Review of The World (2004) by Masorad ( — 02 Feb 2010

Jia Zhangke's composition is really something to see: long takes with fluid movement, a palette that goes from earthy to neon, theatrical blocking among the bizarre simulacra of the world within The World.

And given the Chinese government's limits on freedom of expression, the director can be forgiven for failing to give his story or characters any real bite. Which is a pity, for this could've been a worthwhile critical examination of the New Economy in China, and the toll it takes on the relocated workers upon which it is being built.

But, unfortunately, The World is meh, with a sappy soap opera storyline, embarrassingly bad flash animations every time a character uses a cell phone, and a godawful saccharine score.