Everything is chaotic in this film. First, the political aspect: is the film condoning the police brutality that comes with the war on drugs or condemning the abuse and corruption of police authority? Perhaps, both can co-exist, but the execution was rather clumsy. Second, the editing and even the direction. This is certainly an action film, but even the action sequences cannot save this film for me as it was almost badly directed. Some scenes even seemed like the characters were fake fighting as it didn't seem genuine at all. Lastly, the sound and music; they just seemed awkward and out of place sometimes. Though, for some consideration, the acting was good, especially Anne Curtis' performance.

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About five years after I've seen WKW's Fallen Angels, I am glad to have seen Chungking Express finally. Of course, there's the Wong Kar-Wai's very own auteur, unique style, experimental aesthetic, and great soundtrack that really draws the viewer in appreciation of his works. But, in addition to that, regardless of Wong's characters personified by their dreamy and romanticized foolishness or cluelessness; rather than finding them annoying, it was so easy to be pulled in the ethereal and quirky comedy of Wong. Indeed, I was laughing almost in the entirety of the film. Wong really proved that romanticization is not at all completely bad if it was done right. Despite not being heavy on its plot, the unusual persona of his characters and unpredictability of events and arcs, in addition to his very own excellent filmmaking techniques, had led to the classic charm of his films.

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Historical Revisionism, Romanticising Abuse, and Outright Misogyny

Do I really hate this film? Well, actually, I did enjoy some few things in this film until that nasty and unfortunate second half, especially the ending. I love this film for two things: Tony Leung and Tang Wei. Though, I hate this film for three things: the historical revisionism, the "woman and their affection for jewelry (materialism)" trope, and the toxic romanticism of abuse.

In spite of giving it a decisive one star during my first watch, I still decided to give it another watch as I also could not deny the things I have loved about the film. I have a personal positive bias for both of the leads: Tang Wei and Tony Leung. Indeed, their performances have been great as always. At the very beginning, their characters have already been greatly emphasized: his almost callous and greedy composure and her idealistic and naive courage. This did not change all throughout the film which led to that appalling conclusion.

I do commend the direction also, but for a film about espionage, it was lacking with intrigue and suspense. All throughout, I could only sense a story about a tragic romance blossoming. Even the sex scenes didn't have the electrifying quality of eroticism. It was, indeed, lustful. Though, there was no uncanny or distinct emotion that truly drove the eros. Ang Lee need to understand the difference between pornography and true erotica. Erotica has high-art aspirations. It has emotional and intellectual sensitivity. But, just like some cheap pornography, it seemed that Ang Lee only thought to convey different, but, "controversial" sex positions.

After learning that this was based from a true historical event, I went to read about Zheng Pingru. She was the true-to-life spy based on Tang Wei's character. After learning herstory, I was really appalled. Especially that I am from a country where historical revisionism has been a sensitive issue and a detrimental political propaganda machine, I could never justify the disrespect they made her character in the film. Zheng Pingru was a strong and brilliant woman who has not betrayed her country and people which led to her death at a young age of 22. Her character, though, was made less into someone who has chosen jewelry over her true allegiance.

I AM DISGUSTED HOW THEY MADE A WOMAN'S HISTORY FILLED WITH COURAGE AND DIGNITY INTO SOMEONE'S MISOGYNISTIC FANTASIES OF TRAGIC ROMANCE. Even without tying it to true history and just a complete fictional idea, it is still socially detrimental. It really promotes the foolish long-held idea that men has to be aggressive first in order to fully lure the interest of women. Of course, we have different sexual preferences, but the common denominator in all healthy relationships is consent. Again, Ang Lee has no intelligent grasp of true erotica and he also have no true comprehension of BDSM. I doubt even if the sexual assaults were truly plot devices, but rather misogynistic fantasies. That certain scene could have stopped at the moment she was showing agony as he assaulted her, but that scene concluded with her smiling in bed as if to assure the audience that she enjoyed her assault (yikes).

Furthermore, another long-held idea or trope where women will always be moved by a good, expensive jewelry has ruined the film even without tying it to the historical revisionism. Can a woman only realized a man's affection when he give her material luxuries? Patriarchal society has long been damaging women for believing that men have to do the labour and money-earning while their women sit at home and splurge their money on luxury. This patriarchal belief that women are materialistic is what this film was going for. In any way you look at it, Lust, Caution is a film that is completely detrimental to society. The NC-17 rating is not because of the (almost doubtful) erotic content being inappropriate for young audiences, but rather these foolish long-held misogynistic beliefs should be abolished from young minds.

P.S. Another thing I noticed which I almost forgot to add, the film was also portraying the Madonna-whore complex. Yes, of course, another patriarchal belief of their lack of understanding regarding female sexuality.

"The Madonna–whore complex is a concept first coined by Sigmund Freud. It represents the dichotomy of the Madonna—a wholly virtuous, pure, and chaste woman—and the whore—a promiscuous, seductive, and degraded woman. "

This complex has plagued many men into having affairs because they believed that their wives are only good and pure, thus, they need another extra woman in their life that they can corrupt. In the film, we can see how Tony's character degraded, corrupted, and lusted over Tang Wei's. Though, there was no sexual attraction or tension shown between him and his wife. His dealing with his wife was always "pure", while with Tang Wei, it was "promiscuous". This complex and belief has put so many taboos in female sexuality.

Women desiring sex does not make them less pure neither is sex inherently vulgar or dirty. It was the patriarchal belief that put sex in a taboo category. Sex was purposed to be transcendental, holy, and intimate until patriarchal society decided it was a vulgar obscurity just because they can't master over their own unjust lusts.

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just one day off
to have fortitude
to lose yourself
and embrace the unfamiliar
arms of a strange town

to speak their food
and taste their language
to see their memories
and pretend you never had one
the sea waves embalming yours

dear prudence, you wrote
as you discover the art in
nothingness and emptiness
you empty yourself of such void
their rain water baptizes you

and their trees walk with you
their clouds accompany you
you are sheltered by their histories
and museums of tomorrows from yesterdays
and suddenly
you are filled
satiated with unproductivity
and you look forward to mondays
which are no longer much of a mundane
for only through them
you can breathe within a saturday
just one day off
to just be again

as slow, yet, fruitful as persimmons
as unsteady, yet, balanced as an empath
a community of hermits
and the solitude of flocking birds
the literature of life
it's art mirrored in humanity
and humanity is the likeness and visage of God
whom in the seventh day
rested and savoured its creations
slowly and adventurously
just one day off
and just be again

to rest is a virtue to the living
and to the dead, it is a privilege
just one day off
to have fortitude
to find yourself
and just be again

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Watermelons had always induced thoughts of tropical, soaked beaches and exuberant summers. After watching The Wayward Cloud, though, watermelons will become more about droughts and sullen estrangements.

The ancient tongues have claimed that silence is just another form of violence. This must have been true with this film. The Wayward Cloud is almost free with dialogues in which most of it only comes from the occasional Chinese musicals and background or surrounding noises. The two main characters haven't really spoken words to each other. Though, despite the quietness of their words or famished communication, their innermost selves are violent with hunger and desire. They quench their thirst for water with (kinky) watermelons, just like how society quenches their thirst for connection and intimacy with pornography.

I guess, one of the biggest lies the society has succumbed to was believing that pleasure completely equates to joy or happiness. But how can you find an eternity in the temporary? Thus, instead of dwelling in total paradise, it's just the zone of a wayward cloud: glimpses of occasional pleasures that come and go without one's integral control and sometimes even against their expected outcomes.

Do they desire each other or do they only desire something that will fill the lonely gaps in their souls? She realized she really never knew him at all. He could never realize whether he wanted her or not. He refused her advances because he cannot differentiate love and lust anymore. The only time he truly expressed his complete and questionable desire for her was during the filming of his work at that ending scene. His work has clouded his discernment for what is truly personal to him. Just like a cycle from condensation to precipitation to evaporation back to condensation and so on, their life has become the stability of a dull and bleak, yet, directionless routine instead of the stability of continuous elevation going far beyond the clouds.

The film was also, in a way, absurd. In spite of its apt and dismal void, I could not help but to express laughter almost at the entirety of the film. I guess, The Wayward Cloud is truly an absurd comedy as emphasized greatly by the characters' disposition at that final shot: their dazed confusion, the meaninglessness of it all, and their wrath for their own void and ignorance.

P. S. The film somewhat reminded me of Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express. In spite of its occasional comedy, we cannot be oblivious to its yearning pineapples, the quirky girl and sad boi/f-boi desiring attention and connection, the apartments longing for their own warmer home. But, at least, the busy streets of Chungking Express give you permission to dream (♪♪♪Ca-li-for-nia Drea-min'♪♪♪).

P. P. S. This is my first Tsai Ming-liang film and I just learned that this shouldn't be the right order. Though, I don't think it would really matter that much.

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