Director: Andrew Lau
Starring: Xiaoming Huang, Ethan Juan, Purba Rgyal, Tian Gao, Yi Wei Zhou, Boran Jing, Peng Guo, Yuchun Li, Yu Wang,
Running Time: 108 Minutes
Certificate: 15
The director of the phenomenal INFERNAL AFFAIRS brings us THE GUILLOTINES, a kind of true story which mixes action, unbearable conflict, and social commentary. Actually scratch that, it doesn’t so much mix them as it does just clump it all together in a frustratingly uneven film that continuously changes pace and purpose.
THE GUILLOTINES tells the tale of the eponymous assassins controlled by the emperor. With times a changing the group are sent on a mission, only to find themselves the prey for greater hunters once they are betrayed by those they once trusted. It’s the usual story of betrayal, and it’s something that could have actually been quite powerful, were it not for the fact that characters are indistinguishable from one another. As members of a merciless assassination squad, each of the killers is devoid of any real personality, and by the time the film ends you remember the characters by how they died rather than what they did.
Great characters aren’t always needed for a great action film though, and the film certainly has a number of inventively choreographed fight sequences as the Guillotines release their fast spinning and super sharp weapons. The problem here is that every scene has been made for 3D. Every weapon, fist, or blood spray is slowed down with the intention of it slapping you between the eyes. The CG used removes itself from the realistic and gritty violence, and also contradicts the incredibly serious tone in the latter third of the film.
The film would be much better suited to bite size viewing chunks, as the sudden changes in tone are just jarring. It also becomes difficult to keep up with the politics and plot developments as the story jumps back and forth between multiple strands. The action scenes seem very out of place and this definitely feels like a film where too many cooks spoiled the broth. A tackily assembled patchwork quilt, this film has bright sparks within it, but ultimately trips over its own feet.
[usr]2THE GUILLOTINES is released on DVD on 16th June.
