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First-time actor Heng has terrific presence, bringing charisma and humour into the toughest scenes, revealing Chakra's internal journey. It's a physically and emotionally demanding role, and he never overplays it. Even as he becomes cold-blooded, he remains sympathetic. By contrast, Kasro's Rom Ran is effective as a larger-than-life monster, strutting shirtlessly as he revels in his power over helpless men. And yes, the story does boil down to an escalating series of collisions between them.

A shot of the trawler alone in a vast ocean offers a chilling reminder of how easy it is to hide human trafficking from society. The film's depiction of the violence is intensely horrific but never explicit. And the narrative becomes internalised in the final act. This shifts the tale into a churning thriller that delves into Chakra's mental state, struggling with this turn in his life, what he has become and what he's going to do about it. Some of the details in this section are rather tidy, but they also give the film a dark, grim kick.

themes, language, violence

3.Sep.20

The actors make the most of the essentially anonymous characters. Most memorable are wide-eyed 13-year-old Xiao (Zhang Junyi) and his brave brother Duan (Ou), and the terrified Tie (Jiang) and his wry sidekick Guai (Wang). Many emotional beats are heightened, as are some pushy patriotic surges. As the film skilfully shifts to capture engaging details about a variety of people in various locations around this battle, nobody has more than one note to play. So it's the accumulated effect that hooks the viewer, rather than any sense of personal involvement.

Each sequence looks flat-out terrific on the big screen, with a propulsive coherence and a sense of urgency that helps us care what happens. There's an odd hiccough in the narrative as the action suddenly jumps forward then back by 14 hours, revealing some background preparations for a stirring finale. This vicious, violent battle galvanised the Chinese to stand against the Japanese invasion, and it also forced the world to take notice.

themes, language, violence

14.Sep.20

Performances are sparky, but only slightly heightened, as these fast-talking characters circle around each other with intent. While along the way, there are remarkable moments of deeper emotion that are beautifully played without breaking the film's rhythm. Rey and Efe make a terrific duo, placing a remarkably engaging bromance at the story's core, two men with little in common who need each other. And each is a fascinating character on his own. Echegui is also superb as a fierce cop with a colourful private life.

The plot powers along without pausing for breath, even as it stirs in evocative connections between even the smaller side characters. Several laugh-out-loud moments are marvellously well-played with a straight face, while other scenes provide some unexpectedly powerful emotional kicks. Each sequence contributes hints about the killer's identity and intentions, generating suspicions and proper suspense along the way. And the final act is a grounded twist on the usual superhero climax, complete with some refreshingly snarky bombast and a terrific post-credits sting.

themes, language, violence

30.Aug.20