No doubt that 'Eve and the Fire Horse' deserves high praise for imaginative settings, endearingly naive vignettes, and a thoughtful addition to the Chinese-in-Canada canon of literature and film.
A child's imagination in the hands of religious dogma. It's an interesting topic -- Bergman and others have done it well. 'Eve and the Fire Horse' is unique and compelling because of the visual dynamic that tries to be hospitable to both Eastern and Western icons.
Still, am I the only one who felt this film could have been so much more?
The superficial depictions of romantic Catholicism -- think Winona Ryder in 'Mermaids -- is effective in its childishness, but very stereotypical in delivery. The same old jokes about mournful nuns -- "Daughters of Perpetual Sorrow" -- have that catechism humour that's been done many times before. The scary/enlightening death by baptism sequence is symbolic enough -- resurrection through Christ -- but the whole notion of drowning the sisters gets brushed aside pretty quickly. The final sequence -- happy family, happy conversion -- feels a bit pat.
On that note, the adult characters are decidedly flat. Sick father. Dead grandmother (who represents 'The Old Country'). Convert hungry nun. Indeed, all figures who represent Religious Authority are entirely indifferent to Eve's spiritual development, her family problems, or her social difficulties. Is this an implicit critique of organised religion as interested only in formula and appearances? Maybe. Still, a little bit of heart in the adult characters would have given the film a bit more dimension.
I'm not saying in any way the film should be 're-written'. My opinion, quietly stated, is that where 'Eve' falls short is its adherence to keeping all its icons intact and in one basket. None are given, none are taken away. For a film with so much potential texture, I just felt that the fabric was a bit too thin. That doesn't make for a bad film -- and 'Eve' is a great film, but a missed opportunity to become something legendary. Perhaps that's not the director's obligation. Eve delights in its understatements, and that's a wonderful charm. But less dancing Buddhas and condescending nuns -- and more dialogue, more character growth -- would have given it more oomf.
A child's imagination in the hands of religious dogma. It's an interesting topic -- Bergman and others have done it well. 'Eve and the Fire Horse' is unique and compelling because of the visual dynamic that tries to be hospitable to both Eastern and Western icons.
Still, am I the only one who felt this film could have been so much more?
The superficial depictions of romantic Catholicism -- think Winona Ryder in 'Mermaids -- is effective in its childishness, but very stereotypical in delivery. The same old jokes about mournful nuns -- "Daughters of Perpetual Sorrow" -- have that catechism humour that's been done many times before. The scary/enlightening death by baptism sequence is symbolic enough -- resurrection through Christ -- but the whole notion of drowning the sisters gets brushed aside pretty quickly. The final sequence -- happy family, happy conversion -- feels a bit pat.
On that note, the adult characters are decidedly flat. Sick father. Dead grandmother (who represents 'The Old Country'). Convert hungry nun. Indeed, all figures who represent Religious Authority are entirely indifferent to Eve's spiritual development, her family problems, or her social difficulties. Is this an implicit critique of organised religion as interested only in formula and appearances? Maybe. Still, a little bit of heart in the adult characters would have given the film a bit more dimension.
I'm not saying in any way the film should be 're-written'. My opinion, quietly stated, is that where 'Eve' falls short is its adherence to keeping all its icons intact and in one basket. None are given, none are taken away. For a film with so much potential texture, I just felt that the fabric was a bit too thin. That doesn't make for a bad film -- and 'Eve' is a great film, but a missed opportunity to become something legendary. Perhaps that's not the director's obligation. Eve delights in its understatements, and that's a wonderful charm. But less dancing Buddhas and condescending nuns -- and more dialogue, more character growth -- would have given it more oomf.