
emotions filled pathways in to the characters life. The viewers get to explore
these characters who at times are bold but most of the time mysterious in their
own ways. And the director builds these characters and their behaviors in to a
certain point where they become strangely familiar after sometime but the
viewers deep down knows that they are not. But follow their lead in their
journey of sorrowful uncertainness.
The
director very effectively uses cinematographic elements such at colors, camera
movements and angles along with strong symbolism to build the plot. And just
like his later work In the Mood for Love (2000) he uses music that is very
character centric over and over again until it becomes a habit. Here he uses the
classic California Dreaming by The Mamas & The Papas and blend it so well
with the story by the time movie the ends it is so prominent as characters them
selves. Maybe the most binding component the viewers unknowingly fall for is
the ever-natural performances and the chaotic style of story telling. Though
how simple the character or the events look at a glance it is not so uncommon
for the viewer to struggle moment to moment to realize the depth they
represent.
Chunking
Express is a well-written and skillfully directed cinema by the renowned
moviemaker Kar Wai Wong. His signature style is all over it and for anyone who
is brave enough to experience it will discover the world in a unique way.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about this movie is that you hardly
notice that it touched you until you are left alone to ponder about it. And
this moment of realization can happen anytime without an early warning. The
trick is not to rush it.
Original
title: Chung Hing sam lam
Language:
Cantonese
Country:
Hong Kong
Genre:
Drama | Romance
Director:
Kar Wai Wong
-Priyantha Bandara
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