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"Taxi 4" (Taxi 4): burlesque and civilian heroes □ Text / Vulcan
We need fantasies to fill our increasingly banal brains and dull emotional worlds. - Vulcan Ji. Inscription. The film was released in France a few days ago, and the results of over one million box office in three days and over three million viewers in two weeks are astounding. The combination of Luc Besson and Gérard Kwarzick, the brand effect of "Taxi" and the splendid drag racing, headless comedy and the signature idiot police, these established factors are for "Taxi" fans. It still has an irresistible appeal, which has made this the most popular series of movies in France. The commercial success is yet another testament to the convocation and joy that such factors as the golden combination and the brand bring to the fans under the catalyst of French humor. However, for Asian fans, this film may be disappointing.
Let's take a look at all the components of this movie. First of all, two men, very good friends, not partners' partners. A confused policeman and a skilled taxi driver, the two leading actors in this film, Emilian and Danielle; a playful general, a grandfather who loves children; a crazy and neurotic police chief And a bunch of cops who are doing nothing and funny; a standard criminal and the criminal group he leads. Such character building is not new to us. We can even list a formula more intuitively: "Taxi 4" = enthusiastic good people + fleeing bad people + chasing police. The construction of the characters determines the construction of the story of the film, and our past movie viewing experience will allow us to make such a judgment: comedy or action comedy. Then we began to understand that, aside from the more flamboyant stunts and more dazzling gunfire performances, this film was in fact no different from the action comedy that baptized us countless times in the golden age of Hong Kong cinema. Such a judgment may not represent all Asian fans, but it is definitely more than enough to represent fans who like Hong Kong movies. It's that we don't understand French humor, or that French humor is too close to so much Hong Kong humor that it's so familiar to us that it's so hard to even make us laugh. Such a grandiose box-office result seems more like a mockery. Having lived through the golden age of Hong Kong cinema, such character building and story framing are really not new to me. Civilian heroes, confused cops, criminals in standard mode, and crazy police chiefs, we may be able to compose a few of these stories in the inspiration that Hong Kong movies once brought us. Yet Hong Kong films have never seemed so successful in turning their most hilarious inspirations into their most commercially successful productions. Perhaps, it is because there is no Luc Besson in Hong Kong; because Hong Kong films are not inferior in commercial operation, and the difference may lie in the appeal of the brand. Well, not so harsh, watch this movie again. The most impressive thing about this movie is the mysterious Peugeot 407, the tail drift, acceleration, parking, etc. These beautiful action designs add action to the fresh and smooth narrative style of the original three movies. elements that make the film more enjoyable to watch. Although this series of films was not directed by Luc Besson himself, the thoroughly shallow narrative style makes the film more or less Lu's style. It's a movie that focuses on visibility and entertainment, so conquering us with those exquisite lens designs is where the movie is most successful. Aesthetic, it should be said, the shot design of this film is very aesthetic. Perhaps, this also explains why the film can support such a successful commercial interest with a story frame that is not new. Visually, the movie should be pretty good. Although it is not as prosperous as the Hollywood kingdom, it is rare to see such films in pursuit of visual effects in a film atmosphere with such a strong humanistic atmosphere in France. The French film in my impression is always heavy and sad, and this series of films is so unique in the strong French film culture. We need fantasies to fill our increasingly banal brains and dull emotional worlds. And what resonates most with us is perhaps this civilian heroic fantasy. Superman is too far away from us, and many times we are like Emilian and Danielle, living a peaceful life day after day. We have also longed to be a hero, a hero who contributes to the people, or to be closer to reality, the desire to become stronger and more sacred in our hearts may never cease. And such a film under the framework of a story mobilizes more of the delusions we once had but have been forgotten. We'll be driving a car we've modified down the crowded road, dodging all the cars that move along the narrow streets of Marseille. For our desires and the mission we have given ourselves. The fantasy of civilian heroes is also closer to us, closer to us, which may be why the series is so popular. I don't like the story frame of this movie because the previous Hong Kong movies have given me too many similar experiences. Yet this plebeian-heroic fantasy still agitates my already submerged desires. In other words, a story that is not new inspires a desire that is not new, so this kind of old-fashioned film still has its due market. In terms of motion design and visual effects, there are two of the most exciting designs of the film. The first scene is the design of the overturned car after the police chief Gibe led a mighty convoy to the airport to pick up Aberge; the other is the scene where Gibe fired machine guns and rocket launchers at the end of the movie. . The first show is a delicate beauty. The first car braked suddenly, so the car behind couldn't stop and collided, and then some overturned, and some hit a somersault and overturned on the front body. In addition to the control of the accuracy of the calculation, the operation of the error, and the skill of the driver, such a design may be more about the calculation of the landing point. In terms of the design of this scene and the final visual effects after post-production, it should be very successful. At least we looked light and smooth, very entertaining and not thrilling, which is perhaps the hardest thing about action comedy movies to grasp. The second, perhaps more focused, is a messy aesthetic. The situation is complicated, but regardless of whether Jibei's frantic shooting looks very smooth, whether it is a policeman or a criminal, he keeps shooting like this until he slips and falls to the ground by the bullet casings all over the ground. A crazy act. Of course, that's not sensible, but in an action-comedy movie, we start to imagine that if we were the guy standing upstairs shooting the gun, it must have been very comfortable. All the oppression of daily savings was lost in the sound of Beige's machine gun. The special effects of the rocket launchers in the back make people look dazzling. It can be said that this scene is also a relatively successful action design of this movie. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy. Maybe we can criticize the film's cliché in the story frame, but no matter how many similar Hong Kong movies we watch, it is difficult for us to see such delicate action designs, which are mostly done by machinery. Non-human, but also increase the difficulty of the design itself. Of course, in Hong Kong movies, there may be more movement design in human form rather than mechanical movement design. Visually, we have nothing to complain about. And in terms of entertainment, although we may not find it funny in some places, perhaps it is more because of cultural differences, and in some places, we will always show a knowing smile involuntarily. With our fantasies of commoner heroes, an increasingly dull life shouldn't make us turn down a movie like this. Let go of the haze that you once had, my dear, and let your face feel at ease. At least we can say that today we had a lighthearted afternoon, not heavy.
2007-04-28; Dinghai year Jiachen month Renchen day.
P.S.: Movie information extension link. ■Title: "Taxi 4" ■Translation: "Taxi Express 4", "Ultimate Kill 4" ■Director: Gérard Krawczyk ■Starring: Bernard Fassi Farcy, Frédéric Diefenthal, Samy Naceri Genre: Action, Comedy Duration: 91 minutes Country: France Language: French Release: February 14, 2007
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