NOOB FILM REVIEW - CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994) directed by WONG KAR WAI (MUBI)

No. It is not a romance film.

In almost each of the frames, Wong Kar Wai shows humanity that is pretty much embedded into the world of branding and capitalism. Quite a dystopian theme but he made light of it by mixing a witty, and charming 'In-The-Mood-For-Love-esque' relationship story. Something that today's writing, especially for Malaysian small screen is lacking. Do not get me started.

Anyway, this film resides in a period and genre of its own, talking about rustic life in Hong Kong at one particular time in history, in the middle between the release from British Colonialism, its return to China, and the Californication that comes with it. Money and crime. Yet, watching it in 2023 (For the first time. Yes I am a slowpoke) and from Kuala Lumpur, I can personally relate to the humanity in it.


And Noir-ish character's voice-overs. Why the Blonde-Wig character always wore a raincoat and sunglasses?

"...When I put on a raincoat, I put on sunglasses too. Who knows when it will rain, or when it will turn out sunny?"

Boom. And from Cop 223,

"...If memories could be canned, would they also have expiry dates? If so, I hope they last for centuries."

Poetry. While we are too busy wanting too much of the literal.

Despite the machine-like Hong Kong portrayed as deeply delved into its religious Consumerism, there is still a living human with feelings. Not robots. Something that some of us have turned into.

The intelligence is artificial now. Yet the stupidity is genuinely authentic.

No. It is not a romance film. What lures in the subtexts is what Wong Kar Wai actually wants to say. Show don't tell. But of course, the camera work shown is out of this world (the fast-slow motion scenes). Like in In The Mood For Love, it is his obsession with the subject of time.

*plays California Dreamin'.mp3