Between school and being sick I've not found time to write a review this past week. As I have this week off figured I tried writing two reviews, to catch up. The first one being for...
The Killer was released in 1989 and stars Yon Fat Chow and Danny Lee. It tells the story of Ah Jong (Chow, also called Jeffrey in certain dubs), an assassin, who accidentally blinds a nightclub singer named Jennie (Sally Yeh) and, out of guilt, takes on one last job to pay for the surgery to fix her eyes. Police Detective Li Ying (Lee) is tasked to hunter the killer down, but finds himself strangely drawn to him.
The movie is something of a classic in Hong Kong, where it was made. It is expertly directed by Woo and contains many memorable and
very well choreographed action scenes. The story, though somewhat simplistic, is very emotionally involving (even bordering on sappy at times) and the performances are all very solid. The score is kind of typical for an asian action film from this era but the film does memorably make use of the overture from Handel's
Messiah during the climax. In other words, it's a really good film. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. Though its not a religious movie (duh) it does have alot of religious imagery and subtext and that is (mainly) what I am going to analyze in this review.
The most common recurring religious image in the film is the church where the climactic shootout takes place. It is seen for the first time early in the film where Ah Jong waits for his friend Fung Sey (Chu Kong) to give him his next assignment. A priests asks him if he believes in God and he say's that he enjoys the tranquility. Woo, a christian, has said that the church symbolizes "understanding and redemption ... everyone, whether you’re good or bad, can find salvation in the church." This is interesting when applied to the scene after Jennie is blinded, where Ah Jong is having his wounds tended. Ah Jong, at this point, feels great remorse over the mistake he's just made. As his sits in the pew, painfully flinching as bullets are pulled out of his back, he seems to look up toward the altar with hopelessness in his eyes. We return to the church once more for the climax, where it is largely torn apart, it's peace and tranquility destroyed by the violence of men. Woo is also famous for showing doves flying around during his shootouts, a motif he uses for the first time in this film. He's says that the doves represents the hero's soul. So the film has many attractive elements for Christian viewers.
Of course there are also religious themes in this film that aren't christian, but rather influenced by the Confucian concept of yi (or righteousness). This concept says that certain actions are inherently right and we have a duty to follow them, regardless of the consequences. This can be seen in the film through the actions of both Ah Jong and his friend Fung Sey who stick strictly to their code, despite the often disastrous results. Both of them believe that it is ok to terminate their targets because they deserve it anyways. Of course this only adds to Ah Jong's consternation when an innocent (Jennie and later a young girl) is hurt in the crossfire. It's Fung Sey's actions, in trying to get the money owed to Ah Jong by Hay Wong Hoi, that ultimately spell doom for both of them. He is driven to do this because Ah Jong spared his life after he was hired to kill him by Hoi. Li Ying, on the other hand, admires Ah Jong's strict adherence to his code and envys his freedom. Li Ying himself is held responsible for the consequences of his actions by his superiors, while the Killer is relatively free to do what his code tells him is right. It should be noted that although following yi can lead to terrible consequences if your morality is warped, Confucianism stresses a proper forming of conscience so that following yi will align with the greater good. What is problematic about yi from a Christian perspective is that actions do have consequences, and these consequences matter. In other words, doing something that is right on its own, liking repaying a debt, can be wrong if it will lead to bad consequences. Despite being a christian, Woo himself has great respect for these principles and sees his film as a kind of "romantic poem" about tragic heroes. Indeed both of the main characters contain many heroic qualities, but because of the corrupt world in which they operate, they are both brought to ruin. Woo's respect for yi may be problematic from a christian perspective but the films portrayal of it's hero's is complex enough to alleviate most concerns. Ah Jong is portrayed as being very regretful of the life he's chosen but it's one that he ultimately can't escape. As he says when picking out a gun for one of his hit's, "Easy to pick up, difficult to put down." In other words the film doesn't necessarily invite us to approve of everything the characters do, only there conviction and loyalty to each other, which is what makes them tragic heroes.
There are two scenes in the film however, that could be still considered problematic. One is where Ah Jong shoots Fung Sey, who is dying from his wound so that he can 'die like a man'.This obviously flies in the face of the churches teaching on euthanasia, however I think we can sympathize with Ah Jong's actions in this case, particularly given his own flawed value system, even if we don't approve of them. The other seen is where Li Ying kills an unarmed Hay Wong Hoi to exact vengeance for what he's done. You might have your own opinion on capital punishment but the bible (or at least the new testament) is pretty clear on the immorality of seeking revenge. Romans 12:19 says, "Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord." What makes both acts especially problematic is the somewhat chest thumping way in which they portrayed, and though, as I said, killing Fung Sey has some empathetic elements, Li Ying's actions, quite simply, do not.
In the end, though The Killer is certainly not without questionable morals, its still a very interesting film and not one without merit, even for a devout Catholic.
Score: 9/10
References:
Journal of Religion & Film: Jon Woo's The Killer and Girard
Salon.com: Gentelman with a gun
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