Using the eventful and historic handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese hands as its location and symbolic backdrop, Wayne Wang's "Chinese Box" is occasionally intriguing, but ultimately comes off as a disappointing feature. A character-driven story, the movie relegates the more interesting stories to the background while fronting a less than inspired romantic plot.
It's too bad that the film doesn't focus more on the highly anticipated, and potentially volatile exchange of power (the film is set just before the July 30, 1997 transfer of Hong Kong back to China). Although we see some video footage of both unrest and nervous anticipation, the events -- just like the main character's reaction to his shortened life expectancy -- don't have a great sense of urgency surrounding them.
Unlike the atmosphere of the backdrop story in the fabulous "The Year of Living Dangerously," which felt immediate and dangerous, the government "takeover" in this film has nearly no emotional resonance or suspense. Granted, in real life the transition was rather smooth and void of any major conflict, but the characters in this story wouldn't know that in advance. Other than for some news footage, a New Year's Eve suicide, and the main character's voice over narration, we'd never guess what significant and historic event was approaching.
Of course, Hong Kong director Wayne Wang (best known for his 1993 film, "The Joy Luck Club") who also co-wrote this story, is more interested in using that backdrop as a metaphor regarding the main character's deteriorating health and life. While that should have come off as interesting as well, it also suffers from a lack of urgency. Although John doesn't tell anyone about his condition -- thus giving the audience an ironic sense of superior position over the other characters -- we never feel the need for him to get out and do everything he always wanted to before his time is up, or more importantly, to get Vivian to fall in love with him.
That's mainly because the two main characters don't seem right for each other. Portraying the somber photojournalist, Oscar winning actor Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune" and seen mostly recently in "The Man In The Iron Mask") is rather listless throughout the production. Granted that's somewhat acceptable due to his condition, but such behavior -- or lack thereof -- subdues any sense of urgency as well as any hopes of a romance.
Part of that responsibility also falls on the shoulders of the usually fabulous Gong Li ("Temptress Moon," "Farewell My Concubine") and the character she plays. Although she's been great in -- and is best known for -- those period pieces in which she's appeared, her character here is so shallowly written that we don't know or care much about her. While she's certainly attractive enough for the role, Li isn't given much with which to work or develop.
Far more interesting is the character of Jean, played by Maggie Cheung (best known domestically as appearing in Jackie Chan's "Supercop"), and one expects and begins to hope that perhaps a romance will build between her and Irons' character, but that isn't to be. Playing a mysterious woman with an even more mysterious background, she's the most interesting of all the characters, but like the Hong Kong issues, is unfortunately shortchanged as far as her time on screen.
Rubén Blades ("The Devil's Own," "Color of Night") also gives a decent turn as John's fellow journalist, best friend, and guitar strumming balladeer, and he provides the film with some brief, but much needed humor. Like the other better bits of the film, however, he serves as more of a background piece to the less than involving central plot.
As far as the rest of the movie, Wang has decided to forgo showing the usual beauty of Hong Kong and instead presents the underbelly, so to speak. Utilizing a great deal of documentary style lens work from Vilko "Shakes" Filac (we've added the middle name for the constantly moving and shifting camera) and showing tiresome bits of grainy video footage, the picture still comes off as less than spectacular. Only in one scene, where Jim projects Jean's videotaped face onto John's face -- which creates a somewhat eerie effect -- does the film take on an interesting dimension.
Otherwise, we're left with light performances as well as characters and a story that never evoke any empathy when they should be generating just that. To make matters worse, whenever one hears the main character in voice over narration (used to express feelings and provide plot details) it's usually a dead giveaway that something's wrong with the movie, and Wang's finished product is a "good" example. Although some moviegoers may find the proceedings intriguing and perhaps even moving, everyone else will find nearly all aspects of the picture dull and listless. That's how we felt and thus we give "Chinese Box" a 3 out of 10.
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