Jul 8, 2010
SFFILM
Vengeance (Hong Kong/France 2009, SFIFF 2010), Johnnie To’s genre-busting gem populated by a hit man turned chef, family men moonlighting as assassins and earnestly official women detectives, opens Friday, August 13 on SFFS Screen at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas.
Vengeance is a rich, fragrant reduction of To’s favorite themes (male bonding and codes of loyalty, the triad underworld, vengeance), trademarks (slow-motion clouds of blood, unforgettable set pieces, impossibly sleek cinematography, brooding men, black humor) and actors (Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Lam Suet). One splendid difference: Vengeance stars French actor and singer Johnny Hallyday (adding a nice tip of the chapeau to the French noirs of the ’60s, when Hallyday had his rock and roll heyday). Hallyday plays François Costello, a Parisian restaurant owner who is in Macau at the request of his daughter-to avenge a savage attack on her family. Costello crosses paths with a crack team of triad hit men, whom he then hires to carry out his own revenge plan-a plan growing increasingly hazy due to his deteriorating memory. The craggy, lived-in face of Hallyday is as riveting as To’s mad scenes of mayhem, which include a fierce nighttime shootout as clouds pass over the full moon and-shootouts being To’s stock in trade-an epic battle in a junkyard that has to be seen to be believed. Vengeance, indeed, is a dish best served by Johnnie To. -Tod Booth, SFIFF
Written by Wai Ka Fai. Photographed by Cheng Siu Keung. With Johnny Hallyday, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Sylvie Testud. In English, Cantonese, Mandarin and French, with English subtitles. 108 min. Distributed by IFC.
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At the Sundance Kabuki all seats are reserved and an amenities fee is in effect for most shows. Tickets are available through the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas box office, at kiosks in the lobby and online at sundancecinemas.com/kabuki with print-at-home capability. San Francisco Film Society members receive discounted admission only to SFFS Screen programs and only at the box office, not online or at the lobby kiosks.
Also coming to SFFS Screen
July 30: Alamar Pedro González-Rubio’s lovingly made story of the growing bond between a father and son who are spending a summer together on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, demonstrates exquisite poetry and sophisticated craft.
August 6: Making Plans for Lena In Christophe Honoré’s latest work a family weekend in the Breton countryside spirals out of control for recent divorcée Lena (Chiara Mastroianni) when her mother invites her ex over without her knowledge in this New Wave-inspired look at a woman on the verge.
August 20: Army of Crime Robert Guédiguian’s lush historical drama focuses on a largely overlooked cell of French Resistance fighters-refugees of the antifascist fight throughout Europe, mostly Jews and communists-led by French Armenian poet Missak Manouchian (Simon Abkarian) and his wife Mélinée (Virginie Ledoyen).
For full, complete and up-to-date information on all SFFS Screen programming, including buying tickets, visit sffs.org. Information and tickets are also available at sundancecinemas.com.