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Reviews
C+ jing taam (2007)
Faith Restored
This was really good.
Though I'd been losing hope that Los Bros Pang could deliver a truly satisfying movie experience (considering their recent efforts), I'm always compelled to watch them. I have a lot of faith in these guys. My faith in their abilities has been restored with this flick.
A lot of the credit goes to Aaron Kwok. He did an amazing job and I can't imagine how any other actor would've pulled it off. A brilliant, memorable performance.
It's visually stunning -- and gritty as hell -- and has the feel of a solid independent (ala "Memento" or "Blood Simple.") It's a bit "over-told" when all's said and done, but ultimately quite satisfying.
The Pang Brothers are back!
The Traveler (2006)
Awful, Just Awful
Okay, so this is a low-budget horror flick. I get that. That's no excuse for not having at the start a solid script. I mean, before anything, get the script in the best shape possible. Don't just hope it'll come together on the screen. It won't. The script would've been much better if there was more of a connection between the characters and their fate. The philosophical note at the end rang empty, because, frankly, we just didn't care.
The directing was just as bad. There was a sense that the director rushed it without considering the flow of the scenes. You think that everything was just padding to get to the gore shots.
The acting was on an even keel with the script and directing. Doesn't anybody rehearse any more?
The one star I give it is for the gruesome effects.
So why did I watch the whole thing? I'm one of those people who has to finish what they start watching. (I need to stop doing that...)
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