I don't understand the general dislike for this film. Yeah, I heard all the reviews and admittedly, the reviews turned me away from the initial release. It didn't help it was only in my town for a week. Either way.... I low key love this film.
I love the color palate. I love the pace. I love how it creates a world completely alien to the one I live in. While the story is very basic, it is visceral. You understand how Kristin Scott Thomas commands so much fear. You understand how Julian does not want to be like her. You understand how Chang prefers to work outside the confines of law and order with his own brand of justified punishment. The motives are clear, and while the older brother Billy is way too cartoony evil, we had to quickly establish the central conflict.
The thing about such a film is this...where does art end and pretentiousness begin? I think a lot of people interpreted this more for the latter than the former, wanting a dull Tarantino style revenge epic with tons of swearing and pretentious pop culture dialogue. What they got was a neon bathed slow burn, and it worked so much better. In the end, we see why it would happen that way. Chang is brutal and even caustic, but he is fair in the dog eat dog world of the drug dealing underclass. And boy, did that ending seem satisfying.
Those who have not seen a lot of film from multiple eras and styles of film making might not get this type of feature, but that is okay. For those who know high concept, low plot type film making, this one is for you.
