It's no wonder that the opening line of "Zombie" is "I left my hometown at the age of thirteen and became the leading actor at the age of sixteen. I have made a lot of movies. To this day, I can only say that everything is just for life. Unexpectedly, ups and downs. After so many years, I still have to come back here in the end. Many people say that the plot of the movie is ridiculous, and it turns out that life is even more ridiculous than the movie."
The lines of the actor's inner monologue reveal endless sadness, and the actor Qian Xiaohao himself is also experiencing the movie. The rise and fall of the rivers and lakes, he tells these 89 words, it feels different. Fans who have a special attachment to Hong Kong films, especially those born in the 80s who grew up in video studios, can easily bring this passage back to the heyday of Hong Kong films, so "nostalgia" has become "Zombie". biggest theme.
However, the form of the film is not unique to Hong Kong films, but is copied from Hollywood. Qian Xiaohao commits suicide by moving into a dilapidated apartment, having hallucinations during the process of death. This kind of complex is exactly the same as "Memento", and even the laying of suspense is also original. The only difference is that the fantasy plot of "Memento" begins to develop into chaos with the blurring of my own consciousness, which is in line with the scientific theory of stream of consciousness.
The difference is that the fantasy process of "Zombie" is a complete ghost story. For the film review system in mainland China, it is a sensitive material that must be avoided, and the film is not necessarily planning to enter the mainland market. But, whether it's a way of circumventing the film or not, it's quite clever to take this form, and it's also quite brilliant, and can add a lot to the film.
Except for the setting of the beginning and end, the supernatural story in the middle is really a genuine Hong Kong ghost movie style. The gloomy environment, mysterious characters, and some absurd but ulterior motive plot designs are the precious advantages of Hong Kong-made ghost films. As for those eye-catching commercial elements, they play a rather icing on the cake.
Hong Kong movie fans all know the actors who starred in this movie. Hui Yinghong, Chen You, Qian Xiaohao, Bao Qijing... A group of old actors play all kinds of supernatural movies in Hong Kong. Zombies and ghosts, they are like labels of genre films, leaving a deep imprint on Hong Kong-made ghost films. Now that I watch their performances again, what I can feel after being moved is all kinds of mixed feelings.
It is a little regrettable that this film shows the relationship between people in a closed space, the dark side of human nature is a little narrow, and the overly simple plot makes the shaping of the characters not reach the ideal effect. But "Zombies" is a work that uses characters to express stories. Those zombies and ghosts are undoubtedly a shadow in people's hearts. As a foil, the most important thing is the background and state of mind of the parties involved. There is no language outside the movie. It is difficult for a person to achieve a fuller shape.
"Zombie" is a horror movie. In recent years, there are not many horror movies in Hong Kong, and good horror movies are even more expensive. To be able to produce a work like this is a bright spot in the Hong Kong film industry. From the design of the plot to the choice of characters, this film has done a great job. It is probably because of his great intentions, so the distraction at the minutiae dilutes the horror of the plot itself. The heavy-flavored plasma also makes the film more full of the violent aesthetics of CULT films, which is more entertainment than horror.
Looking around, there are few foreign horror films in recent years that make people tremble. Some directors who are good at horror movies are trying to play deep and unexpected in the process of finding breakthroughs. It is no wonder that the aftertaste of "Zombie" is more brilliant than the genre itself.
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