Lust, Caution Reviews

(Mu) Ang Lee takes its time to plant the story, too clasicaal and cold in comparison to his best films; its hard to believe there´s more love than hate in the relationship, but there´s a point...

Call me crazy, but I didn’t find the sex scenes in Lust, Caution all that graphic. I take it as a case of the MPAA blushing at the first sighting of pubic hair, clutching their pearls, and clucking their tongues. What struck me about these scenes wasn’t what one could or couldn’t see, but the emotional context and complicated feelings going on underneath. Lust, Caution knows, like Last Tango in Paris, that a sex scene is only truly successful if it somehow connects to an emotion in the story.

Lust, Caution tells the story of a young college student who joins in with a group of political radicals who band together to plan an assassination, and how the closer she gets to the target, the more complicated her emotional stakes become. The film spends far more time with scheming and subtle maneuvering than it does with pelvic gymnastics, and it’s all the better for it.

The film is alive with detailed and ornate costumes, production design, and warmly textured cinematography. Director Ang Lee manages to make a game of mahjong feel loaded with political subtext, as if the slightest twist of the tiles could doom a character. All of this populates the world with believability, and then there’s the tragic doomed heroine at the center, Mak Tai Tai (Tang Wei).

Her story is a two-pronged one of tragedy and doomed love affairs. She begins to work with the revolutionaries for the love of one man, who happily uses her as a prostitute to gather intelligence with the enemy, and she spends so much time with the enemy that she begins to view him with something close to love and fondness. Lust, Caution explores the consequences of sleeping with the enemy, both literally and figuratively.

As the central figure, Tang Wei is absolute dynamite. Her character’s transition from naïve innocent to convoluted seductress to doomed lover is a seamless transition. The scenes of emotional confusion in which she must act without words the complicated feelings of revulsion and pleasure for the sexual acts is a master class in subtlety. Wei makes Mak Tai Tai’s final acts feel like the logical conclusion of a woman thrust into her position. I apologize for the pun, but the film’s intense sex scenes only become clearer as the central relationship spirals out to its inevitable end. Here is a doomed romantic film put together with the artistry afforded a more blissful and romantic one.

An amazing piece of cinema from director Ang Lee, absolutely beautiful cinematography. How the crew managed to find enough of old Shanghai to film in is a mystery to me, but they created an amazingly convincing portrayal of the period. Add the sets and locations to the beautiful photography, the incredible "mise en scene", and the wonderful performances, and you end of with a beautiful and affecting film. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you love cinema, then you have to see this film.

''He not only gets inside me, he worms his way into my heart like a snake. Deeper. All the way in. I take him in like a slave. I play my part faithfully so I, too, can get to his heart...''

An espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai, in which a young woman, Wang Jiazhi, gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure, Mr. Yee.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai: Mr. Yee

Wei Tang: Wong Chia Chi / Mak Tai Tai

Ang Lee once again proves what a visionary Director he is, showing attention to detail in every shred of material examined. Lust, Caution is another offering from the masterful Lee which dazzles, entrance's, shocks and has you glued to the screen, every step of the way. To me it has similarities to the perfect German slice of Black Book, on the espionage and Period Drama stakes.



The cinematography, costumes and locations (which range from Shanghai to Hong Kong) ooze authenticity and luscious unrivaled quality. The amount of extras used really is breath taking and the feel of 1930s 1940s Occupied China is captured in every way. Ang Lee is clever in the way he can capture the feel of a particular era, whether it be Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Brokeback Mountain he always seems to master the environment and feel of the time. Lust, Caution he does it yet again, with spectacular results.

To kill the enemy, she would have to capture his heart....and break her own.

Moving onto performances, well the entire cast are on top form, not just the main characters either.
Tony Leung as Mr Yee is untouchable in his execution of his character. Previous films have confirmed his high level of acting yet Lust, Caution definitely again like 2046 cements the fact he's got a passion in his craft. Mr Yee is a faceted character, who's collaborating with the Japanese. At times you can sympathize with him, others you want to ring his neck. He's a typical man who we see a glimpse of weakness in his affections for Mak Tai Tai.
Wei Tang really steals the show with her performance as the leading lady. She's beautiful and sometimes without even the need for words, her eyes convey more language and soul than anything else. You begin to experience the journey by her side, with her as Lust, Caution progresses.

The sex Scenes aren't to me, that graphic. Obviously there's some scenes which may be classed as violent and aggressive, but the evolution of the act requires a variation. I love how Tai Tai becomes so caught up in her involvement with Yee she begins to develop feelings for him. The passionate love making is charged and heated, often depicting the emotional battle going on between the two as they wrestle with their respective consciences.

There was one occurrence of relatively violent proportions which was well shot. Reminded me of Julius Cesar dying for some reason. If you know the Scene I mean then tell me I'm not crazy, otherwise yes it's confirmed. Other than that theres not much examples of action and gore, which is good. It's not necessary.

Lust, Caution also emphasizes the ideologies and routines of the times. Also the merging of Japanese culture in China as they occupy the Country. Of course the Chinese being a proud people are divided in opinion against their over sea rivals. Ang Lee manages to make a point of this without having to make it too obvious, so while he gives us a stealthy heated love story he also cleverly slips us a history lesson. All the things I've stated mixed into an equation spells a master stroke of greatness from the maestro of movie making.

With Lust, Caution Ang Lee's piece will have you loving the music, the period and may even compel you to do more research of the times back then. Cleverly Lee also leaves an after taste in your mind, of History repeating itself and a poignant reflection of what it is to love and be someone else.

A spy thriller with it's share of some dark erotica topped with a punch you in the gut ending. Could have been shorter but that that doesn't detract from the overall excellence of the movie. Brilliant acting from the lead actress and that's really understating it.

This is one of the best chinese I have ever seen. It is unbelievably good.
The plot is good. The settings are nice.
But the actors... they are so good.
Tony Leung and Tang Wei really takes our breath away.
For the many thousands who believe Chinese movies are all about martial arts this can be a great antidote.
Don't miss this movie for anything.

Lust, Caution was made by Ang Lee for a Taiwanese company, released in Taiwan and I believe for the Asian market. This film is really beautiful. It's set in Shanghai and Hong Kong during the Japanese Occupation of China in World War II. The scenery and costuming is so interesting, which was lucky because the story left me wanting. There are some pretty graphic, and fairly violent sex scenes in this movie, so not for the faint of heart. I found them annoying. I got bored. The story of a bunch of unprepared actors who end up trying to do a big time assassination in the name of patriotism could have been better. And the attraction between the female actor and her target never felt real to me. I just didn't get it. But, the scenery...did I mention the scenery? Awesome.