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Starring
:
Andy
Lau
Rene
Liu
Ge
You
Baoqiang
Wang
Li
Bingbing
Biao
Fu
Yong
You
Lam
Ka Tung
Director
:
Feng
Xiaogang
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A
WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES (2004)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
In
the space of just a few months at the end of 2004, Andy Lau
made two films that examined that age-old story of the master
thief. 'Yesterday
Once More', while a reasonably big success in Hong Kong
financially, was a pallid, superficial production that
featured characters with so little appeal that the overall
film collapsed in the middle. Meanwhile, Feng Xiaogang's
attempt at a deeper look at thieves and morality, 'A World
Without Thieves', sank without a trace in Hong Kong, but
chalked up an impressive gross in its native China. Whether
this indicates that the Hong Kong populace have little
interest in the earthy, more ambitious productions of their
Mainland cousins has been debated, but there's no doubt that
the two films tackle their subject in very differing ways.
Wang
Bo (Lau) and Wang Li (Liu) are two wily thieves who are
partners in crime and in romance. Using their various skills
to trick and extort money from a wealthy, but odious Chinese
businessman, they head into the Chinese wilderness to plan
their next move. During the journey, Li announces that she
wants to dissolve the partnership and is feeling particularly
guilty about their long life of crime. The indignant Bo leaves
her in the wilderness and drives off to further his own
dubious career. Coming to her rescue is a guileless young
worker nicknamed Dumbo and his sheer wide-eyed innocence
leaves an impression on the contemplative Li. Dumbo has saved
his earnings as a craftsman to return home, marry and build a
house and heads off to catch the train across China, despite
his colleagues warnings about the various thieves that infest
the land. Li decides to act as his protector and gain some
measure of redemption. On boarding the train, Li and Dumbo
meet Bo who has followed his old partner throughout her
travels and is very eager to get his hands on Dumbo's savings.
Also making the long train journey is a band of master thieves
lead by enigmatic, idiom-spouting Uncle Li who are also
alerted to the possessions of the innocent traveller.
While
'Yesterday Once More' presented its two criminal leads as some
kind of opulent superheroes, 'A World Without Thieves' gives a
far more realistic and damning account of this 'profession'.
Feng Xiaogang doesn't try to turn his characters into people
we, the audience, should be in awe of; his approach shows all
of the dishonest and duplicitous battles that are constantly
fought among them. Though Bo and Li are shown with their
ill-gotten gains, the director is careful not to make the
mistake that Johnnie To made when he presented two unpleasant
lead characters with a kind of lifestyle we were meant to
envy. For this more introspective look at the theme, Feng
Xiaogang deserves at least some credit.
Saying
that 'A World Without Thieves' is a far more capable film than
'Yesterday Once More' is hardly saying much though - it's a
bit like saying that a slap in the face is better than being
shot by a crossbow. Indeed, this production has flaws of its
own which, although not quite as obvious as Johnnie To's lazy
production, still hamper whatever hope there is of this being
a first-rate success. Initially there is a solid theme to the
film, with the message of redemption and the contrast between
the purity of Dumbo and the shady individuals that surround
him making for an enticing examination. Eventually, 'A World
Without Thieves' gets a little too absorbed in its crafty
villains and their constant battles to make a deeper
impression.
For
the first half of the film, the juxtaposition of Dumbo and the
thieves has a pleasing tone that actually commends the
innocence of the reluctant hero. While his complete trust in
everyone around him seems a tad too overplayed, Feng Xioagang
does have an admirable respect for his pivotal character.
Dumbo's description of the honesty of his home village is a
touching contrast to the scurrilous Uncle Li and his cohorts.
Though Dumbo is an obvious tool to signify vindication and a
means for Wang Bo to show her own change of heart, it works
quite adequately for the film-maker's needs.
As
the film heads towards the hour mark though, the whole theme
it had painstakingly set up is dismantled and the remaining 50
minutes becomes an empty series of repetitive tricks. There's
only so many times that Dumbo's stash can be stolen and
replaced without a distinct feeling of disinterest creeping up
on the viewer. Dumbo, as a character, gradually disappears
from the narrative and it is left to Bo and Uncle Li's
employees to exchange pointless displays of talent and
bravado. Feng Xiaogang also becomes over-absorbed with the
kind of flashy, quick edit slow motion that has made fools of
countless directors. A well told story with crafted characters
will always show a director's credentials far better than
these empty tricks.
'A
World Without Thieves' also suffers from having to rely on
characters who produce little empathy even though they're
evidently meant to. Wang Li is primarily shown as a woman
whose redemptive actions towards Dumbo would appear to show a
genuine change of heart; eventually, though, Li's change owes
more to a gnawing self-pity than any genuine care for Dumbo.
This is certainly unintentional, but it still resonates fairly
powerfully at the end. Meanwhile Wang Bo is shown as a
thoroughly selfish individual who is then 'redeemed' by some
closing actions; such a change from the threatening,
self-interested criminal to the altruist is romanticised, but
never sympathetic.
One
area where the film excels is the visual power it transmits.
Despite some poor-CGI, the cinematography is luscious as is
the sumptuous Chinese landscapes. Even in the confines of the
train - where most of the story takes place - there is a
visual glow that imbues the production with a certain
elegance. Wang Liguang's musical score also dovetails nicely
with the epic vistas that the drama is played out against.
Although there is a lapse into a series of Mandarin ballads
that add little potency to the story, the sweeping score that
permeates most of the film is a major asset.
'A
World Without Thieves' is entertaining, but never fully
achieves what it aspires to. Andy Lau and Rene Liu in
particular acquit themselves well with their roles, as do the
varied supporting players. Nevertheless, this is a lustrous
production that flatters to deceive, aiming for the intellect,
but eventually preferring to show empty spectacle and supposed
depth.
Rating:
 
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