MovieChat Forums > Gwai wik (2006) Discussion > Did NOT earn the emotional montage

Did NOT earn the emotional montage

posted 16 years ago by acploof
3 replies | jump to latest

What this film fails at is creating a believable connection between its two main characters (Ting-Yin and Ting-Yu). A few scenes of two people running through fields together does not equal an emotional bond.

There's hardly any dialouge between the two characters that amounts to anything. Instead, we're just left with scenes of the two characters going through various trials. These trials only last for about 5 mins. each.

There's not nearluy enough time in the film to establish the writer's character or the daughter's character. All we have of the writer is that she feels guilt based on her abortion. All we have of the daughter is that she's sorry that her mother abandoned her.

I'll give the film credit for it's original idea and say that the plot had potential, but it utterly failed in narrative momentum and character development.

[–] empathy44 15 years ago

I disagree. I had more than a little inkling that this was going to be the big reveal. Although I didn't realize that the old man was her grandfather. It also implied that she and the little girl were going to reunite in a reincarnation sort of situation. Maybe touching on some of the reasons behind the idea of reincarnation.

Plus, by giving us the "ending" the real twist at the end was even better.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin

[–] acploof 15 years ago

It isn't so much the fact that this is what was revealed, but more that a connection between the audience and the characters was not well enough established to create a significant emotional impact. A few scenes of running around does not equal character development.

[–] Media_Cult 15 years ago

I thought exactly the same - that montage was hilariously out of proportion.