When i bought the DVD release and watched it for the first time, i had no clue what to expect. I'd not heard anything about this movie so i was expecting it to not be so good. :P But i was pleasantly surprised, especially with the beginning half of the film.
The cinematography is a big pull in this film, with some beautiful visual moments and some really gripping fight and stalking scenes. The use of light and water was brilliant, and the setting complimented perfectly. By the 20 minutes mark, i unfortunately wanted to throttle the music composer, but luckily the repetitive throbbing tones that accompanied a particular fight subsided and didn't return to any great extent.
It also gets big plot points for not going at all in the direction i was expecting. It was something of a double-take for me in the latter half, and in a good way. Despite being touted as a martial-arts type film, i'd not put too much expectation on that side of the action. The fights are pleasingly realistic, meaning there's less martial and more grappling and desperation. I prefer a film to be gritty, and i like the way this one went.
The cast worked well, Gary Graham held the film together pretty good and communicated a character i'd want to know more about. Another viewer commented on the small cast, and i agree it was quite unusual and quite nice too - it left room for focus on scenes, shots and the visual aspect.
There were only a few cringe moments, and they were overwhelmed with the good. Definitely worth a look, not least for the cinematography.
The cinematography is a big pull in this film, with some beautiful visual moments and some really gripping fight and stalking scenes. The use of light and water was brilliant, and the setting complimented perfectly. By the 20 minutes mark, i unfortunately wanted to throttle the music composer, but luckily the repetitive throbbing tones that accompanied a particular fight subsided and didn't return to any great extent.
It also gets big plot points for not going at all in the direction i was expecting. It was something of a double-take for me in the latter half, and in a good way. Despite being touted as a martial-arts type film, i'd not put too much expectation on that side of the action. The fights are pleasingly realistic, meaning there's less martial and more grappling and desperation. I prefer a film to be gritty, and i like the way this one went.
The cast worked well, Gary Graham held the film together pretty good and communicated a character i'd want to know more about. Another viewer commented on the small cast, and i agree it was quite unusual and quite nice too - it left room for focus on scenes, shots and the visual aspect.
There were only a few cringe moments, and they were overwhelmed with the good. Definitely worth a look, not least for the cinematography.