I have watched this for 8 times, and it's really enjoyable. For me,a native Chinese audience, the pace of dialogue may be a little fast, but not difficult to follow.
I think it just says something about "what should the youth of China do" at that historic time when "devil on the doorstep". Hesitation and delaying seems ridiculous. And it's unnecessary as well as dangerous for our youth to get involved in CARDS PLAYING of those "marvelous people". Those people are silly indeed, and even failed to do such simple bad things.
The hero Li Tianran had been educated in both Eastern and Western, but he still didn't know how to revenge until he met the tailor Qiaohong. Love made this miracle turning a boy into a man. The scene on the roof is so romantic.
Another key point for this movie is the Peking City (or Peping at that time). Director Jiang Wen hides his love for the city behind lots of weird people and things. I had almost ignored the man sweeping floor in hospital, the man selling meat,and another one burning coal at street corner. Together with those opium abusers, followers of Japanese invaders, and spies of different forces, they all mixed in this city, drawing a strange, weird, but somehow "harmony" picture. Maybe it's not too weird to describe Peking or China at that time, as the director said "the truth of life can be stranger than your imagination".
I have found some people might be offended by this movie, for its criticizing on Chinese,Japanese,Westerners, and movie-critics. That was rather more funny for me than just watch a movie. I watched a real social reaction...lol
Review of Hidden Man
