Dark and unbounded, cool in the end. I haven't seen such an exciting film for a long time. This is the most intuitive feeling I have after watching the film "New World". After reading several film reviews, fans more or less pointed out the shortcomings of the film, but in general they affirmed and praised the film, and I am also one of the people who hold this view.
Let's start with Section Chief Jiang, who has few roles. Many people think that Choi Min-sik's character is not good enough compared to his other characters, I don't think so. Section Chief Jiang is the true portrayal of those middle-level leaders with outstanding ability but scheming in the workplace. Choi Min-sik's interpretation is both accurate and in place. Looking closely at Section Chief Jiang's eyes, it was as cold as a bottomless pool. This kind of person was the most terrifying. From the heart, this is very reasonable. Judging people by their appearance is by no means superficial, the voice listens to the character, and the eyes look at the soul. A person's eyes are as cold as a pool, and so is his soul. We have no way of knowing about Section Chief Jiang's past, but it is conceivable that he is not an ordinary person to be able to get his way in the intrigue of the police station. I firmly believe that Section Chief Jiang was ruthlessly used, betrayed, and suppressed when he was a rookie. To this day, he understands the cruelty of reality better than anyone else. It is precisely because the reality is so cruel that he lacks or Lost the ability to trust others. Section Chief Jiang sent Li Zicheng and Shi Wu as undercover agents but did not let them know each other's identities. He was worried that Li Zicheng would turn against the tide and bribe his wife for eyeliner. This is by no means a gentleman's act, but for a man who has worked hard in the workplace for many years , For those who have a reputation and status, it is normal for them to protect their own interests.
Some people say that the portrayal of the relationship between the undercover agent and the boss is not as warm as "Infernal Affairs", but I think the director's control and handling of this part of the plot is very appropriate. Section Chief Jiang is a police officer who has never been an undercover officer. He cannot feel the pressure of being an undercover agent. Even if he understands, he will not worry about the feelings of his subordinates. In the hearts of those in power, personal interests should be sacrificed in order to take into account the overall situation. The honor and disgrace of the little ones and the dominance of the big ones have never been and will never become equal weights on both ends of the scale. Therefore, Section Chief Jiang held on to this capable and still obedient undercover agent and refused to let go. He used him again and again to let him down again and again. He let Li Zicheng work as an undercover agent for eight years, but he still refused to let go. The last time that Section Chief Jiang promised will never be the real end, which is the usual excuse and trick used by the boss. In fact, it is not difficult to guess what your boss is thinking. You have completed the task so well that it is difficult to find a substitute. Even if someone is really comparable in strength to you, it will take time and energy to cultivate from scratch. This is definitely not a problem in the eyes of leaders A good deal, that's one of them. Second, Bole’s motive for discovering Maxima is to use its talents for himself, but his ability is a double-edged sword, coveted and dreaded, so it is often the same Bole who suppresses and excavates Maxima, as the so-called Cheng Ye Xiao He. , defeat also Xiao He. There is a detail in the flashback at the end of the film that is worth reading. When I first met, Section Chief Jiang threw Li Zicheng's police registration form in a ball out of the car window. The section chief never wanted to turn Li Zicheng back.
Section Chief Jiang is a professional master, but he is far from the realm of the top master. For a leader, having character and incompetence means weakness, but having ability and not having character means danger. Section Chief Jiang undoubtedly belongs to the latter group. He can devise strategies to intensify the internal conflicts of the gang, and he can beg the gang leader to ask for compensation for damage to the camera, and he can coerce and lure the undercover wife to perform tasks that she is unwilling to perform. Suspicion and doubts show that Section Chief Jiang is not confident enough, which is also a common problem of most leaders-maybe not lacking in work ability but lacking a little bit of personality. Leaders with working ability and charisma are the most ideal, but such people are rare after all, so Section Chief Jiang did something that most leaders do and often do, that is, keep making commitments to subordinates to achieve The purpose of wooing and manipulating, but such rhetorical promises have never been fulfilled. Once or twice, over time, people will no longer trust you, and this distrust is permanent and irreversible.
If the promise is not fulfilled, the subordinates will naturally have resentment in their hearts. Everyone expresses it differently. Some people are looking for another job, and some people are slack. , killing the boss has become a logical choice. Section Chief Jiang's death was self-inflicted. He killed himself with the help of Li Zicheng. Sooner or later, he will have to pay it back. If you leave a retreat for others, you will leave a retreat for yourself. his own way out. Everything has two sides. The other side of death is desire. The instinct to survive can often make people in desperate situations release unpredictable energy. There are times when the soil lumps overwhelm people, let alone the standing peaks? There is a sword in front of him, and a cliff behind him. A person as resourceful as Li Zicheng will never jump off the cliff with hatred, and he will definitely choose a counterattack.
Although Section Chief Jiang is quite shrewd and vicious, the director still gave him an idealized or humane side. Resigning to the director shows that Section Chief Jiang feels guilty for the tragic deaths of his two subordinates; he should also be sincere in giving gifts to Li Zicheng's soon-to-be-born child, but don't blame the other party for not being appreciative. If what others want is bread and what you give is sweater, don't ask why they don't appreciate you, Cai Kangyong's sentence is best interpreted here. Li Zicheng threw away Chief Jiang's gift not because he didn't know how to be grateful, but because bread and sweaters were not equal weights in his heart, and his extreme desire for bread was not because one or two sweaters could resolve and appease him. of.
Jianghu is the workplace, and the workplace is also Jianghu. It can be said that the film "New World" is an underworld version of the workplace survival guide. There are many echoes and contrasts between the rivers and lakes in the film and the workplace in reality. At the same time, this is also a relatively idealized film. Although it tells the story of a gangster, it cannot erase the warm background. No one in the film is bad to the end, and every main character has a flash of personality faintly visible.
Let's talk about another supporting role, Li Zhongjiu, who has less roles. From the first appearance, Li Zhongjiu's not too big eyes were full of smug look, his smugness came from his contempt and disdain for his opponent Ding Qing. Before Ding Qing joined the gang, Li Zhongjiu was the leader and leader of the younger generation, but after Ding Qing joined, not only did he lose the second master, but Li Zhongjiu fell out of favor. Anyone who is shrewd can see Ding from this. Qing is by no means as simple and unprofessional as it appears on the surface, and it should be seen that Ding Qing is a person who does not play cards according to common sense. If Li Zhongjiu is really shrewd, he should get along with Ding Qing in harmony, even if it is only superficial, it turns out that this is the most correct choice. Although Ding Qing is vicious but not cruel, he will give 100% sincerity to those who are kind to him and those who really care about him. In the workplace, this kind of person is the best one to get along with. You don't need to give him a name or benefit, just give him some sincerity, but he repays you far more than that. If Li Zhongjiu did this, he would not dare to speak ill of being the president, at least he could save his life. Taking a step back, it is not a big mistake for him to choose Ding Qing as his opponent. Who would like to be under the sway at a young age, but just like participating in a competitive competition, since you have chosen an opponent, you must find a way to understand the relationship before the duel. To crack the opponent's tactics, here Li Zhongjiu made the first fatal mistake - underestimating the enemy.
Let's talk about Li Zhongjiu's second fatal mistake - arrogance. His arrogance is mainly reflected in two aspects, one is that he is not smooth enough to handle things, and the other is that he thinks he is smart. There are three places in the film that reflect his character: First, Section Chief Jiang asked for compensation for the camera that was smashed. Several subordinates and several police officers were present. Li Zhongjiu took out the banknotes from his wallet and threw them on the ground. I won't do such a thing in public that people can't come down from the stage. Soon after, Section Chief Jiang, who was irritated, took the initiative to find Ding Qing and asked to join forces to eradicate Li Zhongjiu. Second, after the meeting to discuss the succession of the president, Ding Qing proposed to have a meal together in order to bond with each other. In fact, everyone present knew that the relationship between everyone was not good enough to eat side by side, but no one said it. Only Li Zhongjiu stood up and pierced this layer of window paper. Third, after the request to cooperate with Ding Qing was rejected, Section Chief Jiang turned to join forces with Li Zhongjiu, who told his subordinates that he would serve as a knifeman to the police. Everyone can be used at times, but they must distinguish what it is. It is absolutely impossible to do things like this kind of snipe and mussels fighting and the fisherman getting a profit. Killing one thousand enemies, injuring oneself eight hundred, and the consequences of being used by others as swordsmen Even if you kill others, you also kill yourself. Stupid things are done by people like Li Zhongjiu who are not smart enough but claim to be smart. This is what Liu Zhenyun said - there is a big river in the world that is very turbulent and drowned many people. This river is called "smart". A self-righteous character who does not understand the world and is destined to never succeed, whether in the workplace or in the arena. "Character determines destiny" has been well explained here. Like Section Chief Jiang, Li Zhongjiu is also seeking his own death. He is not defeated by his opponent, because Ding Qing is much smarter than him. He is not qualified and has never really become Ding Qing's opponent. Li Zhongjiu was defeated by himself. Failing to know and know enough about yourself.
Before he died, Li Zhongjiu sat upright and asked to smoke a cigarette before going on the road. When he looked at his eyes again, he completely calmed down without a trace of ups and downs. It was the only quiet time from the beginning to the end of the whole film. Before leaving this world, I want to understand why I failed, which is also a harvest in life. Many people appreciate this movie clip and think it reflects the character's bearing and character, but this can only be said to be a success in the actor's performance, and it is indeed a failure in the film as a whole. Li Zhongjiu agreed to cooperate with the police, although there is an impulsive element in it, but it is more out of consideration for survival. Even if he is in prison, he must give it a shot. A person who desperately wants to survive can accept death so calmly , such a change is a bit abrupt due to the lack of plot foreshadowing, giving the impression that it was imposed by the screenwriter on the character. If Li Zhongjiu's ending is set as Chief Jiang's treachery and plotting murder in prison, this arrangement is obviously more in line with the character's character and the development of the plot.
Let's analyze Li Zicheng, the most full-fledged character in the film. On the poster, he is behind the other two leading actors, and his face shows the least area, but he is the absolute protagonist of this movie. I think the poster is a metaphor again, and the message I want to convey is that Li Zicheng is a deliberately hidden strength. , which fits his undercover status.
When Li Zicheng and Ding Qing first joined the gang, they went to hack people together. Ding Qing pushed the door and saw that the opponents in the house were several times as many as him. Followed by the state, the two joined forces to kill a room full of people without leaving behind. Li Zicheng won the trust and respect of people in the underworld with his extraordinary courage, but at the same time he was a measured person. There is a detail in the film. The president was rescued in the hospital after a car accident. Li Zicheng arrived and saw Li Zhongjiu nodding and salute him from a distance. Li Zhongjiu waved to him. Politeness is a very important thing in the workplace, even more important than ability and knowledge, but unfortunately many people do not pay attention to it. Li Zicheng is Ding Qing's subordinate, and the discord between Ding Qing and Li Zhongjiu is an open secret. Li Zicheng pretends to be a subordinate and a junior in front of Li Zhongjiu. Even if Li Zhongjiu wants to find fault, he has no way to start. From this point, Li Zicheng can be seen Wisdom and strategy of this man. The identity of the latent gangster has not been discovered for eight years. This is the best proof of Li Zicheng's own ability. Not only is he outstanding in his ability, but he also knows how to handle things. Such a person must have the last laugh in the workplace. Li Zicheng, who combines courage, wisdom and strategy, definitely has the strength to claim the throne, but he has always longed for light and justice in his heart, longing to get rid of the undercover life as soon as possible and live in seclusion overseas. opposite.
It should be said that Li Zicheng's final abandonment of the open and the dark is fate and inevitable. There is an indispensable driving force behind this, and that is the force of justice represented by Section Chief Jiang. Everyone in the workplace is eager to rely on their superiors, but Section Chief Jiang not only can’t count on it, but also presses Li Zicheng into the water and refuses to let him surface to change his breath. Anyone who falls into this predicament will find a way to get rid of others as soon as possible. of restraint. Du Yuesheng has a golden sentence, people and things that make you unhappy should leave him. There are no conditions, even if you create conditions, you must leave him. The particularity of undercover work determines that Li Zicheng must create his own conditions if he wants to get out of the predicament. The film shows in detail his entire process from craving for light to throwing himself into darkness. This is also the main line that promotes the development of the plot, and embarking on the road of bloody seizure of power is for Li Zicheng In other words, it’s both taking advantage of the situation and being forced to do so, which is similar to ordinary people starting a business. If you don’t want to endure the manipulation and restriction of others, the best way is to be your own boss. There are but not many people who take the initiative to start a business. Most of them are passive entrepreneurs.
From an undercover policeman to a gangster, Li Zicheng is one of the most undercover agents in film history. At the end of the film, Li Zicheng burned all the materials that could prove his identity as a police officer, which showed that he had completely thrown himself into the darkness and had the ability to turn clouds and rains, but he never showed a look of joy on his face. Everything was not what he wanted.
I must praise Lee Jung Jae's acting skills here. In the scene where Shi Wu and the Go teacher were exposed as police officers, the fine cold sweat oozing out of Li Zicheng's neck, his hands that couldn't stop shaking while holding the undercover information, saw Shi Wu being cut off bit by bit. His head and his heart were clearly frightened, but he still tried his best to restrain himself and pretended to be calm in his eyes. Li Zhengzai took every detail just right. But then, the second obvious failure of the film appeared. Li Zicheng couldn't bear the pain of his colleague's flesh and blood before he died. He grabbed the gun of the Yanbian killer and wanted to give her a happy death, but he couldn't bear it when he walked to the iron bucket. The hand holding the gun trembled for a few seconds before pulling the trigger. The pain and struggle in his eyes are clearly visible, such an obvious move has already made his identity public, and the word "undercover" is almost written on his forehead. Such a plot setting highlights the character's charisma, but it is unreasonable for the plot as a whole. The plot should serve the plot, but here the plot obviously overrides the plot. If this scene is designed as Li Zicheng rushes to the iron barrel after grabbing the gun and pulls the trigger decisively, after a gunshot, the camera switches to the Go teacher's dead eyes and the blood that keeps gushing out along the bullet marks on his face. Then the camera was switched to a close-up of Li Zicheng's face. He forced the tears that were about to flow out of the corner of his eyes back to his eyes, scolded "slut" and then abandoned the gun. After that, he shot a scene where Li Zicheng found a hidden place to cry or cry. The drama of using alcohol to heal wounds not only makes the characters more three-dimensional and plump, but also the plot has no obvious loopholes and is more dramatic.
Finally, I want to talk about Ding Qing, the most successful character in the film. I wrote him last because of my preference for this character. Ding Qing's existence established the warm tone of the whole film.
Although he was involved in the gang, Ding Qing could be called a gentleman. Section Chief Jiang sought cooperation, and Ding Qing politely told him that no matter how bad the relationship between Li Zhongjiu and I was, we would never use such abusive methods. To win is to win with integrity, which is a rare and almost extinct quality in today's society. The plot setting here makes Ding Qing instantly win the favor of the audience, and the characters become tall and radiant. In addition, this episode also fully demonstrated the wisdom of Ding Qing. Obviously, he understands more than Li Zhongjiu about the principle of "killing one thousand enemies and injuring oneself eight hundred". He also understands that if he cooperates with the police, he will be controlled by others in the future. In the handling of the matter, it is obvious that Ding Qing and Li Zhongjiu are not in the same rank.
Ding Qing's brotherhood to Li Zicheng is a favorite of many fans. This part of the content makes people feel the long-lost touch, reminiscent of classic Hong Kong films such as "The True Color of Heroes" and "Blood Two Heroes", but there is not much here. Not a small third failure. Ding Qing brutally killed another undercover Shi Wu and Li Zicheng's linker Go teacher, but let go of Li Zicheng, who was the most hidden. The lawyer asked him why he did this. Ding Qing did not answer, and then the scene jumped to Ding. After Qing was assassinated, he bid farewell to Li Zicheng in the hospital. In fact, why Ding Qing let Li Zicheng go, the answer is self-evident, one is the brotherhood between Gu Xi and Li Zicheng who have been born and died for many years, and the other is out of love for the talent of Li Zicheng. Li Zicheng's undercover status determined that he could not be too showy, so he took refuge with Ding Qing. Ding Qing is such a smart person, he naturally understands that Li Zicheng's courage and resourcefulness are above him, so he is also a subordinate. He laughs and curses at other younger brothers, but only respects Li Zicheng. There has never been Meng Lang in front of him. the behavior of. However, the film never responded positively to the reason why Ding Qing let Li Zicheng go. If after killing the two police officers, a long conversation between Ding Qing and Li Zicheng was added, expressing their intentions in subtle language, eager to bring Li Zicheng back For the drama for one's own use, the direction of the whole story is more clear.
In terms of the level of mixed workplaces, Ding Qing and Li Zicheng are in the same league, but compared with Li Zicheng, Ding Qing has one more fatal flaw - not cruel enough, which also determines that although he can eat well in the workplace, in the end he Failed to claim the throne. When he was dying, Ding Qing warned Li Zicheng to be ruthless.
I would also like to praise Huang Zhengmin's acting skills. Ding Qing is the third male lead (personally I think Ding Qing is the second male lead, but in the sequence of actors in the title sequence, Huang Zhengmin ranks after Lee Jung Jae and Choi Min Shik, out of respect for the movie, Ding Qing is called the third male protagonist), in terms of character setting and plot direction, it is not as good as others, but Ding Qing's role has won the most people's love, which shows that Huang Zhengmin's acting skills in this film are dominant. Ding Qing and Li Zicheng went to chop people, with small flat heads and flowery shirts, and often relieved because of nervousness, just like a gangster. The aura and demeanor of Big Brother Jianghu. The figure is not tall and mighty, nor does he have sturdy muscles, but in the elevator fight scene, the unique camera angle and Huang Zhengmin's hard-working performance, you absolutely believe that Ding Qing, a thin man, has the courage to compete with one another. with energy. It is no exaggeration to say that the screenwriter only outlined Ding Qing's appearance and skeleton. It was Huang Zhengmin who filled the role with flesh and blood. His superb acting skills made Ding Qing, who left the movie early in the movie, live forever in the hearts of fans.
Although the film "New World" has its shortcomings, it does not hide its shortcomings. On the whole, it is a masterpiece that is artistic, ideological, and ornamental. Thanks to the dreamers for bringing us such a dark but warm new world.
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