Obsequiousmelon got Punished

Name of the Film: Punished

Starring:  Anthony Wong, Richie Ren, Janice Man

(This review contains spoilers!)

When a rich land owners daughter is found dead after a kidnapping, he sends his bodyguard out to get revenge, but will the cost of vengeance be too high?

I’m a big fan of Anthony Wong and so when I heard he had a new film coming out I was excited.  Then I read that it was a revenge thriller.  I love revenge films.  Raw emotion, bad ass action and just brutal cool are hall marks of the genre and I was very interested to see what Director Wing Cheong Law would do with the idea.

What results is a good film but definitely not a great one.  

The performances are strong and the direction is solid but they can’t avoid the poor script.  The actual dialogue isn’t bad but the characters have no arch.  This causes a real problem as the film seems a little boring.  I walked out of the cinema at the end feeling a little cheated.  Anthony Wong’s character is the best example of this.  At the beginning we see that he isn’t bothered how the villagers blocking his land deal are removed as long as they are.  At the same time he is a demonstrative father telling his children what they will do with their lives rather than listening to their dreams and wishes.  After his daughter dies we are expected to believe that he feels growing remorse at sending his bodyguard to kill those responsible, as he gradually slides into depression.  The problem is that although the performance is real enough it seems hollow as he defiantly wont change his mind and because he isn’t personally looking for revenge his character takes no personal responsibility for the bodyguards actions.  

Then when he is confronted by the actual action potentially happening in his presence and the consequences to someone else’s family his redemption comes, yet the person involved is guilty of the biggest betrayal.  

This is the conclusion to the film that you would expect but it rings hollow because of two things.   The previous dogged determination to have those responsible killed despite his misgivings and almost importantly there is no change in other areas of his life.  Where he was demonstrative towards his children at the beginning he is still demanding his son studies medicine rather than music.  The character has learnt nothing and it cheapens his supposed redemption.

But it doesn’t totally ruin it, the strength of the performances is such that we do believe these characters even if, on the whole, we don’t like them!  The characters are mostly bland or detestable, the children are all spoilt brats and the adults are mostly distant and aloof.

The film gets by on Anthony Wong’s charisma mostly but to be fair that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just you can see the awesome, retro revenge film hiding beneath this slightly more shallow offering. 

Did I enjoy the film?  Yes

Would I recommend it to my friends?  To some yes but only  if I know they like Hong Kong films already. 

Will I buy it on DVD/Blu Ray?  Maybe if it is in a sale.

If it was a mate would I let it date my Sister?  No, it’s just not involving enough.