For whom
"October Siege" opens with a shot of the stairs, and through the light, many people walk past, not knowing where they are in a hurry. Immediately following the dialogue between the teacher and the student, talking about democracy and China's future, Yang Quyun (played by Jacky Cheung) said that I can't see it, but you can definitely see it. As soon as the voice fell, he encountered an accident. This opening scene is very important. If there is an assassination, there must be a bodyguard. It naturally brings out the main story, and more importantly, it is used to echo the things behind, that is, "invisible" and "seen". In the middle, Li Chongguang (played by Wang Bojie) said that he can see China's tomorrow when he closes his eyes. At the end, Sun Yat-sen has a long exchange of eyes with the audience, all of which are related to the characters' lines at the beginning. If we must answer this question honestly today, the conclusion must be very sorry, because no one saw it.
Yang Quyun was a real historical figure who was assassinated. Chen Shaobai (played by Leung Ka Fai) and Sun Yat-sen are also real people. Chen Shaobai has followed Sun Yat-sen for many years. Chen Sun couldn't die, so this trip was dangerous, and someone else had to get on it. I heard a lot of voices saying that Chen Shaobai is too weak. As soon as he appeared, he talked about Mr. Sun and the ideal of the revolution, bringing sacrifices and tragedies, destroying many families, and innocent victims like Achun (Zhou Yun). However, this has something to do with the revolution. The ideal of the revolution is to make more families no longer fluently separated. Please go back to the end of the Qing Dynasty by yourself to imagine and feel the misfortune of China. Yan Xiaoguo (played by Hu Jun) loudly denounced the incompetence of the revolutionary party, as if to tell something for the audience, but the revolutionary party is by no means greedy for life and fear of death, and there are countless generosity to die. Later, a series of uprisings were commanded by remote control. When they failed, the Revolutionary Party itself was utterly hairy. When it came to Huanghuagang, the backbone elites were all over the place and fought hard.
Can't you die? The royalists of Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao wanted to implement top-down reforms, but if you don't want others to turn around, others will make you turn around. This is not the cruelty that the movie deliberately shows off. The situation of internal and external troubles a hundred years ago is much more cruel than the movie (maternal restoration? It is definitely not waiting for the top-down constitution, and there is no fork in history). In just 20 years, the Revolution of 1911 was able to achieve rapid success in form. On the one hand, the idea of democracy and republic was widely spread and the revolutionary team grew rapidly. The overthrow of the Manchu Qing Dynasty so quickly was not unrelated to Sun Yat-sen's running around and raising funds, and it was of great significance (of course, he also received many satirical titles such as Sun Dapao and Long-distance Revolutionary). In other words, Sun Yat-sen's appearance in the film is very similar to that of the leader of the underworld. The brim of his hat covered his face. If it is classified as a common character appearance in Hong Kong films, "October Siege" uses Sun Yat-sen as a key figure, and it is natural to cover it up. As for Sun Yat-sen's joining the Hongmen, this is also an indisputable fact (as did Yang Quyun at the beginning). To put it simply, as an underground secret organization, the anti-Qing pursuit of the Revolutionary Party coincides with the purpose of Hongmen, and the cooperation between the two parties is completely understandable (“My name is Wang Fuming” is also a place that can be interpreted).
On the one hand, it is necessary to publicize Sun Yat-sen's arrival in Hong Kong, create pressure from public opinion, and reveal revolutionary information. While knowing that the enemy is in the dark and I am in the open, I can only make preparations and plan to sacrifice at any time. What Chen Shaobai is looking for is a theater troupe who was a soldier. The method is very simple. I will pay you to contribute, that is, to hire bodyguards (please the children of Hongmen will be deleted, and Qing soldiers with guns will also be deleted... This script has many adjustments). After he disappeared and was imprisoned, Li Yutang (Wang Xueqi) took over the task of an old friend and invited another group of people. If the sacrifice in the film is easily attributed to Chen Shaobai, it is indeed a bit unfair. With his appeal, he may not be able to assemble those peddlers and pawns. On the contrary, Li Yutang, who has a good public image in the neighborhood, is able to play this role. Some people don't understand, Li Yutang's character was arguing with Chen Shaobai before, how can he change so quickly, the conclusion is one, he is a hidden revolutionary party, the letter of the missing old friend has greatly affected him, and he has also done a good job. The preparation for the old life - the premise is that the son can be safe and sound. He was caught in the censure of being a liar, unable to escape the embarrassment of such behavior.
The
day finally came, the weather was clear and sunny. "October Siege" is waiting for this day, and it's this hour to pass, time is racing, time is the key word of the movie. Looking back at the pocket watch, an important token, it indicates that it is time. The pocket watch is broken and the time has passed. These all determine the direction of the plot.
Passionate, like a call to battle, the music sounded, crescendoing. There is a busy scene on the Star Ferry Pier, where bodyguards and assassins are mixed, and that moment is also the dividing point of the film. The front focuses on explaining the relationship between characters, and they have made intensive preparations for the arrival of this day. There is a fight in the back, and only by killing a bloody path can we succeed. This kind of handling method is also an adventure of Chen Desen. He broke the rhythm of traditional Hong Kong films and kung fu martial arts films. No matter what the order of small fights, random fights, big fights and duels, he put all his fists and things behind, supplemented by action. It is an effective sensational method, and the rest is waiting for the feedback of the audience.
For the sake of the day, look back at the sequence of appearances of the movie characters. The assassination brought out Yan Xiaoguo, who was ruthless and incompatible with the revolutionary party. Yan Xiaoguo sent Shen Zhongyang (played by Donnie Yen) to follow Chen Shaobai, and Chen Shaobai asked Li Yutang to borrow money. After some conversation, it could be seen that the two have been friends for a long time. On the way, I saw Li Chongguang and Smith, and Shen Zhongyang saw Li Yutang's concubine Yueru (played by Fan Bingbing). On the side of sending rice, Ah Si (played by Nicholas Tse) met the big man Wang Fuming (played by Battelle). Chen Shaobai looked for rescue soldiers and saw Fang's father and daughter. The next day, Ah Si pulled the car and brought out Ah Chun (played by Zhou Yun) and the beggar Liu Gongzi (played by Li Ming), rang the bell, and explained the relationship between the characters to Dayang. "October Siege" has done a good job at this point, and there is no extra burden to speak of. The key point is that these combinations are closely related to the subsequent plot development, and each group of characters has rival scenes and emotional scenes. What is even more rare is that the lines are written in few and fine lines, which is Li Yutang's "how many" two words, money, wonderful.
Due to limited status and movement, Sun Yat-sen could only raise funds overseas, spread revolutionary fire, and input enlightenment ideas. This word for money has become a coup in "October Siege". The revolutionary party asked the bodyguards to ask for money, and the Qing army also asked for money. What Li Yutang has is money, while Shen Zhongyang is simply gambling. In fact, in the end, the bounty didn't play much of a role. Li Yutang, relying on his personal charm, half-deceited and sent a group of people to the next day's bloody battle. It may be too simple to say willingly, and it seems a bit far to say chivalrous demeanor, but isn’t the late Qing Dynasty an intersection that connects the past and the modern, so “October Siege” has both and merged into one (the forward shot is Fang Shiyu Huang Feihong) , the next shot is the island occupied area).
The motivation of this group of people is completely real and credible, and there is no possibility of falsehood, because they are all good people. Even Smith, who served his British master, used his abilities to help to a limited extent. It can even be said that both the revolutionary party and the Qing court spy are good people, at least the main characters are complete in personality and have depth. Yan Xiaoguo is loyal to the king and respects his teacher. It can be said that he is deeply immersed in traditional culture. He is not too "indiscriminately killing innocents", but the idea of "killing the grandson thief" completely occupies his soul, and he is completely in a state of madness on the verge of collapse.
the city
If you know the behind-the-scenes story, "October Siege" has been working on the concept of "city". The city is Central, Hong Kong in 1906 and a country that is precarious. Except for the counter-attack in the theater, the alleys and the house, the other finale fighting scenes all took place in the street market, with spectators and onlookers who did not know the truth. In order to make full use of the effect of the city, the film deliberately avoids important confined space battles (Donnie Yen's parkour part makes full use of the environment). Even if it is to fight, it must be fought in the bustling street market. Precisely because of the large number of people, the enemy is strong and I am weak. When the camera sweeps over those ordinary passers-by, all of them seem to be assassins, and they will be surrounded at any time, and the tension will increase greatly. And when the narration sounded, these passers-by appeared again as Chinese people a hundred years ago, some who were waiting to be fed, some were frail, they lived their own lives, and they didn't know China's tomorrow and future.
Chen Desen buried a concept here, Sun Yat-sen is not a person, but a symbol of hope. If he is safe, there is hope for China. The city of Hong Kong is the whole of China. The different personnel who protected Sun Yat-sen were just like the revolutionary teams from different classes, regardless of whether they were squires or vagabonds, they were all for me. It's a bit cruel to say that the bloodshed of the revolution cannot be avoided without sacrifice, and its essence is violence (denying this may double the hatred of the film). Therefore, ordinary audiences who have seen "October Siege" will redouble their sympathy for the little people, and they will be moved by it, but they will have distrust of the revolutionary party. These people believe that Li Yutang is trustworthy and responsive. Conversely, why did Li Yutang support the revolution, and why did his son Li Chongguang have high fighting spirit and risk his life, because they believed that Sun Yat-sen was a good man who could overthrow the Qing Dynasty and save China. This topic can be talked about passionately, or it can be said illusory. Today, there are too many people who do not have the passion and impulse to ask or touch this pan-political theme. The end of the world can scare a lot of people, but China's tomorrow and future will not be able to beat the spirit.
What is a revolution? "October Siege" does not say that the revolution will be successful, on the contrary, it exposes certain limitations of the revolution, in addition to death and death. Talking about this point, why did Li Chongguang dare not lift the curtain and fire a shot? The reason may be this: Seventeen-year-olds plunged into the revolution and found that the reality was far more terrifying than they had imagined. He was sweating profusely and his hands were shaking. The front shot of the bamboo pole passing through the rickshaw has revealed that his heart was gradually shrouded in fear. At that time, he was so frightened that he could hardly move and lost his ability to move. Li Chongguang always lived under the shadow of his father's authority, whether he was a student or a man. Because he was a good boy, he was more likely to be completely paralyzed in the end.
If you don't talk about ideals, but only ask your conscience, then "October Siege" leaves all the characters who are ashamed (and innocently implicated). Chen Shaobai is ashamed of his old friends, Li Yutang is ashamed of himself, Sun Yat-sen is ashamed of his colleagues and mother, and it is not unreasonable to equate their guilt with tears (Sun Yat-sen's scene can be understood from different angles, moving, false or unknowable) ). In the conversation between Li Yutang and Liu Gongzi, they talked about whether it is worth it. As long as it is worth it, there is no regret in death. The righteous person of chivalry is for the country and the people. Even if you encounter a bad person, even if you don't know each other, you need to punish the bad and promote the good, and you need to help. This is what "October Siege" wants. The things it says seem to be very high, but the characters are placed very low. Its intentions are worthy of respect. 【NetEase】
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