Jet Li can act.

There. I said it. Never thought I would, but there you go. I finally got around to watching The Warlords (Tou Min Zhuang 2007) the other night and, well, I was pret-ty amazed.

Set during the Qing dynasty in 19th-century China and starring box-office darlings Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and our returning Hollywood veteran, Peter Chan’s 120-and-a-bit minute work is every bit the excitement, the drama and the emotions I was hoping for.

Taking the bleak, gritty approach to the tale of brotherhood (rather than the eye-pleasing, colourful one of Zhang Yimou’s recent movies such as Hero and House of Flying Daggers), it features the three audience favourites deviating from their usual character stereotypes. Lau impresses as a savage a kind-hearted brute, and Li’s character starts off as a fat, filthy coward. Kaneshiro’s performance is as solid as those of his counterparts, albeit in some scenes he looks a bit too pretty and his teeth seem a little too shiny for those muddy battlegrounds.

It is only Xu Jinglei’s character that appears a little underdeveloped; however she does provide just the right amount of tension, and the male characters’ reactions to her (rather than her own actions) perfectly illustrate the protagonists’ struggle to stick to their honourable principles as they continue to rise to power.

As a whole, this is not groundbreaking, but an absolutely engaging and very well-directed piece of film with three stellar leads- and perhaps it’s what Mr. Zhang was trying (and failed) to achieve himself.

Check out this amazing song the even more amazing Andy Lau did for the movie.

Beijing Star Spotting

As a massive fan of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese cinema, I’ve of course been spending the last few weeks on a lookout for famous faces, both on TV and around me.

So here’s my findings…

Even though she’s only got one movie under her belt so far, Lust, Caution star Tang Wei has already landed a contract to advertise Pond’s body lotion. Good for her.

Maggie Cheung is the (stunningly beautiful) face of Olay, while Gong Li is that of L’Oreal. Carina Lau is advertising a local shampoo brand (with a mad mane of hair).

Everyone’s favourite Hong Kong gangster Simon Yam’s face is on the outside of some massive, staggeringly expensive-looking housing complex in the city. Funny fattie Eric Tsang is lending his name to Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)-related sweets while heartthrob Wang Leehom (of Lust, Caution fame in the west) is doing both computers and mobile phones. Jackie Chan has got his name on everything from frozen dumplings to Olympics-related products, and Busiest Man in Hong Kong, superstar Andy Lau, is advertising some very flashy and very dear PDAs (and I nearly bought one when I saw his face on it!)

And just when I thought my favourite actor from this part of the world was the only non-sellout of the bunch, I came across this rather cardiac arrest-inducing TV spot… not the most flattering product as such, but the eyes! My heart pretty much melted away watching it- but then, it could have been the Sichuan noodles either.

Bis dann,

Nadine