"Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" is a psychological drama with a very literary style. The parallel editing follows Lynn's reaction to the scene. You don't know what the next scene will be, and you don't know where the protagonist is in the next scene. That's what Ang Lee is good at. Therefore, in contrast to technology, what the audience sees is still the previous Ang Lee who is keen on details. In the film, during the halftime performance, this group of people who have faced life and death walked out of the stage, and the soldiers were frightened and panicked. The picture will also cut to the battlefield where gunpowder smoke is everywhere. There is also Lynn standing alone behind the Destiny Girl group, with all the happiness in front and the sadness of life and death on the battlefield behind.
The hero's return is only the battlefield. They no longer belong to peace. Except for the soldiers, almost all the characters in the movie are dispelling the word hero. The film agent, the stadium manager, Lynn's sister, and the cheerleader girl, in their eyes, Lynn is not in the same world as him from the very beginning, so all the feelings based on this can only end. in the real world. The film continues Ang Lee's usual kindness and unease, and is full of sadness at the end. Neither truth nor lies can summarize this world, where cruelty and warmth coexist, and care and loneliness coexist.
The original novel of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is about seeing the world around him through the eyes of a 19-year-old boy, describing his thoughts and feelings. In the director's 120-frame 4K 3D footage, empathy is maximized. The director used the subjective perspective of many characters. In the two big scenes in the movie, the halftime performance of the ball game and the Iraqi battlefield, this subjective shot made with 120 frames of 4K 3D suddenly turned the audience into Billy Lynn. Some viewers even think that the criticized 120 frames will be unrealistic when presented on the big screen because it is too clear. But the fact, whether it is the midfield of a ball game or the Iraqi battlefield full of bullets, although it is a real reality, it is beyond the daily life. It is simply the icing on the cake when it is used to present Billy Lynn's perspective.
As a viewer, no matter how clear the 120-frame 3D is, it is not a virtual reality technology. It does not subvert people's viewing habits. The director still has to use the lens language to tell the story and use technology to add luster, rather than forcing the audience through this technology. Approaching the character, understanding the character. In the process of watching the movie, I didn't feel forced to be brought into the story at all. I even forgot that I was wearing glasses and watched a 3D movie. I was completely attracted by the story and felt the confusion of Billy Lynn. , struggles and his suppressed emotions. However, after the movie is over, several scenes in the film will always linger in my mind and will not be forgotten for a long time. Perhaps, 120 frames brings an unforgettable experience.
The technical innovation of the film affects not only the picture, but the director obviously believes that a breakthrough revolution is needed for the performance of the actors under the new technical expression. The most obvious actors often perform directly looking at the camera, which in traditional film theory is a bold move beyond the fourth wall and should be used with caution. It can be understood that the lens represents the first perspective of the character and enhances the audience's sense of substitution. However, the movie is not a VR or a first-person design game after all, and the audience is still more accustomed to hiding behind the fourth wall. The sense of security , what's more, the main point of view of the film is not only locked on the protagonist, all kinds of passers-by may become the first-person point of view of the camera, and the various changes of perspective make people very uncomfortable.
Of course, Ang Lee's fans are still mainly young literary film fans, and the audience will not ask his films to have the visual bombing frequency of popcorn films. But in terms of story, the film really lacks surprises, trying to use constant flashbacks to tell a story that was originally mediocre and lacking highlights. Moreover, even director Ang Lee's best characterization of characters has fallen off the chain this time, and most of the lines are rigid and shallow. Although the old and new actors, there is no way to save the dull core of the film.
The film is quite desirable in terms of plot, but the technology used in the film has not been successful. This film shows his persistent exploration and pursuit of new possibilities for the language of the camera, and like "Brokeback Mountain", this film is a simple description of those alienated Americans. But Billy Lynn, like Ang Lee's previous works, lacks a solid script and has a good theme, but it is paired with vulgar dialogue and a fake Southern accent.
The film's attempt at high frame rate is more to satisfy technical curiosity, rather than a mature innovation. In that final war scene, Billy recalls the details of his firefight with the enemy, capturing every gory detail of the battle in an almost documentary style. The halftime scene, which could have been made into a stand-alone short, is a stark contrast between Destiny's pretentious performance and Billy's unease.
