"Border Slayer 2" can be regarded as a way to break the curse that the sequel is a lousy product - a clean and neat, real action film, mainly action narrative, no nonsense, no too much ridicule, and a ringing tough guy style. This is of course the credit of the screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, and the style of several key battle scenes is still very evil. Villeneuve didn't take this sequel, and people like him really won't make a sequel easily. Without innovation and challenge, it's easy to lead to comparison and evaluation with the previous one. He is very wise, take it as soon as he sees it.
The director was replaced by an Italian "police story" professional. Obviously, the director of the sequel followed the style of the first episode, which may be due to the strong control of the producers, for example, the director has no final editing rights. I've always liked Taylor Sheridan's tough, concise, realistic style, especially the fight scenes. It's totally unacceptable. It's so easy to go to the sky and fall to the ground. Handsome men and beautiful women easily win, and there is no mud on their faces.
Murder and drugs on the US-Mexico border... are full of danger and mystery. Most of us have no chance to experience life there, but the "high-yield area" as an adventure story has long been deeply rooted in our hearts. Just like "Young and Dangerous" must be "authentic" from Hong Kong. However, most of the viewers who follow the second part are the same as me, because of the attraction of the monumental light established in the heart of "Border Slayer", the original narrative focus and theme, and the innovative shooting scenes... not just fighting and killing. kill.
Back then, "Border Slayer", whose name sounded like a commercial theme, was shortlisted for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, which was enough to prove its extraordinaryness. This was the most impressive part of the first episode of that year. In the movie, drug lords, killers, and gunfights are all missing. The novelty created by it is that the visual stimulation is only a foil, and more serves the theme of human nature: about the growth of the weak and the strong, the justice facing the evil is not a wishful display of divine might , such a realistic portrayal. On the one hand, the audience is attracted by the tense battle scenes, and on the other hand, they are constantly drawn by the suspense.
I have a habit, after watching a good movie, my brain swells blank for a while, like lack of oxygen, and I can't help recalling the scenes in the movie. When the mind is calm, and then watch this sequel, we can realize that it is not good. We only discuss from the story and logic. The story of "Border Warrior" (Episode 2) is still a mission executed against the background of national strength, a highly classified mission, and faced with the choice of human nature in the execution. These are all similar to the first episode, but the power of the nation, the symbol of max maximization, doesn't come to light until after the halfway point in "Sicario" (episode 1), and the power is mysterious enough to be captivating. In "Border Soldier", this force is still huge, but it is no longer mysterious. In the opening 10 minutes, everyone gathered in the President's Office and opened up.
Another pity is that the motives of the protagonist are not consistent, and there are many places that make the audience suspicious. Suddenly recalling that in the second half, it is reasonable to manage the protagonist to sacrifice his life to escort the little girl, but where do you place the protagonist's propositions and themes? These are all things that can only be thought of when the mind is calm, but they affect the audience's psychology all the time in the progress of the story. The audience will follow the "momentum" of this reason and move forward together, looking forward to the end.
In "Frontier Slayer" (Episode 1), the cruelty of reality is revealed with the explanation of the mystery. The heroine simply groans for the rule of law and pursues justice in front of her powerful strength, which is childish in comparison. Justice will win, or justice represents light... all nonsense. This is the most direct reason "Sicario" has thrown other drug lord shootout films out of the way.
In addition, the negligence of social and realistic environment portrayal. A film that shows artistic temperament must describe the real society in which it is located. This can be idle writing or idle writing, but if it is successful, it will have a strong endorsement of the real society, and it will have a heavy weight. , could not help but questioned by individual audiences. And "Warrior" (Episode 2) is too tight, and it is certain that it is less leisurely and free to hold on to tasks every minute.
Then there are some minor logic and character issues. What about the mercenary boss you found for $105 million in the opening chapter? There is no connection at the back, and it is still American satellites, drones and the military. And on closer inspection, the film made an age-old mistake - Griffith's "last minute rescue." In common sense, the main problem at the end and the climax must be the protagonist who rescued the main problem. But the girl's final rescue is not the protagonist, but the supporting role. The protagonist just saved himself and continued his life.
Anyway, I give it 8 points for this film, because anyway the sequel has the style of "Border Slayer", with the blood of a fighting film, which is refreshing. If there is a third episode, I'm still looking forward to it, more than anything 007 and the like, the speed series, the Avengers and the like are looking forward to much more. Not reconciled to the obscenity, when can China make a fighting film of this quality, instead of the militaristic dry roar of the wolf warrior, the old-fashioned.
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