Rating: 
Summary: Evocative and Enjoyable
Review: "Shanghai Triad" still is somewhat of an ambiguous film to me - I found it to be a very good entertainment piece, and visually stunning - yet there were some elements of plot, construction, et cetera (?) that left me with a sense of dissatisfaction.Certainly not the best of Gong Li's work, yet a wonderful addition to her extraordinary repertoire. Gong Li is truly in a class by herself, and this movie as I said before rounds out her resume of characters which she has embodied. Her performance is the main attration to this film, and I think that the remorse which she expresses in the final sequences are heartbreakingly beautiful. Her defiant humor and cavalier attitude at the same point in time makes one admire her ability all the more. Lush and exciting, yet ultimately unfulfilling. I still highly recommend this film to anyone who wishes to see Li in a departure from many of her other films - and I would have to say I enjoyed it very much. I think Yimou made the mistake of relying on decoration in this film far too much, thereby undermining the expressive force of his actors. A sense that much was contrived, and clumsiness abounds - certainly not up to par with his earlier, more subtle works. A movie worth every cent just for the entertainment value - with the added attraction of one of the most talented actresses the world shall probably ever know - intersting and enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Evocative and Enjoyable
Review: "Shanghai Triad" still is somewhat of an ambiguous film to me - I found it to be a very good entertainment piece, and visually stunning - yet there were some elements of plot, construction, et cetera (?) that left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. Certainly not the best of Gong Li's work, yet a wonderful addition to her extraordinary repertoire. Gong Li is truly in a class by herself, and this movie as I said before rounds out her resume of characters which she has embodied. Her performance is the main attration to this film, and I think that the remorse which she expresses in the final sequences are heartbreakingly beautiful. Her defiant humor and cavalier attitude at the same point in time makes one admire her ability all the more. Lush and exciting, yet ultimately unfulfilling. I still highly recommend this film to anyone who wishes to see Li in a departure from many of her other films - and I would have to say I enjoyed it very much. I think Yimou made the mistake of relying on decoration in this film far too much, thereby undermining the expressive force of his actors. A sense that much was contrived, and clumsiness abounds - certainly not up to par with his earlier, more subtle works. A movie worth every cent just for the entertainment value - with the added attraction of one of the most talented actresses the world shall probably ever know - intersting and enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Gong Li -- The Bette Davis of Chinese film
Review: A typical US ganster plot, with a twist and growth of character. Gong Li is not only beautiful but one of the most talented actresses of our times. Viewers must compare her role in this film to "To Live" and "The Chinese Box" to realize the full range of her talent. Like the legends of Hollywood, this woman doesn't need to show any skin, because she just simply "oozes sexy".
Rating: 
Summary: Gong Li is terrific!
Review: A young boy is sent to Shanghai from the country to work for his uncle, who is a powerful crime boss. He is made assistant to his uncle's concubine, Bijou, who is also the featured performer in his nightclub. (The depiction of Shanghai nightlife is one of the charms of this film. We are treated to two wonderful cabaret numbers.) The boy becomes a silent witness to a life of waste, deception and betrayal. I have never seen a more heart-breaking finale than the one in this film. It is a harsh dramatization of how average, hard-working people are so often trampled and destroyed by those with too much power and too few scruples.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting, and beautiful. A great film!
Review: After hearing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's Zhang Ziyi compared in acting ability to Gong Li, I decided to find a film of hers. Not only was Shanghai Triad my find, but Zhang Yimou, the director, also direct Zhang Ziyi 2 years ago in a more simple film. Shanghai Triad concerns young Shuishung Tang, who has come to Shanghai on the order of his Uncle. Tang's Uncle is in the employ of a mob boss, who is getting on in years, but is very powerful. After sometime, Young Tang meets Bijou, The boss's mistress. This of course, is Gong Li. Bijou appears very beautiful when we first see her, but after seeing her backstage, we quickly wonder if she has any redeeming qualities. The city life seems to have spoiled her, and she treats young Tang like garbage. It is after a supposed run-in with trouble that the Boss is injured (along with Tang's Uncle), and the Boss, Bijou, Tang, and several of his associates go to a small island to hide. While, there, Bijou and Tang encounter a widow and her daughter. As she begins to talk and play with the widow and her daughter, Bijou's haughty attitude seems to disappear, and we see the woman she could have become had she not gone to shanghai. The widow and her daughter are almost sentiments to what life could have been like for Bijou: carefree, and almost no troubles like she is in now. The film runs 2 hours long, and you will not believe it when an hour has gone by, becuase of the film's pacing. Gong Li does several wonderful turns, especially in a musical selection called "Moonlight," dressed in Chinese outfit with a delicate pink fan. There is also a cute but touching scene where she and the young widow's daughter do a small duet to a children's song that both know. The ending will leave you either in tears, or feeling empty. For me, it was the former.
Rating:
Summary: Gong Li Shows Her Range - This Film Has It All
Review: Cast as the conniving concubine of a ruthless, pre-war Shanghai Triad boss, Gong Li fully satisfies as she shows her range of ability. This work can, and should, be taken together with her "Temptress Moon" as a theme fully explored. If you like the genre of Chinese organized crime, the allure of femme fatales, and enjoy mature film-making, "Shanghai Triad" has it all. Above everything else, it is a showcase for Gong Li's undeniable stature as an actress of international appeal.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling
Review: Critics have tended to give this film the thumbs down finding it a bit to commercial. The director Zhang Yimou is better known for dramatic social realist type films, such as raise the Red Lantern. However Shaghai tried gets you in from the moment it starts. The opening scene shows Gong Li the star belting out a number in a way that exudes sex and style. The film is seen through the eyes of a young boy who is sent by his family to work with a criminal gang. His first job is to serve the Gong Li character. An attempt is made on the life of the mob boss and the characters have to move to a small island to set a trap for those who pursue them. A trap which works all too well. The film is an extremely effective gangster film. Probably it is effective because such films set in a western context have explored every known configuration of cliches so that it is necessary to move to another culture to make the genre work. However work it does, the film is chilling and the final resolution is unexpected. Part of the attraction of the film apart from the ability of the director to create atmosphere is the performance of Gong Li who is as ever astounding.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding film
Review: Do not believe Tom Keough's somewhat negative review given with this DVD. He watched on VHS: maybe that was the problem. In my opinion this is Zhang Yimou' best work -- certainly the most memorable and most exciting. Gong Li is brilliant. Compares well with Godfather I as among the best in the gangster genre. The old triad leader is the scariest on film.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Cinematography and Worth Viewing More Than Once
Review: Having become a recent fan of Asian cinema (one of my favorites being 3 SEASONS), I found this movie, from its outset, to draw me into the world of Shanghi, China during the 1930s. Created with precision and stunning decor both interior and exterior, the director has crafted the story of a boy who comes to the city to work as a servant for a mafia boss's "Miss." The story progresses over a week's time and is evenly paced. It's strength is found in each scene, which maintained my interest with the careful brilliance and awe of each shot, and the obvious abilities of the film's actors/actress. Highly recommended, especially to the film buff who is looking for a story/visual film that goes beneath the surface. This movie should be in any collection of great films.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Cinematography and Worth Viewing More Than Once
Review: Having become a recent fan of Asian cinema (one of my favorites being 3 SEASONS), I found this movie, from its outset, to draw me into the world of Shanghi, China during the 1930s. Created with precision and stunning decor both interior and exterior, the director has crafted the story of a boy who comes to the city to work as a servant for a mafia boss's "Miss." The story progresses over a week's time and is evenly paced. It's strength is found in each scene, which maintained my interest with the careful brilliance and awe of each shot, and the obvious abilities of the film's actors/actress. Highly recommended, especially to the film buff who is looking for a story/visual film that goes beneath the surface. This movie should be in any collection of great films.
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