★ 8 / 10
A dark and dreamy ode to doomed love
A dark and dreamy ode to doomed love, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose exists somewhere at the intersection of Wong Kar-wai's longing and John Woo's wrathful…
A dark and dreamy ode to doomed love, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose exists somewhere at the intersection of Wong Kar-wai's longing and John Woo's wrathful vengeance, making for a truly intoxicating cinematic experience. Heavy on mood and emotional inevitability, director Patrick Tam explores the changing identity of a Hong Kong with one eye on an idealised past and the other on an uncertain political future, creating a world where love is absolute, sacrifice is unavoidable, and happiness is always just out of reach. It helps that Tam stuffs the film with a tremendous amount of lush visual fidelity; rain-soaked streets, soft-focus lighting and a gorgeous use of colour create a dreamlike atmosphere that borders on the surreal. These images don't just decorate the story; they are the story, expressing longing and regret in ways dialogue never could. Violence erupts suddenly, often brutally, but it is never glamorised; it feels sad and wasteful, despite the occasional brandishing of two guns and some snippets of choppy slow motion, the gunplay is never cathartic; instead, it feels weighty, more akin to genre pulp than heroic bloodshed. Performance-wise, Tony Leung is exceptional as the lovelorn nice guy who decides to help our heroes at his own risk, a true film stealer. His righteous, emotionally winning performance is immediately sympathetic, and a good counterpoint to Kenny Bee's rather robotic lead. Joey Wong is wonderful in her role as always, while Michael Chan and Gordon Liu are suitably menacing. With deliriously pulpy plotting, a glorious synth-heavy score featuring an incredible theme from the immortal Anita Mui, luxuriously expressionistic imagery, and a climactic bloodbath for the ages, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose fully commits to its tragic tone. Embracing the excess without a hint of irony, it offers a sincere response to a heightened sense of romantic melancholy. A portrait of love in a world that makes such love impossible, and that feeling is unforgettable.
Read full review
Classic tragic hero film
sumdenguy
This film is one of the best gangster flicks ever to come out of Hong Kong. Incredibly photographed, it is the classic tragic hero film. Unfortunately, the…
This film is one of the best gangster flicks ever to come out of Hong Kong. Incredibly photographed, it is the classic tragic hero film. Unfortunately, the original print is forever destroyed, therefore, this movie will ONLY be available on VHS. The ending is one of the bloodiest, most brutal gunfights ever captured on film...easily puts John Woo choreography to shame. Parts of it don't hold up to todays standards but believe me when I tell you to seek out and watch this movie at all costs.
Read full review
★ 9 / 10
Excellent
dworldeater
My Heart Is An Eternal Rose is very well crafted heroic bloodshed movie. This is not so much about honor and brotherhood, but a love triangle story. Both of…
My Heart Is An Eternal Rose is very well crafted heroic bloodshed movie. This is not so much about honor and brotherhood, but a love triangle story. Both of these themes have been done to death in this genre But I digress, everything here was put together quite nicely with acting, characters and of course action. Joey Wang is gorgeous as always and gives a solid performance. Kenny Bee was convincing as a deadly hitman. The early performance from Tony Leung(the one from Hard Boiled, Hero,etc is a must see and a standout, breakthrough performance. Even though this is a heroic bloodshed movie there is very little glamorized about the triad lifestyle. The dramatic scenes are handled as well as the action scenes. The tone is dark and this is one of the most well made action films with a love story since John Woo's The Killer. Both films came out around the same time and I am not going to tell you that this hit me with the same kind of impact as The Killer, this is a very good, well made movie that I would highly recommend.
Read full review
7.0/10
1.1K
