Lust, Caution - Movie Review

With the first word in the title being "lust" I guess you can expect an element of sexuality in this film. I will start with that aspect since it may be the only detriment to some people thinking about seeing this film. The sex is brutal, primal and could even qualify as soft porn. However, couched within a script as vibrant and brilliant as Lust, Caution, I would not consider it porn. I will take the easy way out and describe it as art. But that doesn't make the near-rape scene any less disturbing to watch. If you can get past this warning, then you will probably enjoy Lust, Caution, an intimate tale of espionage in China during the Japanese occupation.

Lust, Caution is among the body of work that I have enjoyed from Director Ang Lee. For some reason, I either love his films or I hate them. I felt like he made a mess of The Hulk, but enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. His film The Ice Storm could have been better. In Lust, Caution, Lee's dynamic cinematic vision comes through brilliantly. Lee has an eye for visual stimulation that I enjoy watching captured on film. That vision is one of the cornerstones of this interesting tale.

Lust, Caution seems like it wants to be a love story, but the star-crossed lovers don't get a happy ending. Wong Chia Chi (Wei Tang) feels enamored by another young student named Kuang Yuman (Leehom Wang). Yuman is an idealist who begins his work in the Chinese Resistance as a playwright, presenting a Nationalistic play to raise money for the war effort against the progressing Japanese. When Yuman runs into an old friend who works for a collaborator, Mr. Yee (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Yuman sees an opportunity to strike at the enemy.

While hatching a childish plan to try and separate Mr. Yee from his entourage of security, Yuman places the plan above his personal feelings for Chi. The cold sterile environment in which decisions are made that affect Chi emotionally creates a chasm between the two that is never bridged. Their failed plot catches the attention of experienced intelligence officers who later exploit the young patriots at a high cost. With the Americans involved in the war, Mr. Yee's time is short...but not too short for him to find his own resolution.

Characters can make or break a film. In Lust, Caution we find an interesting set of characters with conflicting goals and layered personalities. The exquisite characters create a canvas upon which Lee is able to paint a vivid picture. There are numerous character dynamics which are marked by subtlety that fuels a script with great opportunities. The result is an intelligent film with rich characters, measured dialogue and very little wasted time in the 2 1/2 hour run-time. The careful writing avoids cliche, opting for realism over happy endings.

Although I am familiar with Lee's work, the cast of Lust, Caution were mostly new to me. The two main characters are played by Tang and Wai. They have a complex relationship that in some ways reminds me of Mephistopheles, with an element of a shifting servant/master relationship. The troubling dysfunctional interaction between the two required incredible skill, which both actors managed deftly. Tang also manages abnormal relationships with Wang and also Yee Tai Tai (Joan Chen) Mr. Yee's wife. The subtle sub-plots that quietly run as an undercurrent is a testament to the careful performances of the cast. Exceptionally well acted.

Lust Caution contains some explicit sex scenes and one brutal sex scene that borders on rape. The NC-17 rating handed down by the MPAA may have been generous. If not for the exceptional quality of this film, there were scenes that could easily have been classified as pornography. The sex was simply that explicit. The nudity included anything you wouldn't want someone to see in public (male and female). The sex scenes were also very intense. There were other moderate issues (smoking, drinking, language) with this film that pale in comparison to the sex. An edited version is available and is rated R for those who want to see an exceptional film without the tawdry sex. Having belabored the point...let me say that the sex is contextual...graphic but not gratuitous.

Lust, Caution was a surprisingly good film. The dialogue, characters, plot lines, cinematography, illusion of 1940s China all combined to create a film worth watching. The film is long, but did not feel 2 1/2 hours long. There were some brief pacing issues, but they were minor. The film moves fairly quickly for the run time. The excellent story is brought to life by a stellar cast that brought the story credibility. I would highly recommend this film. 8/10.

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