Exiled (Johnnie To, 2006)

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Michael Kerpan · #1 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:57 am

Rave review by Dave Kehr (on his wonderful blog).

che-etienne · #2 Post by **che-etienne** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:36 pm

Just got back from seeing this. What a fabulous film. Dave Kehr is spot on in his review. Anthony Wong is also now one of my favorite HK actors (admittedly among the few that I know).

Lino · #3 Post by **Lino** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:59 am

What a blast! Watched this the other day and I couldn't stop thinking:"This is the movie that Tarantino has been trying to make all through his career but just doesn't have the talents to pull it off!".

Great, great film and so effortless it's downright disarming. Check this one out now!

Michael Kerpan · #4 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:52 pm

It is supposedly "in the mail" -- along with "Host". I am expecting some real cinematic fun soon. ;~}

fred · #5 Post by **fred** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:41 pm

It's pure pleasure. One of To's best. I actually like this more than the Election films, which I think have been taken more seriously only because they announce themselves as "serious" films, while this one makes no bones about entertaining you. Which isn't to suggest that it's empty--it's not.

That's one hell of a double bill you have coming your way. Probably the two finest commercial film directors in the world today, at peak form.

Antoine Doinel · #6 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:43 am

Magnolia has picked up the film for North American distribution. Here's the trailer.

zombeaner · #7 Post by **zombeaner** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:54 am

Antoine Doinel wrote:Magnolia has picked up the film for North American distribution. Here's the trailer.

I saw it at AFI Dallas in March and it ran with a Magnolia logo in front, but no set release date. I have the HK DVD but would love to see it again! I thought it was awesome!

Michael Kerpan · #8 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:02 pm

mattkc · #9 Post by **mattkc** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:35 pm

Finally, someone writes intelligently and with understanding on To and Exiled...

Michael Kerpan · #10 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:28 pm

mattkc wrote:Finally, someone writes intelligently and with understanding on To and Exiled...

Fred Camper's review is indeed excellent.

I really do hope that this film does have at least a modestly successful run in the US.

Antoine Doinel · #11 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:20 am

Saw this tonight and thought it was great. Some of the most elegant, yet over-the-top action sequences I've seen in ages. The film stumbles around a bit in the second act but the finale is a knockout, and has one of the most creative product placements you'll ever see.

a.khan · #12 Post by **a.khan** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:42 am

This film could have easily been called "A Homage to Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West." From the opening sequence right down the Harmonica character, "Exiled" seems to be not only Johnnie To's ode to the Italian master, but a tongue-in-check riff on the gangster genre, perhaps a parody of To's own serious "Election." I loved the carefully blocked set pieces, the John Woo-esque bullet ballet and the film's ability to cheerfully break some of the obvious thematic conventions. And it rarely lets up on the cruel undertone. But, "Exiled" is not impenetrable to moments of sentimentality -- especially the ending, complete with photo booth portraits of our 'heroes' making monkey faces. A suitable farewell? How sweeeeet.