Article / Fujii Tree, originally published in "Youjia Pictorial"
Title: "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling"
Director: Zhang Yimou
Starring: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi
Score: 7
Natural , The feeling of watching "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" is very depressing, uncomfortable and heavy. This kind of reaction is normal, because the subject matter itself determines that this cannot be a lighthearted film that can covet the senses. However, in addition to depression, discomfort, and heaviness, I also have a deep depression, or more precisely, disappointment. This film is like the lifelike real wax figures in the wax museum. The craftsmanship is impeccable, and even the pores are meticulously visible. It must have invested enough patience and sincerity in the creative attitude. However, no matter how lifelike a wax figure is, it is also a dummy without temperature. This analogy may not be so appropriate, but I want to say that "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" is a work with a very high degree of completion by Zhang Yimou, but it lacks a kind of power that directly points to people's hearts. In a word, I was not impressed.
You know, I was mentally prepared before going to see it. The first batch of media gave a very high evaluation after watching the film. Everyone said that this is Zhang Yimou's best work since "Alive". Given the "sacred" status of "Alive" in my mind, my expectations for "Thirteen Hairpins" have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, unfortunately, I was not shocked. And my depression came from this loss. In the face of such a huge tragedy, I was indifferent, and even once made me doubt my values and worldview, whether it was me or the movie that was wrong.
I found out later that I had a problem with the movie. My problem is that I wanted to be moved so much that I even went to see Yan Geling's original novel, but I ended up watching a movie with the concept of a novel. Of course, it's a completely different matter. In addition, my expectations are too high, and the reference coefficient is positioned on "Alive", so it is reasonable to be disappointed. The problem with the film is mainly in the second half. Strictly speaking, after the sacrifice of the instructor Li played by Tong Dawei, the dramatic tension of the film plummeted. The energy accumulated in the first half, in the second half of the endless slow motion and the close-ups of the graceful figures of the prostitutes, plummeted. So much so that, at the end of the film, Bell finally drove the female students to escape Nanjing City safely, and my mind was still immersed in an indescribable depression. I was not moved by those brave Qinhuai women, but felt that all this was ridiculous, and my heart was filled with countless whys!
For example, why is there a woman who would die in vain for a set of strings and a pair of earrings when her life was not guaranteed? The tragic deaths of Cardamom and Pandan were too sudden and lacked the necessary emotional foreshadowing, making people feel that their deaths were particularly worthless, and their actions were extremely stupid. Why was Shujuan full of malice from the first time she saw Yumo, and was secretly spying on her all the time? The relationship between the two of them is emotionally entangled in the novel, but in the movie, this line is completely abandoned. Also, why do these Qinhuai women sit in a row and sing "Qinhuai Scenery" at the critical juncture of the calamity? What's even more exaggerated is that there is a flashback to the slow motion of them in a brothel, wearing cheongsam, and swaying collectively. As for a partial close-up at every turn, accompanied by Qin Huai's singing, highlighting the scenes of women undressing and wrapping their chests, I really can't accept it. I don't think, in such a life-and-death situation, who else is in the mood to talk about Fengyue. As for the sex scene that was deliberately hyped, it was even more unnecessary. The war scenes are also very hypocritical, especially the human bomb, which is presented in a series of slow motion and narration, which is too deliberate.
Of course, despite its many problems, "Thirteen Hairpins" is a fairly well-finished movie. Some paragraphs, quite good. For example, the fog and running at the beginning, the deadly chilling atmosphere in the cold winter, were rendered very well. Tong Dawei secretly put his shoes at the door of the church, which is touching. There was chaos outside, and the prostitutes and schoolgirls in the church were still fighting for the bathroom, which was also very dramatic. And George Chen came forward and was willing to disguise himself as a woman to join the prostitute team. Bell made a wig for him, which is definitely a tear gas. In the end, Cao Kefan was shot to death without warning, and he was extremely powerful.
In terms of actors, Christian Bale is undoubtedly the best, every detail is very in place, and how a bastard can be transformed into a hero. Both women and girls use newcomers, which I admire very much for Zhang Yimou. With his fame, he could have played with a group of female stars, but he didn't. He insists on contributing fresh faces to the Chinese film industry, which is a great deed for the entire industry. The eye-catching Ni Ni (playing Yu Mo), who is purely English, exudes a charming but not arrogant mature woman style, a bit like Tang Wei in "Lust and Caution". But I prefer the girl who plays Shu Juan, whose name is Zhang Xinyi, with very deep eyes. Her screen charm is very unique, more youthful and pure than Zhou Dongyu in "Hawthorn Tree", which is unforgettable.
In short, I saw Zhang Yimou's sincerity in his works, and I also felt the emotions he wanted to express. But "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" is not shocking as expected, very neat, but no surprises!
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