Dark Matter (2007)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Shi-Zheng Chen

Writer:

Billy Shebar (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 2008 (Singapore)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on actual events, a Chinese university student responds violently when his chances for a Nobel Prize are dashed by school politics.

Plot Keywords:

Student | University | Theory | Chinese | Universe

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Ye Liu	...	Liu Xing
Meryl Streep	...	Joanna Silver
Aidan Quinn	...	Reiser
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sina Amedson	...	Selim
Erick Avari	...	R.K. Gazda
Blair Brown	...	Hildy
Rob Campbell	...	Small
Dan Christensen	...	Professor
Jeshua De Horta	...	Student
Joe Grifasi	...	Colby
Bill Irwin	...	Herb
Krystal King	...	Girl / one night stand
Boris McGiver	...	Reverend Hollings
John Rothman	...	Rene
Jodi Russell	...	Claire
Taylor Schilling	...	Jackie
Lloyd Suh	...	Laurence Feng
Tisha Vaculin	...	Waitress
He Yu	...	Wu

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of violence, brief sexual content and language.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-13 | Argentina:18 | Mexico:B15 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Orem, Utah, USA

Company:

Saltmill

Trivia:

The release date was delayed by film bosses because its plot eerily resembled the events of the Virginia Tech massacre, despite being filmed a year before.

Dark Matter Doesn't

Dark Matter (2006)

Dark Matter Doesn't

I'll be really positive: it's great to see a movie about Chinese students in an American college setting, with the pressures and cross-cultural humor. Much of the dialog is in Mandarin (I think) with subtitles. But this international slant is not enough to make the movie good. What happened to plot, continuity, vision, editing, and oh, don't forget, acting? Even Meryl Streep is just a small time ham in this setting, at ease more with herself than her role.

The plot is a drawn out version of a familiar story: the brilliant kid (played by a very sweet Ye Lui) at college facing obstacles to his/her greatness (as a science wiz). In this case, the obstacles win. Streep is an American who likes Chinese culture, so she shows up to show our main character around. And to do Tai-Chi now and then.

But none of this serious stuff matters. It's really a romantic comedy, alternating between saccharine touchy-feely land and goofy silliness, all of which we've seen before. Director Shi- Zheng Chen's first film might not be his last, so cross your fingers.

The only thing I can think of that motivated this movie is that it was aimed at a cross- over between Chinese and Chinese-American audiences. Who knows, with the rising tides in China's science community, it's growing love of movies, and it's continuing competition with the United States in all things, this kind of easy-to-digest tale might just be a hit there. Could have been, wasn't.

And the ending? Meant to be high drama, it's a total cheap sensationalist and downright ugly out all around. Unless you are really interested in Chinese- American issues, skip this one.