“Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God; the existing authorities are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority resists God’s decree. But those who resist will incur condemnation upon themselves" (Rom.13:1-2).
In a month, Nicolas Winding Refn’s new film, Only God Forgives, will be released in Russia. Having swept victoriously and grabbed one of the main awards at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, Refn returns in 2013 with his new work. His new film is about a man rebelling against God.
Many people were waiting for Nicholas’s Nongamstopcasinosites.co.uk new film. Part of the reason for this was “Drive”, which can’t get out of your head with its soundtrack and long silent shots, interspersed with pulsating violence happening on the screen. Partially to blame is Hotline miami, the ideological heir of Drive. The embodiment of that same thing – ultra-violence, squeezed into the program code of a small game.
The premise of the film is laconic to the point of disgrace – Julian (Ryan Gosling) is an American fugitive from justice in Bangkok, where he owns a Thai boxing club and is also involved in drug smuggling. Things are going well until Julian’s brother Billy (Tom Burke) decides to pick up a prostitute. After wandering around the area, he comes across a sweet 16-year-old girl, whom he brutally kills. However, Billy is not destined to stand trial; he is immediately lynched by the girl’s father under the supervision of Officer Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm). At the same time, the brothers’ mother arrives in town. She wants to take the body of her eldest son and take revenge on the killers.
The whole film revolves around these three. Julian’s mother, obsessed with revenge, forces her son against Officer Chang. She contrasts her son with God. And Officer Chang is God, in his physical incarnation. At night he delivers his justice harshly and without hesitation. He spends his evenings at karaoke with his colleagues, and his mornings with his only daughter, in whom an allusion to his, Chang’s, hypostasis can easily be traced. And Julian, torn apart by an Oedipus complex, gets stuck in the red neon of the city. He confesses his powerlessness both in front of Chang and in front of the beautiful Thai woman, whom he cannot touch.
The movie is very reminiscent of Refn’s previous project, Drive. The same viscous atmosphere, alternating with extremely violent scenes. Long plans. Great Music – Cliff Martinez. Even the lead actor is the same. Only the role is different. In Drive the Driver took revenge, here it is Officer Chang.
The film may cause confusion, so I will end with the words of Refn – Art is an act of violence. I treat it like pornography: what excites me is good. Cruel emotions and images of violence are a kind of fetish for me. And I can’t censor these needs of mine.
PS: I haven’t written anything else on VKontakte for several years. I will be glad to constructive criticism. I won’t be happy if it’s not constructive.