Briefly
reflecting on the career of Ang Lee, I realize what a master the
filmmaker has become at depicting the social dynamics created by
different forms of forbidden love. Over the years, Lee has
fearlessly shown viewers the forbidden love that the daughters
of a traditional Chinese man felt for American culture in Eat
Drink Man Woman, the forbidden love kindled between two gay
sheep-herders coexisting in a traditional Midwestern society in
Brokeback Mountain, and – heck – even the forbidden love
displayed by a giant green monster for normal life in The
Hulk. The writer/director has perfected the theme as both a
science and an art, capturing it as realistically in his films
as he does poignantly and poetically. Lust, Caution is
Lee’s latest work tackling this subject-matter, and it is every
bit as fresh and wonderful as his past films.
As indicated by
its title and its NC-17 MPAA rating, Lee’s story here is more
ornately and provocatively sexual than any other he has ever
told before. What makes Lust, Caution different from the
standard-issue sex-infested picture is that the visual presence
of fornication here is essential to the story, imbuing in the
narrative-arc an urgent sense of passion and, at times,
consequence. Lee utilizes the very real sex-scenes to deepen the
audience’s understanding of the feelings of the characters,
hence building on the aforementioned theme of forbidden love.
The near-three-hour duration builds tensely for over ninety
minutes before exploring the dynamic created by intercourse,
providing the act a sense of deep-rooted climax (no pun
intended).
The players of
the ravaging love affair at the elaborate core of Lust,
Caution are the conspiring Wang Jiazhi (Wei Tang) and the
devious Mr. Yee (Tony Leung). The film takes place in China
during the early stages of World War II, between the years of
1938 and 1942. Wang is a young university student who becomes a
member of a politically-active theatre troupe. In its plays, the
troupe condones nationalist, anti-Japanese views. Led by the
charismatic Kuang Yu Min (Lee-Hom Wang), whose considerable
charm was what originally persuaded Wang to join the troupe, the
members happen upon what they view as a Golden Opportunity for
their cause. Kaung creates a plan by which they will be able to
assassinate opposition-collaborator Mr. Yee. This plan requires
Wang to seduce Mr. Yee, which leads to a passionate love affair
between the two that complicates the assassination plot
considerably.
A great deal of
Lust, Caution relies on the richness of the material’s
context; Lee and his crew create an atmosphere that complexly
interweaves history, political commentary, and romance. In many
ways, Lust, Caution tackles the depth of two separate
films: it functions beautifully as both a social wartime tale
and a nuanced portrayal of the forbidden love that Lee so deeply
understands as a writer/director. This is all greatly aided by
the fantastic performances of leads Tang and Leung, who rely
greatly on the unsaid to accentuate the importance of the
circumstances that they find their characters in during the
film. Despite its considerable length and detail, Lust,
Caution never feels tiresome because of the meditative style
in which its admittedly sprawling contents are presented. Lee
has, quite simply, crafted another exquisite entry to add to his
already-accomplished resume – one that is certainly one of the
best films of the year.
-Danny Baldwin,
Bucket Reviews
Review Published
on: 10.7.2007
Screened on:
10.4.2007 at the Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas in San Diego, CA.
Lust, Caution is rated NC-17 and runs
157 minutes.
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