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Seoul Raiders - Right direction of deepening Lam's chara

 
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:12 am    Post subject: Seoul Raiders - Right direction of deepening Lam's chara

I finally watched Seoul raiders last night by DVD.

Quite frankly, I think it was/is a film that should be (or should have been) marketed and on advertisement as a drama with action, not as an 'action film .... I wonder if any advertisement has given any wrong expectation or impression to the prospective scope of audience for this film by labelling it as ‘a bit action film for new year holiday’?
Mmmm…I hope …not.

In addition, I hope there were less misleadings in refferring this Raiders Series to the James Bond series...
That is my worry from the time when I watched Tokyo Raiders firstly this year on DVD.
As matter of fact, the Raiders series including the Seoul Raiders is better to reffer, rather - if someone wants to, to the Avenger...I believe...
And this Seoul Raiders seemed to give their contribute to the old TV Series and the film Avenger.

Seoul Raiders is a very attractive dark (with a bit of action....) drama with quick satire dry wit and humour that only Tony can express by staggering words like a weapon that also grasped the core of the film, I think.

And anyone will find some amuse of the film in its caricature of some of "typical" roles in "action" films that gives audience healthy laughs.
Some part of the film are also good parody… you will see. Wink

At the same time some may be interested in the darkness that Tony did not, or say cannot, fail to express....
Some dark distorted nature which some people may have.

On the other hand…. Although I think I can vaguely understand how much action scenes are hard to play and shoot….or even important…maybe…this film could have been very much prospective as a thick human drama with a bit of action since Seoul Raiders is a drama with actions and, shall I say, it could have been focused on deepening down to the personality of the Tony's role and his humane dialogue with other roles that would have been much thicker core interesting drama to watch all through the length.

I therefore mainly review and analyse this film Seoul Raiders by focused on the impressive character of Lam expressed by Tony in this film or series and the prospective in focusing on that side of expression in this series.

What this film could have much focused on – the shadows in the personality of Lam
The impressive subdued personality of Lam, partly because of his job or partly because of his private history?, is the real core of this series I believe. From the very beginning of this series - Tokyo Raiders-, the role of Tony is very much interesting and impressive in terms of some sort of psychological distortion or twist. For example, the women around Lam are not just coincidence. Also, those women are not ...or should not be simple 'decoration' but rather reflection of Lam's personality. These women are a psychological wall for him to barrier Lam from some sort of real humane commitment or attachment since, as a secret agent for international police, it could, or say might, be very much risk to commit others with real humane passion and genuine humane attachment. Divert such “humane attachment” in Lam’s professional job as a secret police agent to some sort of warm humane caring by women workers around Lam. The women raiders are a safety pin in order to maintain Lam’s humane nature in caring others and supporting others while isolating Lam from serious passion and devotion, say private love, at the same time.


Brief comparison with 007

I love some of 007 series, but in fact the women were appeared as sort of “flavours” in order to indicate how far the 007 is "capable" not only in tactics, spying and humane attraction but in sexual ability.... some how. In that sense, from the context of gender issue, 007 series (I have seen are mostly played by Shone Connery and loved many) are, as reflecting the era, the films intended to sculpt out super hero in "any" fields....you know... and the actresses were shown in order to assess or prove the "ability" in that sense as well.... like or not. Well, also, I should say, as the action movie field has developed, action films have paid attention to the sequences in terms of the gender context - how films can let women characters show their ability in intelligence or marshal arts ability as well. In that sense, the equality of diverse ability in women as police agents or intelligence, has been, also, shown in some of 007 series. And I should say that Raiders series are not the parody of 007 series and even not close to the series. Or say it could be said that it is avenger and the very recent 007 series in between maybe… in trying to exhibit the equal quality and strength in women. The importance of the women around Lam is, however, staying in indicating a psychological wall of protection in reflecting some shadows in Lam’s character, rather. That could be a reasonable sign to deepen this series into much thick human drama with less action.

Much deepened character in Lam with quick wit and humour in light action by Tony that well-differentiates that Raiders series

Seoul Raiders is a drama with dark humour, satire reflecting some dark side of human in violence or ego that that could be converged into something different form of expression as well. In this film Seoul Raiders, Tony vividly indicated the sheer fact that it is true there are some people who cannot feel be content with himself/herself without indulging in the form of some sort of "violence” or “forceful position" in order to merely protect his/her ego and bring back his/her mental balance despite the fact that such violence or forceful position merely accelerate his/her thirsty of seeking some pain in feeling dark – mulconditioned self-destructive - nature of harming others. The core of this film is, I assume, that the dark feeling Tony expressed. Lam was about to soak into the sea of irrational excessive hate at the verge of humanity as if Lam was tired of being only moderate and good. I suspect that Lam had felt useless in solving/helping something/someone or situations - say, at the beginning of this film- if Lam was being only humane good and gentle, which may have had undermined his sense of direction of his life. Lam was, however, somehow, recovered from the verge. Lam completed his job and brought back his confidence then recovered his damaged ego and reputation in his carrier.

But psychological pressures and some shadows in Lam’s character seemed to have remained, which is enough cruel to torn Lam’s humane goodness apart and to bring him back to the indulgence into the pain in harming which is, in fact, a simple biological chemical response in human brain to the stimuli of seeking some sort of feeling of achievement – in fact doing harms by violence is not anything achievement but is merely a result of simple physical power from body movement - nothing more than that. However, unfortunately, some people are wrongly confused by malice-manipulation AS IF some violence to others or harming others are only tangible unattainable achievements which are only be able to be done by someone who can be real cruel only with non-humane sense, which utterly wrongly puts force on people to the verge of humane, which inevitably devastatively completely destroys his/her humane goodness in its original nature. That humane goodness is, nevertheless, only key to survive on this globe. That humane goodness only made people humane.
However, somehow, people are/were forced to be put on the helpless non-exit unnecessary competition in “achieving” such simple violence and non-humane sometimes when people feels something helpless in his/her situation in seeking self-destruction or seeking numbness in pain in harming others which means harming himself herself with ‘spotless mind’ in recognising/analysing what s/he does – as in this film Lam did. (well, besides this film and Tony, I should say though …Some people who are not able to understand – or say who are not even trying to find out what s/he is doing in harming others cannot be seen as same as Lam or someone like that. Such people are simply lacking in courage of facing with what harming others irrationally unreasonably only for fun meant to himself/herself and others at the end of the day) ...then What would happen to Lam - Tony's expression in Raiders series- in next Raiders????

The subdued and thick darkness in the Tony’s expression in Seoul Raiders about the risk of human nature was, that was why, essential core in this film as a warning to anyone who never thought of being indulge into any violence.

I pondered…last night, at my place in Tokyo, while watching the film Seoul Raiders...
If the film had had focused on the psychological process of the recover of the dark non-exit feeling of Lam …. It could have been …very different film…mmm…maybe no one would have invested into ????

If there is any another version without the last plane battle, the onsen scence....for dialogue between Tony and other actorsactresses in order to concentrate on deepening the Lam's character because Tony expressed that tone (and other actors/actresses too) although I think I can imagine how much and how far action scenes are hard and difficult for any stuffs, not only for actors/actresses. But I just felt that this film could have shown something more than the film shown....
Deepening the Lam’s character is, I strongly believe, a quite right direction of this film in maximising and enhancing the prospective attractiveness in this script and film by the excellence in the depth in expression as always by Tony that differentiates the series from any other ‘action’ film.

All in all, a lovely dark quick wit film
Besides the drama nature of the film, what i was impressed was that I simply love many scenes in this film since those Tony’s real quick wit and genuine parody of “action film” …… I will not tell which scene it was but I especially loved one parody sequence in the film very much. All in all, I think the Raiders series and this is lovely and dark.

SHU CHI (as she was in Gorgeous) and Ritchie added the tone of drama as well, as Hiroshi Abe (impressive caricature of yakuza as a human with humane weakness that was very memorable co-play with Tony)(and Toru Nakamura) did in Tokyo Raiders I guess.

I guess if someone who is found of tasting the later series of Detective Crusou, you may like this darkness as well.

If there is any chance, it would be good to watch Seoul Raiders in a theatre in Japan. wish.

Have a beautiful evening
7thclouds(mari t)
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Looney Tune



Joined: 31 Jul 2003
Posts: 803
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia / Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 5:37 pm    Post subject:

Wow! That's a in-depth review of the Film Very Happy

I think it was deliberate on the Director's part to not dwell so much into Lam, and make the film too serious. Not that it's not a good thing to do, but merely because it is meant to be a New Year film, and the audience preference is for lighthearted, funny movie. And that's exactly what Seoul Raiders is.
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:36 pm    Post subject: light action new year film with tony's quick well-dark wit

hi ya there!
thanks loonytune Very Happy

yes...for the opening date,
the light action with healthy decent humour and wit by tony Smile
with moderate deepened Lam's chara..
was probably exactly what the film meant..

And it could be said that it was right direction of deepening Lam chara compared with Tokyo Raiders since Tony's expression including the well-dark quick wit and dry but humane humour all in all enhanced and well-differentiated the film from any other sort of light action flims...
Therefore, for the next film in the series...it was/is right direction to go I believe.

well.... Smile i just want ta know the character of Lam through Tony maybe since Tony's expression in this film made me more indulge into deepening down into tony

ha

turio

goodday
love
7thclouds(mari t)
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Yuki



Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 18
Location: MA, USA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:54 am    Post subject:

Seoul Raiders definitely is a winner Exclamation I just think it had more humor than Tokyo Raiders and it was more entertaining. The dry wit humor were the most entertaining part to me.

But I thought it might have been better if we can get a close look into Lam's background
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:15 pm    Post subject: the taste

hi ya there
hi yuki...

Firstly, for reminder, I would like to quote some from my very first post of this thread...as follows....
Quote:
Seoul Raiders is a very attractive dark (with a bit of action....) drama with quick satire dry wit and humour that only Tony can express by staggering words like a weapon that also grasped the core of the film, I think.

Quote:
Deepening the Lam’s character is, I strongly believe, a quite right direction of this film in maximising and enhancing the prospective attractiveness in this script and film by the excellence in the depth in expression as always by Tony that differentiates the series from any other ‘action’ film.

Quote:
All in all, a lovely dark quick wit film....


then, i assume that yuki agrees with my review
on each my expression and impression about this film...

i assume that yuki likes this film seoul raiders that is good.
i also like this film too. Smile

I do not categolise any film .... I just do like the film or not.
And even I like the film, I do analyse the film in hoping the good taste or right direction in the film should be remarked or should not be scattered away later on.
That is one of my strong reason/motif why I wrote/write my review(s).

And thing is...that what I wanted to address here most was that the humane introspectiveness delicately expressed, as always, by Tony is
the very taste of this film. as I wrote already in my first post of this my thread as you read.

love
goodnight night
7thclouds(mari t)
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penguinbrat



Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 34
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 7:18 am    Post subject:

I have a question for 7thclouds.

Are you a writer by professional or a film major? Your writing have great flair and style. I enjoyed reading your comments and opinions. Some of the US film critics should take a lesson or two from you. Applause
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 9:43 am    Post subject: turio

Smile Hi ya there
Thanks. Smile It is good to know someone likes my style of writing. Smile
Well, I just love thinking, analysing and writing everything…while expressing myself…all my life.
Thinking, then, more thinking anaylsing deeply…and writing...
cannot stop doing so...
It is specially so for films especially for tony’s films..
Tony grasps my thoughts and mind …
in feeling/touching, shall I say?, the decent shivering in Tony…
the sincere awe in crossing into others' lives....

I have written many to web (to IMDB and/or F1site,grandprix.com etc)
or else although there is no published work yet. I have not worked for any publisher yet. I am planning to publish my writings by myself at some point near future maybe with my photo work as well....Then I declared that im a writer as well...I am at the moment still a post graduate student for criminology at Sussex uni in UK but I finished my course work already. I finished writing my dissertation and then came back to Tokyo this late January 2005 just before I became to know this site although i have been thrilled by Tony since 1994....! Smile I have worked as a translator as well for such as non-fiction about a injured Australian athlete and her recovery after traffic accident, clinical psychology(my BA..), legal cases relating to human rights…but any has not been published...(well, the non-fiction about an athlete was published by a Japanese Journalist/actress, mitsuko ishii, in Tokyo after my translation was supervised by ms ishii. I was creditted for the first translation script before MS Ishii supervised)

This is happiness of thinking/writing ...
in feeling of... thinking of tony...

Goodday dearest Tony love
Goodday and goodnight all...

7thclouds(mari tomita)
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penguinbrat



Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 34
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 1:17 pm    Post subject:

I look forward to the day that your writings will be publish and the circulation will involve US market. When that day comes, please do tell us.

You have an analytical and creative mind. Bless you on your gift.
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 9:16 pm    Post subject: :)

turio Smile such tender appreciation...encouragement Smile dont know how far i can go and if my writings can be published in that scale but never know!
oh, yes, i will let this site members and all know that on that day...!

i have been doing everything all by myself then not only for thinkin/writing but also for publishing, i will think of and find the way how to publish and how to find the way of circulation etc...all by myself...I need to manage everything about what i want to do by myself but that is happiness. i can control everything... if anything does not go well or fit into my pictures in my mind, it depends on myself...anyway. Smile

Today, spring late afternoon, at the middle of the holiday week in tokyo...here, a quiet fine day, sunshine...thinking of tony...my dearest love...

turio
goodday (goodnight) tony and all
7thclouds(mari t)
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Tony Grrl



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 10:37 am    Post subject:

You have made me want to see the film ASAP....thanks 7th clouds for a great review. Cool
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7thclouds



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 130
Location: Waseda-cho Shinjuku Tokyo Japan

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 7:39 pm    Post subject: enjoy

Very Happy Thanks! I hope I could spot another light to the film .... hope you will enjoy SR, the Tony's deep expressions in an action (kinda) film... Tony never failed to reveal or extract certain human natures through his excellence in acting...and himself..that amazed me hugely, always. Very Happy Goodday deareest tony love and all
7thclouds(mari t)
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