Fallen Angels feels like an art house film made by a young director trying to find his voice. The fact that it was made by the same established director that had in the previous few years released Days of Being Wild and Chungking Express made it all the more surprising, and frankly, disappointing.
But don't be misled - this film has KWW's signature all over it. While the nostalgic aspect of some of his historical flicks is completely absent, the sense of unrequited love, alienation, and tragic inefficacy of human communication are central themes. Doyle's cinematography is creative as always and for the most part it contributes, rather than distracts. The music is quite good.
The main problem with Fallen Angels is that it is awfully difficult to feel a connection for the characters. The plot does not move forward with much intention and the disjointed mini vignettes were a detriment to getting the audience emotionally involved. The characters are very difficult to relate to: The partner is a character that is drawn too sketchily and is not given enough dialog for the viewer to relate to deeply. The mute is meant to win us over with his innocent charm, but it is at times an overacted role which makes the character somewhat annoying. Blondie adds some comic relief (though also in an overacted manner) but is a bit easier to relate to and feel sorry for. Lastly, the killer is very apathetic about his life which does not endear the viewer to him. He is more "cool" than likable. Though that his inability to make decisions ultimately does not serve him well in life is a message that may resonate strongly with some viewers.
There are moments of tenderness between characters, though few and far in between. This was undoubtedly KWW's intention as a mechanism for underscoring the loneliness of urban life. I can't help but think his point would have been better made with more realistic, normal characters as he has done so effectively in his other films. Overall definitely worth a viewing for all KWW fans, though this is certainly not where I would start if I were just discovering the director.
For reference, this is how I rate some of this other films:
Chungking Express: 9/10 (the second half 10/10) ||| 2046: 9/10 ||| Days of Being Wild: 9/10 ||| In the Mood for Love: 8.5/10 ||| Happy Together: 8.5/10 ||| Fallen Angels: 6/10
But don't be misled - this film has KWW's signature all over it. While the nostalgic aspect of some of his historical flicks is completely absent, the sense of unrequited love, alienation, and tragic inefficacy of human communication are central themes. Doyle's cinematography is creative as always and for the most part it contributes, rather than distracts. The music is quite good.
The main problem with Fallen Angels is that it is awfully difficult to feel a connection for the characters. The plot does not move forward with much intention and the disjointed mini vignettes were a detriment to getting the audience emotionally involved. The characters are very difficult to relate to: The partner is a character that is drawn too sketchily and is not given enough dialog for the viewer to relate to deeply. The mute is meant to win us over with his innocent charm, but it is at times an overacted role which makes the character somewhat annoying. Blondie adds some comic relief (though also in an overacted manner) but is a bit easier to relate to and feel sorry for. Lastly, the killer is very apathetic about his life which does not endear the viewer to him. He is more "cool" than likable. Though that his inability to make decisions ultimately does not serve him well in life is a message that may resonate strongly with some viewers.
There are moments of tenderness between characters, though few and far in between. This was undoubtedly KWW's intention as a mechanism for underscoring the loneliness of urban life. I can't help but think his point would have been better made with more realistic, normal characters as he has done so effectively in his other films. Overall definitely worth a viewing for all KWW fans, though this is certainly not where I would start if I were just discovering the director.
For reference, this is how I rate some of this other films:
Chungking Express: 9/10 (the second half 10/10) ||| 2046: 9/10 ||| Days of Being Wild: 9/10 ||| In the Mood for Love: 8.5/10 ||| Happy Together: 8.5/10 ||| Fallen Angels: 6/10