bales

September 03, 2012

Flowers of War will not alter your world.
It probably won't stay with you very long after you've watched it.
It isn't a great movie.

Did i enjoy it?
Yeah.
I really did.

The story pulls you in.
The girls playing the abandoned chinese students are so believably horrified it's somewhat emotionally exhausting, especially through an attempted, multiple rape scene.
There was a knot in my stomach that not many films can stir.

Christian Bale does a not so terrible job of remembering how to act.
I think he misses his bat cave, though.
The women playing the prostitutes have just the right amount of damaged humour, mixed with a believable terror all of their own.

It has somewhat of a predictable story but it works.
It doesn't overplay the horrific events of Nanking but it does make you see them, feel them and most certainly remember them.

Bale perhaps transforms from a drunken, self-serving wretch a tad too quickly.
Only near the end do you get an insight into why he's such a mess and why he helps protect these people.

It's not perfect.
It could have been something special but alas, that is not always the way.

I'll watch it again.
Forever fascinated by Christian Bale's mouth.

All i see are the door knockers from Labyrinth when he talks.

But it isn't a triumph.
It's not Empire of the Sun.

Nice try Bales, it was good but better luck next time?


Listen listen.
You won't regret it and if you do, i'll accept vengeance in the form of comments filled with colourful language that i will enjoy and never publish.
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