Review of Flight of the Red Balloon (2007) by David H — 26 Apr 2008

A fascinating East-West hybrid. This is Chinese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's first feature shot in the West. It's set in Paris and plays off of Albert Lamorisse's "Le Ballon Rouge" in some strangely unexpected and entrancing ways.

There's a pervasive calm throughout the film, a profound and introspective quiet. The setting is modern, but the themes are timeless. There are meditations on digital technology and the isolating effects of cramped urban living (similar to Hou's other films, which examine the changing social landscape of urban China), but there are also puppet shows and a mellifluous two-part counterpoint on the piano.

I've heard that this acts as a nice parallel to Hou's 1993 film, The Puppetmaster, which I have not yet seen. And there are shots in Flight of the Red Balloon that will leave you breathless in their meticulously crafted mise-en-scenes.

Hou is playful and almost childlike in his ability to play with light. Reflections abound, especially in the context of a solitary train ride. Also, the fluidity of his camera movements are - forgive the cliche - absolutely breathtaking.

A couple of scenes have extended takes of at least five minutes -- they display a virtuosic choreography between the actors, their given space, and the camera's gaze. This is the perfect film for anyone willing to bring an adult's ability for deep reflection and a child's sense of wonder and idealism.

It's clear that Hou is an artist with the most genuine of humanitarian impulses and a relentless interest in how modern culture affects day-to-day living.