Watches
January 03, 2017
Herman Yau loves a good genre mashup. The first half hour is a mix of horror, thriller and romance elements, making it tricky to predict where the film wants to go. After that, the mystery/thriller setup takes over and builds up to a finale that offers more than a handful of plot twists. Though it wouldn't be a true Yau film if he didn't have an extra surprise in store.
Jasmine is in love with Fong, but he has no intention of marrying her. After a final attempt Jasmine decides she'll answer Vincent's proposal instead. On her way home, she is kidnapped, raped and held in containment before the criminal finally releases her again. She's too scared to tell her story, so Jasmine decides she'll just continue her life with Vincent.
The film has some overlap with more notorious Cat III work, but Yau makes sure to keep it classy. The cinematography is polished, the soundtrack stylish and the performances are laudable. The only thing that bugged me endlessly was the Monty Hill concept the film introduces. Trust me: save yourself a headache and don't try to understand it. Other than that, a very nice film.