Film Of The Week: ONLY GOD FORGIVES (2013)

SYNOPSIS

Ten years ago in Bangkok Julian killed a cop and went on the run. Now he manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drugs operation. Respected in the criminal underworld, deep inside, he feels empty.

When Julian's brother kills a prostitute, the police reaches out to retired cop Chang, recognized as the Angel of Vengeance. Chang allows the father to kill his daughters murderer, then restores order by chopping off the man's right hand.

Julian's mother Jenna, the head of a strong criminal organization, arrives in Bangkok to gather her son's body. She orders Julian to uncover his killers and raise hell.

Increasingly obsessed with the Angel of Vengeance, Julian challenges him to a boxing match, hoping that by defeating him he may possibly uncover spiritual release but Chang triumphs. A furious Jenna plots revenge and the stage is set for a bloody journey through betrayal and vengeance towards a final confrontation and the possibility of redemption.

Overview:

Absolutely everyone has their diverse tastes in film. Some people like martial arts movies, and others could just get pleasure from blockbuster action films in general. There are also those who take pleasure in arthouse cinema, films that do not usually get mainstream interest for their lackluster therapy and non-embrace of the usual spectacle seen in Hollywood blockbusters.

That stated, Nicolas Winding Refn's most recent, Only God Forgives, attempts to be some of these items and still appeals to provide a vision of arthouse filmmaking, regardless of how some of its advertising could have had some people perceive it to be an action thriller. As a outcome, some individuals have had some disproving opinions about this film. On my web page, 1 comment read that the film was "boring". Another comment study that it was a bit "artsy-fartsy" (and from an action fan's viewpoint, I can totally understand that, which is why I giggled a small bit.). And final but not least, my people saw it at property on VoD and collectively agreed it was "the worst movie in the globe".

The film has acquired its own mixture of cheers and jeers from various writers and audiences throught the film festival circuit. In previous critiques, the film has gained a lot of mixed criticisms from numerous websites, largely pointing out the abstract nature and tone of the film, its use of colour and the gratuitous, "savage", "Rambo-like" violence amongst other things, listing their concerns as a referendum on Refn's creativity of sorts. In addition, there were also headlines surrounding the controversy with regards to the lowered age limit for the film's admittance in France.

I agree, this film is not made for all audiences, as it is geared largely toward arthouse cinema goers. Which is why I ought to not have been shocked when I noticed that Only God Forgives wasn't playing in my nearby theater, even though I was and I nearly lost hope until I saw it was also acquiring VoD therapy.

Alas, I got to see the film at property, as opposed to the theater encounter I was seeking forward to, which is unfortunate. But I got to see it, and that's what counts. I had never observed a Refn film prior to this one particular, and with all the consideration this director has received from other film writers, I was fascinated. Such was also the case with this movie.

Plainly, simply, I can totally appreciate Refn's most recent film. Getting an artist myself (I employed to do pencil portraits and nonetheless-life drawings from an early age on), I liked how Refn tries to take abstract film art and blend it into a neon-lit noir style crime drama. The slow pacing isn't an issue for me, as those particular portions set up the film's much more intense, heightening segments. There are other parts of the film that blend the actual planet with surreal moments that could make you wonder just WTF occurred. And in this film, those are the moments that keep you asking yourself what will come about next, granted you're not driven to choose up a blunt object with the intent of throwing it at the screen first.

And that's what I really dig about this film.

Yes, I came into this movie expecting a few action sequences, plus at least a single martial arts fight scene-becoming the 1 among actors Ryan Gosling and Vithaya Pansringarm, and it was a great way to heighten the film's marketing and advertising as an action/crime/revenge piece, leaving all other people to perceive the film for what it genuinely is: a bold vision of cinema that draws eyes and words, defies expectations and succeeds no matter what you feel. And with that in thoughts, I also came into this film knowing full effectively what I was in for.

Everybody is entitled to their personal opinions when it comes to films. And on that note, Only God Forgives is just that sort of film that you would really like to hate, and/or similarly, hate to enjoy, whether or not you believe in God or not. And even though I really like this distinct film, I have to say though, I loved how Refn's "no-fucks-to give" approach got absolutely everyone to spend attention. As an artist, that is what counts. As Refn says in this Huffington Post interview:

"When individuals enjoy or hate your films, it really is the only time you've really penetrated, ...That was like the entire point of creating films: You're meant to react to it. If everybody likes it -- which, of course, is excellent -- it is the same factor as everyone hating it. Of course it's far more pleasurable if everyone likes it -- since becoming degraded and hated by everyone is a terrible emotion -- but it's the same [point]. It only becomes intriguing if people love it or hate it for the identical explanation."

For this film, I can respect that.

Only God Forgives is a fantastic, cerebral crime drama that bends genres, twists perceptions of art, parallels itself among fantasy and reality, and keeps you focused, although entertained in the procedure. And so whether you insist on watching this film in theaters or at property on VoD, I hugely recommend it.

If you choose not to see it, then that's fine. But you may danger missing out on chance to foundate your skepticism in the approach.

So, you may want to see it anyway. And I believe you ought to.

Only God Forgives stars Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm, Tom Burke and Ratha Phongnam, and is written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. The film is now accessible in limited theaters and on VoD, courtesy of Radius/TWC.

Film Of The Week: ONLY GOD FORGIVES (2013)
9out of 10 based on 10 ratings. 9 user reviews.