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Nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards 2005:
Best Actress (Karena Lam)
Best Sound Design (Kinson Tsang)
Familiar.
That's a thought that runs through ones head while attending
Law Chi Leung's Koma where he's again, just as Inner
Senses, exploring horror territory. To its credit, there's
only one film Koma largely borrows from (one fans of
Korean cinema will be quick to recognize) and more scattershot
references to other horror works from the past few years subsequently
makes up the narrative. That makes it instantly better than
most Hong Kong horror efforts lately as it attempts to be
more its own. One of the inherent problems, which makes Koma
halt at partly highly recommend but hugely only recommended
is the fact that the filmmakers decided to take the slippery
road, narrative wise. And that they're having problems with.
In a
drunken stupor during a hotel wedding reception, Ching (Angelica
Lee) stumbles into an hotel room where a woman, drenched in
blood is crawling along the floor. It turns out she's one
of the many victims lately who have had their kidneys removed,
presumably to be sold on the black market. Having witnessed
a mysterious woman just prior to her discovery, Ching points
her out later in a police lineup. She is Suen Ling (Karena
Lam) and she has it out for Ching, with a vengeance. Despite
her aggressive behaviour, she is soon dismissed from the investigation
but continues to harass Ching. Secrets are subsequently revealed
that has many connections to the past, including to Ching's
boyfriend Fung (Andy Hui)...
Not that
Susan Chan's script (Law's writing partner on Till Death
Do Us Part) isn't competent or the direction by Law Chi
Leung for that matter either. Because you can easily set aside
the obvious plot device lifted from Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
and get on with it but after a first half, that is firmly
on an open straight road, Chan and Law brings us onto an icy
one where only two of the wheels seem attached to the surface.
How's that for symbolism?
As a
character piece, Koma does some decent things, bringing
in themes of loneliness and desperation. A theme that's reexamined
by Chan and Law after the two co-wrote the screenplay for
the mentioned Till Death Do Us Part (directed by Daniel
Lee). That journey lies in Angelica Lee's Ching but not as
fully explored, intentionally, as in that film. For Koma
it creates a sometimes touching aura as the closer ones around
Ching abandons her because of her being diagnosed with kidney
failure and it becomes a bleak, downbeat piece because of
this content obviously when you look at it.
Now,
Law is aiming higher, no doubt about it, but it soon becomes
quite apparent that there's maybe one too many goals set up
and even when the first half is clearly told and executed,
with flair I might add, Law stumbles upon hurdles when he's
bringing Ching and Ling closer to each other as characters.
I wish I could say what was inherently wrong here but what
I can say that it isn't as full on gripping as it attempts
to be. The emotions do resonance in sporadic bursts and towards
the end but this flip flopping in quality, not confusion,
proves to be a bit frustrating throughout.
It's
not that Law's direction, and technical execution, thoroughly
saves the movie either but after all, he's been a protégé,
and been supported by Derek Yee over the years. Koma
marks the first time he's not backed up by him and perhaps
Law is left alone a wee bit too early. Yee, as a director,
has not been Hong Kong cinemas visual thinker number one but
rather a fine storyteller. Visually, but not overbearingly
so, Law actually holds his own rather terrifically throughout.
There's that suitable combination of storytelling and drawing
in audiences visually on display and the film looks absolutely
dynamite throughout, despite being a small scale film story-
and character-wise. Chan Chi Ying's (Elixir Of Love)
calm cinematography allows us to study the frame, look for
clues, and it's a nigh on perfect example of why you don't
need to be MTV to grab the audiences attention. Law
does that fine with the horror, which will probably leave
a slight harrowing effect on many viewers, thanks to some
excellent usage of effects. Law isn't afraid to let us look
at nasty wounds in close-up's, have us watch actors puke or
shed blood and it's remarkable how he can leave an effect
when he in fact does very little as a matter of fact. He also,
maybe overly so, fills the design with red everywhere but
its meaning isn't any more deeper than the obvious.
Koma
is a case though where performances, even if the final movie
comes with flaws, lifts it securely into that decent-territory.
On board, Law has two of the most engaging female performers
in Hong Kong cinema currently and they are creating themselves
a wonderful track record; Angelica Lee and Karena Lam. Lee
has been acting scared convincingly prior in The Eye
and she takes what isn't terribly much on paper and gives
us an expected solid performance but still remarkably unexpected
considering the young age of this Malaysian actress. There
are only select times where Ching's loneliness is touched
upon but it does come off as believable in the hands of Lee.
Karena Lam, providing the requisite psycho character, has
been directed much towards that very behaviour, which in reality
is all too familiar (although The Shining reference
in the film unexpectedly belongs to Lee). That and the coldness
to Ling becomes quite engaging in the hands of Karena though.
It's an easy to direction to give since the character, in
her own words, is a bitch longing for love but Lam brings
the limited traits home. Don't look for any awards down the
line for this but the pairing proves largely excellent despite.
Liu Kai Chi (Fu Bo, Infernal Affairs II) and
Raymond Wong co-stars (the overactor of the piece but at least
they made him look a little different for this one).
What
Law Chi Leung does with Koma isn't remarkable and his
first outing without the reliable Derek Yee by his side proves
to be a little too much for him to handle. He has trouble
balancing the story at all times but in a minor way brings
the correct emotions to the viewer after 90 minutes. His technical
direction is rather terrific though, with an emphasize on
a suitable calm, style and doing that in combination with
telling a story decently...well...it deserves some form of
kudos don't you think?
The
DVD:
Panorama presents the film in a 1.78:1 framed anamorphically
enhanced transfer. A few of the long shots reveal lacking
detail and blacks are weak at times. Overall it's a fine presentation
nonetheless.
The Cantonese Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround track is effective
when needed. The sound design for this horror atmosphere comes
through nicely, as well as dialogue. A Cantonese Dolby Digital
5.1, Cantonese DTS 5.1 and Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks
are also included.
The English subtitles are virtually flawless in terms of
grammar and seems to its job well throughout. A single set
of Chinese subtitles are also included.
Extras include a 15 minute, 27 second making of. Only
Chinese subtitles are provided so not much can be enjoyed
(other than the behind the scenes footage) if you don't speak
or read Chinese. Remaining supplements consists of Cantonese
and Mandarin language MTV's of the Karena Lam song that accompanies
the end credits of the film. The trailer, also with Cantonese
and Mandarin options, is also included.
reviewed by Kenneth
Brorsson
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