Lust, Caution (2007)
Directed by Ang Lee
Written by Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus
Starring Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Anupam Kher, Joan Chen, Wang Leehom
Release Date September 28th, 2007
Published February 14th, 2008
It is an odd note of history, lost to most Americans who aren't taught this in school, and still a stinging point of contention in mainland China. The fact that Japan had, prior to World War 2, overrun the Chinese mainland and were essentially running large portions of the country that has since risen to superpower status. It is almost unfathomable to the modern mind that this goliath with a population of over 1 billion people was once dominated by their tiny island neighbor. This makes Ang Lee's exceptional Lust, Caution not only an opulent, sexy spy thriller but also an important history lesson.
In hindsight it makes sense. In the mid to late 30's China was a peaceful nation coming of age. When Japan invaded and brought modern weapons and government, some of the loose confederacies of traders and politicians saw an opportunity for power backed by their modernist neighbor and this partnership brought Japan to China. This was the impetus for a Chinese nationalist revolution that would eventually lead to full fledged communism. This is where Lust, Caution picks up. A group of college educated Chinese theater students decide to perform patriotic plays to inspire their countrymen to rise against Japan and their Chinese conspirators.
At first, the group is merely idealistic but as the reality of the violence committed against their countrymen sets in, the group becomes galvanized and talk of political assassination becomes more than just talk. Setting up in Shanghai, in a wealthy district where top Japanese officials and their Chinese co-conspirators live and prosper, the group poses their best actress, Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei), as the bored wife of a wealthy trader. As Mrs. Mak it will be her job to seduce and destroy Mr. Yee (Tony Leung) , a well protected member of the Japanese collaborationist government. It is Mr. Yee who deals, often violently, with those who oppose Japanese involvement in China.
It doesn't take long for Mrs. Mak to get Mr. Yee's attention and soon the two are lovers. Circumstances force the group to break up and Wong Chia Chi flees. Three years later Kuang (Wang Leehom) finds her and offers her the chance to finish the job. She will reassume the role of Mrs. Mak and once again fall into Mr. Yee's bed. The plan works once again but with their relationship rekindled can Wong/Mrs. Mak separate her feelings for her country and her lust for Mr. Yee.
Lust, Caution is a lush, beautifully crafted period piece with the great hook of a spy thriller. Sexy, intriguing and exciting, it's some of Ang Lee's finest direction. Coming off the languid western visuals of Brokeback Mountain, Lee continues to dazzle with eye popping visual delights that deepen the film experience without distracting from it. What Lee has yet to escape is his penchant for lingering just a little too long on scenes after their natural ending. Lust, Caution, like Brokeback Mountain and the Oscar nominated Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, would have benefitted from a tighter edit. That however, is a minor quibble over a film that is far better than most other films in the market.
The aspect of Lust, Caution that has garnered the most attention are the lengthy, athletic sex scenes that earned the film an R-rating. Indeed the scenes are very sexy and some have speculated as to whether the scenes were simulated or real. If the rumor is that it took more than 100 hours to film the many vigorous scenes of love making, let's hope some simulation took place otherwise poor Tang Wei may never walk right again. The scenes are graphic but not terribly overdone. The scenes are sexy with an edge of aggressive violent S & M that underline the tense secrets of these two complex characters.
Though the sex separates Lust, Caution from true comparisons with classic Hollywood thrillers, there is something very old Hollywood in the ways Lee builds the tension in Lust, Caution. As the film builds to its shocking climax you may be surprised how invested you are after having been kept waiting for most of the film's 2 hour 50 minute run time. Lee pulls off the astonishing trick of holding us in place with pretty pictures and erotic sex and then in the final act he amps up a truly tense spy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat till the stunner ending.
Lust, Caution was a hit at the Cannes Film Festival and was Lee's second winner in a row at the Venice Film Festival. Now finally on DVD Lust, Caution is a must see for fans of fabulous film making and seductive intrigue. It is entirely in Shanghainese and subtitled which I know turns off a lot of you. Trust me when I tell you that investing the time in reading along with Lust, Caution is worth it.
