MOVIE REVIEW : “CONTROL” (HONG KONG) 控制

STOP PRESS!

Film Director KENNETH BI in his own words:

“Control” is a thriller about strangers preying on us in the city, using all the latest surveillance technology available. I wanted to make a cool taut suspense thriller using visual effects to build an eternal sin city. It’s never been done in Asia. Mark (Daniel Wu) is controlled and forced to commit crimes for a mysterious stranger. He meets other strangers along the way. Some are foes and some become fast friends. You never know who is lurking around the next corner. To achieve the best visual effects, we worked with Academy Award winner, Nickson Fong, who is originally from Singapore but had worked in Hollywood for many years on films such as Godzilla and Matrix 2 & 3.

“CONTROL” Press Review

 Riddle: Said the Spider to the Fly, welcome aboard this Guessing Game.

控制

CONTROL is one giant word. Who’d like to be controlled?

In this fickle business of film making where I am from, consumers’ perceptions are perpetually being challenged by the relentless media, notwithstanding the shift of perplexing opinions all the time.

Therefore, you can expect a contradiction of mindset every other minute.

What’s sauce for the goose in the initial phase may not be sauce for the gander later.

To this Reviewer, “CONTROL” is assuredly, one of the best entertaining whodunits to emerge from Hong Kong in recent years. I enjoyed the time spent.

This one’s a taut, gritty neo-noir thriller with an abundance of shocking twists.

The gripping feature is fearlessly directed by Hong Kong director KENNETH BI and his treatment is both bold and moving, with stunning visuals and splendid effects.

It will keep you on edge and have you transported into a realm of good guys, baddies, mobsters and  hey-preso! the return button will transport you back to your reimagining mode.

Who’s the mastermind behind this, you beseech.

The film wastes no time with the action reeling from the first frame when lead character MARK (DANIEL WU) flees for his dear life from the mob.

You watch the hapless guy go tearing down lonesome alleys only to be trapped and tortured minutes later.

The mood-and-tone is grim and desolate, and you can detect a fair amount of poetic depression here.

The film director KENNETH BI has painstakingly handles one of his best movies to date and the same can be said of actor DANIEL WU.  And who’s to say that this dude can’t act?

This is DANIEL’s show and you are treated to close-ups of him in terror, angst, pain and frustration when the camera zooms in, and he is in this stellar performance like none he has done  before.

And his is a refreshing take from the regulars acts of veteran smarts such as Sean Lau, Nick Cheong and Louis Koo.

“CONTROL” expounds a fantastical, futuristic premise leaning on an explosive action-thriller trope. Co-producer DANIEL WU is Mark the insurance salesman who is embroiled in a battle of wits with “the Voice” who’s out to get him to perform illegal tasks with a few other victims.

A deadly game of cat-and-mouse ensues.

At the end, “CONTROL” exposes the Villain and the truth is out about how Mark and his companions fit into the mysterious villain’s grand scheme.

This is a definitive thriller with gudges, gore and a whole lot more.  It’s also an intensely human drama at its best.

You can rate the film director’s aesthetic dressings of expressive film making, and the ensemble cast’s impressive performances as “two thumbs up”. For the record, the line-up includes DANIEL WU, YAO CHEN, LEON DAI, SIMON YAM and KARA HUI.

“CONTROL” is a poetic celebration of the intense and ephemeral and is raw and honest in the search for redemption amid tragedy.

Let it be said that KENNETH BI is an under-utilized treasure of the CHINESE CINEMA with his capabilities to handle various genres.

Now sit back, harness your seat belt for “CONTROL” and brace yourself for an addictive ride.

Welcome aboard!