Chungking Express (1994) Movie Review

 In “Chungking Express” two separate stories of young police officers either in love with or loved by ladies in Hong Kong are on display. They learn important lessons about love and life through their seemingly benign interactions. 

Beauty is the best way to describe the film; both visually and philosophically. That and the circumstances in which it was made the way it was and is still coherent is surprisingly impressive. 

Writer-director Wong Kar-Wai usually has a vague idea of a story and shoots his film like a documentary - following his actors until he edits it into something resembling a movie (which this is!). Honestly, I did not expect a film shot that way to be both visually beautiful and narratively coherent. 

Despite this, I can see how some people might find the story (however compelling) to meander at parts; as well as be turned off by the use of Chinese dialects (it’s worth noting the film originated in Hong Kong). However, much like Rashomon, I do believe audiences can appreciate it for the masterpiece it is. 

So in summation, whether or not you like Hong Kong art films, I would suggest giving it a watch to form your own opinion. As a movie, it appears to be a love-it-or-hate-it experience; for better or worse. 

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