Review of 2046 (2004) by Jesse T — 11 May 2008

[b]2046 (2005).

Director: Wong Kar-wai.

Starring: Tony Leung, Ziyi Zhang, Li Gong, Faye Wong, Takuya Kimura.

[/b]One of the best films I have ever seen. Easily one of my absolute favourites and one of the best films of the 21st Century. The thing is, when people ask me if I like this more than [i]In the Mood for Love[/i], I won't be able to answer. They are both totally different films (even thought this is the sequel to [i]In the Mood for Love[/i]). They are both equally amazing, but in terms of favourite, [i]2046[/i] is mine (with [i]In the Mood for Love[/i] just a small margin behind it).

I can't get over the mixed reviews I have been reading for this film. It deals with the beauty of love like no other film I have seen (save [i]In the Mood for Love[/i]) and incorporates science fiction elements into the plot that makes the story so much more brilliant and the characters so much more real. Science fiction elements make these characters seem real? Yes, I believe they do. The scenes on the train to the year 2046 are not only superbly shot and masterfully visualized, but a good deal of the development and existential occurrences in the characters happen on this train, in the future. I haven't seen a film or read a book that put science fiction elements to such good use since I read [i]Slaughterhouse-Five; or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death[/i] by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Wong Kar-wai has always been a favourite of mine ever since I saw [i]In the Mood for Love[/i] four years ago. The plot of that film never interested me before I saw it, but that was around the time I began broadening my tastes and watching more foreign films. After I saw [i]In the Mood[/i], I was mesmerized and completely captured by the beauty of it. The story of Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-Zhen made me feel uncannily close to them and I knew at that moment I had to watch [i]2046[/i]. For some ridiculous reason, it took me almost four years to watch [i]2046[/i], but those four years let me mature that much more and see many more films that would allow me to appreciate this film like I have. I have never felt as close as I have with characters in a film as I do with the ones in [i]In the Mood for Love[/i] and [i]2046[/i] (I have yet to see [i]Days of Being Wild[/i], unfortunately).

The visuals are what keep me mesmerized and the screenplay is what keeps me emotional, vice versa even. When I say emotional, I don't mean bawling my eyes out sad, I mean infatuated. I am literally infatuated with this work of art. This film is a collaborative effort, I do believe. Wong Kar-wai is the mastermind behind this trilogy, of course, but credit also goes out to the actors (Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Li Gong, Faye Wong, Ziyi Zhang), Christopher Doyle the cinematographer (along with Kwan Pun Leung and Lai Yiu Fai), William Chang the production designer/costume designer/film editor, Alfred Yau the art director and Shigeru Umebayashi the composer of the original score. Combining all these talents together has brought the world two epic films that have changed my outlook on cinema and art in general.

[i]2046[/i] is the epitome of film, in my opinion. It has everything I look for in a film and it has pleased me like only a few select others have. It really is a masterpiece and I cannot recommend this more. I hope you all see this and take something away from it, whether it be visually or emotionally (or hopefully both).