Out of the Inferno
Do you remember that scene in She's All That or My Fair Lady where the former awkward social reject comes out dressed in the latest, fitting fashion? Everyone is struck dumb because no one ever thought the ugly duckling might just be a swan under all that beastly fuzz. In that moment (with all of these stories going through your mind), you lose no time in catching the moral: never judge a book by its cover.
Minus the obvious moral, that's exactly what I felt watching Out of the Inferno this past weekend. No longer the nerdy social outcast, China's movies have gotten to the point where they could pass for any given blockbuster.
First of all, this is not the kind of Chinese movie that is typically released in the U.S. It's not a classic Chinese epic, a Kung fu masterpiece, nor does it star Jackie Chan. It doesn't compare at all to films like Red Sorghum, one I also watched recently, the likes of which feature exquisite cinematography and get nominated for international awards. Whether it's the clothes, the history, a Chinese martial art, a specific tradition, or an ancient legend, these films all portray distinctly Chinese elements. Inferno doesn't do that. Taking place in a mega city with themes circling around family, selflessness over greed, and glorifying public servicemen, this movie could easily take place in any big city with very few changes to the script.
In the movie two estranged brothers, both firemen (one formerly and one presently), get called on to save people from a burning building. This is not just any building, but a Guangzhou skyscraper in the middle of the city. The fireman's pregnant wife is in the building doing a checkup where she runs into her brother-in-law preparing a welcome presentation for his new line of firefighting equipment. A maintainence man on the first floor throws a cigarette but onto the floor in the air-conditioning room and the mix of sparks and moving air starts the fire. Soon the fireman brother and his team are called to the rescue. Luckily, the former fireman hasn't lost any of his skills and quickly saves many on the upper floors, including his new fiancée. Lastly, the two firefighter brothers reconcile and work together to save not only the pregnant wife, but quite a few other people as well.
Although this is a story that could take place in a number of cities, it does not mean that there aren't any discrepancies particular to China. Too many movies here "tell" rather than "show." It wastes precious time, is unrealistic, and has the tendency to want to wrap every emotion and event up in a nice-looking, complete package. China's more artsy movies don't usually have the same defect. Shower from Heaven, for example, ends with the young lead character begging her caretaker to shoot her after she realizes that her scheme to sleep with the men who promise to take her back to her parents is a total fraud. Her caretaker does eventually shoot her and then himself in an action that bespeaks his desire, not unlike his peers', for her body, as well as his guilt for actually going through with it. There is no unlikely happy ending or even a monologue to heroize either character. Blockbusters are a different breed, however, and especially in China where, according to my friend Caixia, people like to feel the point or moral at the end of a story, there seems to be little promise of change.
On the other hand, something must be going on behind the scenes. Most movies made for large audiences in China are now in 3D, keeping up with the same trends in other markets throughout the world. This means that special effects are especially well-done. In Out of the Inferno, one particularly frightening scene involving a construction crane and the rescue of a group of people leaves you feeling the impossibility of a rescue so high up. Another element of change is the environment. I've seen two new releases this year, both of which take place in one of China's megatropolises. As more and more movies are filmed in and portray urban stories, China inevitably looks "cooler" to the outside eye. Now all they need are fewer movies with disjointed storylines and implausible turn of events. That being said, Inferno, for the most part, stayed away from these weaknesses as well, focusing more on the strong human relationships being saved along with victims of the fire.
Lastly, Out of the Inferno featured a very strong and moving score. This score ultimately made the movie review-worthy since it did two things. First, it is noticeable. The audience only vaguely remembers the name of B-list movies, let alone their scores. Yet every award-winning or blockbuster movie also features a great, memorable score. Second, the music worked to underscore firemen's duties in the saving of lives. It also undeniably emphasized their need for a heroic public image. There was a point when, as skeptical of the movie as I was, I looked at that line of firemen in full uniform walking in slow motion toward an urban disaster with this magnificent music in the background and I got chills. "Bugger," I thought. "They got me. I'm convinced. Now I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the movie." One final point I'd like to make is that I ended up discussing this movie with a friend on a number of the same points I've talked about here. Ultimately, isn't that the mark of any "cool" movie.
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