Shanghai Triad

Shanghai Triad - 2003-08-04. Director: Zhang Yimou, 1996, color, 109 minutes. Zhang Yimou, who was constantly questioned and harassed by the Chinese government due to his previous films, aimed to set aside some of his political controversies by creating 'Shanghai Triad,' which tells the story of gangsters in the 1930s. As is often the case with genre films, the environment and underlying conditions of the genre provided a springboard for the creativity and quality of this artistic work by the director. 'Shanghai Triad' is one of the rare cinematic successes in terms of its atmospheric film and the brilliant performance of Gong Li. In this film, Gong Li appears as a cabaret singer and the pampered girlfriend of the gangster leader 'Bijou.' The film is narrated from the perspective of Bijou's servant, a rural boy named 'Shusheng,' who is captivated by Bijou's stunning beauty and the splendor of her life. Shusheng's innocent looks and Yimou's clever camera movements take the viewer into the dark corridors of Shanghai's underground world, a labyrinthine and mirror-like corridor of criminals, hiding its violence and cruelty in a brilliant mist and behind closed doors. Following a conflict between various gangster factions, the characters of the film go to a deserted island to hide from prying eyes. From this point on, the film's style changes and takes on a poetic quality, with the endless sky and vast sea merging on the horizon, showcasing the world in all its grandeur, reminiscent of Mizoguchi's films with its stunning moonlight and waving grasses in the wind. The enmity between Shusheng and Bijou fades in such a context, and the two turn to each other in the face of lurking dangers, with Bijou gradually letting go of her selfishness. However, this refuge is just as treacherous and dangerous as the world they have left behind, as Bijou becomes embroiled in a dark conspiracy that burns everything in its stinging flames. 'Shanghai Triad' is a meaningful allegory about lost power and innocence, while also witnessing the importance of resilience and the values of resistance.