Prison on Fire

Descent prison movie. Not what I expected though. Expected more blood because I got mental issues. <middle finger>

Audiences used to Western style cinema might poo-poo at the melodramatic sentiments of this film. It is melodramatic and at times unrealistic (I mean how many times can a guy get beaten but not die? ) but it is also without a doubt different. This is not an American prison film by any means which is reason enough to watch it. Also despite the gritty violence that Ringo Lam is known for, this is not a Midnight Express type film. Sure, there is the bad guard but there are also good guards.Chow plays a kind hearted prisoner who knows the system. He takes the naive Tony Leung Ka Fai and helps him get through his prison term. Despite the closeness of the men's friendship in prison, there is no subtext (just as there isn't meant to be one in John Woo's HK films)Chow is at his best here and shows why he is such a respected actor in the East. His expressions and mannerisms are excellent and help make Prison on Fire such a good film. Some of the expressions Chow used in this film and his other HK classics are used sporadically and unevenly in The Corruptor (Chow's 2nd American film.)Prison on Fire and City on Fire (School on Fire is the last in the trilogy) are known as Ringo Lam's masterpieces and it's easy to tell why. Prison is a fast paced film with loads of heart. The fighting among prisoners and among guards is quite something to watch. It's a prison film with chinese ideals of chivlary, honor and friendship among men. One could even make a case for it being a film with John Wooism themes with out the ballet.

When I first read about this movie, I was expecting a fire in a prison and Chow and his buddy trying to get out. What I got instead was a beautiful drama about friendship in the midst of prison. It was almost a combination of "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Last Castle." The acting was wonderful. And for a prison drama, it was very tender. The characters were great and you could feel yourself bonding with them. If you don't mind a good foreign film you have to read, Prison on Fire is a good movie for you.

Una de las primeras colaboraciones de Chow Yun Fat y Ringo Lan.Película de prisiones con una muy buena fotografía y dirección. Una de las mejores actuaciones que he visto nunca de Chow.Película imprescindible para cualquier fan de cine asiático Dramático.

チョウ・ユンファ特有の胡散臭い雰囲気(失礼、ほめ言葉です)が役柄にマッチしているのがこれかな、と思う。ストーリーは単純といえば単純ですが、恐怖心とか破れかぶれでついにぶちギレる瞬間とか、閉ざされた環境で理性が崩壊してゆくこの心理面がとてもリアルです。全体的に哀しいのですが(そもそも初っぱなから哀しい)チョウ・ユンファ特有のあの雰囲気のおかげで明るさとか温かさがあります。しかし狂気に支配された閉鎖空間では、物理的(肉体的)危機は正気の人間に遅かれ早かれやってくる。暴力との対決は避けて通れず、見守るしか、祈るしかできないこの鑑賞側の心境はやはりリアルだ。