Product Description From acclaimed director Diao Yinan, The Wild Goose Lake is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to his 2014 Berlinale winning neo-noir Black Coal, Thin Ice. Toppling box office records in Diao's native China, The Wild Goose Lake "cements his status as a master filmmaker with another ingenious crime epic" (Little White Lies).When small-time mob leader Zhou Zenong (Chinese superstar Hu Ge) accidentally kills a cop, a dead-or-alive bounty is placed on his head, forcing him on the lam from both the police as well as dangerous gangsters out for the reward. Hiding out in China's densely populated (and deeply divided) Wuhan province, Zhou becomes entangled with a beautiful, enigmatic woman, who has mysterious intentions of her own. Featuring gorgeous, neon-drenched cinematography and bursts of shocking, expertly choreographed action, The Wild Goose Lake is "spellbinding" (Rolling Stone), "brilliant" (Indiewire) and "downright Hitchcockian" (AV Club). Review Winner - Best Director - NETPAC Nominated - Palme d'Or - Cannes Film Festival Nominated - Best International Film - Jerusalem Film Festival Official Selection - Toronto Int'l. Film Festival Official Selection - New York Film Festival Official Selection - Melbourne Int'l. Film Festival Official Selection - Vancouver Int'l. Film Festival Official Selection - Munich Int'l. Film Festival ---An invigorating, poetic, and discretely brilliant Chinese noir... - David Ehrlich, IndieWire Diao Yinan delivers a definitive Chinese crime noir, in which the ravishing style and inventive staging form the substance. - Jessica Kiang, Variety Diao Yinan cements his status as a master filmmaker with another ingenious crime epic. The Wild Goose Lake is another assured, exhilarating tale of criminality and the havoc it wreaks on interpersonal connection, with everything impressive about its predecessor attentive procedural detail, curious experiments with colour and shadow, action set pieces that'd make Michael Mann envious raised to the Nth degree. There's not a single false step in its two hours; every edit, every shot setup, every movement of the camera maximises the raw cinematic effect. There's power in Diao's more subdued passages, but when he really lets loose and the fists (or bullets, or strategically concealed booby-traps) start flying, this film's greatness transforms from the kind that sneaks up on you to the kind that blows you away. - Charles Bramesco, Little White Lies [The Wild Goose Lake] doesn't recycle film noir conventions so much as contrive with a genuine sense of discovery...the movie exhilarates. --Glenn Kenny, The New York TimesLike a beautifully constructed puzzle box, The Wild Goose Lake various layers unfold in satisfying ways. With elegant violence, emotional richness and a complex yet coherent storyline, this is a rare bit of crime thriller treat that truly pays off. Above all, it's a highly entertaining film that doesn't for a moment eschew aesthetics, crafting a world of shadow and subterfuge that's terrific. The Wild Goose Lake is a hoot, a Chinese crime thriller that proves Diao Yinan is a new master of dark, thrilling noir. - Jason Gorber, Slash Film Diao Yinan's twisting and turning nocturnal noir is full of moody attitude and glorious cinematography. - Dave Calhoun, Time Out Diao Yinan's The Wild Goose Lake starts with a rainy night, a guy on the lam, a dame who sidles up to him and murmurs, 'Got a light?' In other words, this Chinese gangland thriller kicks off in classic noir style, and gets progressively noirer and more nocturnal as it goes on. The fourth feature from writer-director Diao, who made a major impression with 2014's investigative drama Black Coal, Thin Ice, this hyper-stylish manhunt drama laces slow-burn atmospherics with abrupt outbursts of staccato action, and boils down characterisation to the leanest of bare bones, making for minimalist existentialism in the style of Jean-Pierre Melville. - Jonathan Romney, Screen Daily It s a spellbinding pulp noir with a stylish edge and a sui generis fatalism. (12 Best Movies at the Toronto Film Festival). --David Fear, Rolling Stone
A**Y
Gritty, Ultra Cool, Neon-Lit Neo Noir
Extraordinary new generation Chinese writer/director Diao Yinan's award-winning modern film noir, The Wild Goose Lake (2020) is one of the best films of the year, and one of my favourite Chinese crime dramas. A tough, violent, and fatalistic story of a crossed gangster on the run, a mysterious woman, the nightly manhunts by police and rival gangs and the bloody aftermath. Exciting and captivating from the start, rich with lush atmosphere of nearly perpetual night, falling rain, glowing neon lights, umbrella carrying strangers, noodle shops, and motorbike filled streets, and benefits greatly from the exotic use of location in mainland China. Masterful stylized direction and cinematography, saturated with pink, blue, and purple color hues and headlights cutting into shadowy night, in a dark, gritty story with intense performances by the cast. The zoo sequence, highway tunnel scene, and hotel room fight are particularly memorable. A rare film that really is as cool as its trailer makes it look. This Film Movement Blu-ray is outstanding and contains a short film, interview, and production featurette. Highly recommended. Also recommended: Black Coal Thin Ice (2015), Bi Gan's Long Day's Journey into Night (2018), definitely Ash Is Purest White (2018) and the films of Zhangke Jia.
M**L
one of the best films I've seen in a very long time
Director Yi'nan Diao's "The Wild Goose Lake" is an absolutely stunning Chinese neo-noir that is as beautiful as it is viscerally exciting. The film is shot mostly at night in the decaying slums of Wuhan and cinematographer Jingsong Dong films the neon drenched rain-slicked streets with a painterly sensibility that turns the bleak cityscape into a hellish phantasmagoria. Ugliness has never looked so beautiful."The Wild Goose Lake" is a crime movie, fast-paced and violent, which evokes the films of Ridley Scott, David Lynch and Tarantino while being distinctively its very own beast.Yi'nan Diao has created one of the best films I've seen in a very long time and I encourage you to see it. There are moments in this movie that are simply jaw-dropping. Moments that are audacious in their unhinged gorgeousness.
J**T
Asian action with a good story.
I enjoyed this movie. Good story. Quality movie.
J**.
Great Movie!
This is the third time I watched this movie and still finding more interesting details. Excellent cinematography and sound/music, no wasted scenes and subtle and compelling performance.
A**R
Watchable
Excellent cinematography and atmospherics but skimpy effort on the fight scenes which are almost comical in some cases. Lum puts in a solid effort as the femme fatale with a heart. Desperation is the overriding theme in this Asian noir thriller but there is a salvation of sorts at the conclusion.
L**N
A highly entertaining film
A highly entertaining film，introduce to you a world of shadow and subterfuge，and the actor is really charming，loooooove it!
C**E
very good
just arrived. thank you
E**D
Great movie!
I watched this movie in 2019 NY Film Festival and online many times! you will not regret to have it in your collection, and it is a good gift for friends.
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