Review of Exiled (1998) by Ting-Hey C — 29 Dec 2007

Johnnie To crafts another unbearable exercise in style over substance. The murky plot has something to do with a bunch of guys meeting up at a house to plug away at each other. But listen, what's that blessed noise wot stirs the very soul? A newborn babe stirring restless in its crib! Its wail is enough to convince these sworn enemies to put down their guns and appreciate the beauty of life.

(inexplicable save for the possiblity of this scene being a misguided Children of Men reference) After that's over, they decide to pull off a heist and kill a shitload of guys, then these guys eventually turn on each other in super-operatic spaghetti western style.

Too bad you don't give a crap about any of them, and their choice of firearm is the only way to distinguish one from the other. Self-conscious and smugly assured of its own wrongheaded "western" conceit.

The damn thing is paced like a Leone flick to make matters worse, meaning the buildup to the incomprehensible gun battles leaves you a little blue in the nether regions. I think we've found the Asian Brian De Palma; another hypervisual hack who manages to give himself two onscreen credits before the title even appears.

If you can make it past the 20 minute mark, you're made of tougher stuff than I.