Formosa Betrayed (2009)

In the early 1980s, an FBI Agent is assigned to investigate the murder of a respected professor. Through his investigation, he unearths a spider web of international secrets that has been ... See full summary »

Director:

Adam Kane

Writers:

Will Tiao (story), Katie Swain (story),

Stars:

James Van Der Beek, Will Tiao, Wendy Crewson

3 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
James Van Der Beek	...	Jake Kelly
Will Tiao	...	Ming
Wendy Crewson	...	Susan Kane
John Heard	...	Tom Braxton
Tzi Ma	...	Kuo
Thienchai Jayasvasti Jr.	...	Captain Chen (as Tom Jay)
Chelcie Ross	...	Daltry
Leslie Hope	...	Lisa Gilbert
Kenneth Tsang	...	General Tse
Adam Wang	...	Lee
Mintita Wattanakul	...	Maysing
Joseph Anthony Foronda	...	Professor Henry Wen
Tonray Ho	...	Mrs. Wen
Nirut Sirichanya	...	Professor Huang
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Albertson	...	FBI Staffer

Storyline

In the early 1980s, an FBI Agent is assigned to investigate the murder of a respected professor. Through his investigation, he unearths a spider web of international secrets that has been thriving within college campuses across America for decades. His investigation takes him across the Pacific to the island nation of Taiwan, where with the help of the outspoken widow and an unlikely spy, he learns that the Professor's killing was not a random act, but a desperate move by a scandalous government intent on keeping its nefarious activities under wraps. Our detective soon finds himself on a collision course against the U.S. State Department, the Chinese Mafia, and the Nationalist Chinese Government - in a land where the truth is not what it seems and the only people he can trust, cannot be trusted at all. Inspired by actual events.

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Taglines:

a search for Truth - a quest for Justice - a fight for Freedom

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Genres:

Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Uppdrag makt

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$8,908 (USA) (5 March 2010)

Gross:

$124,554 (USA) (5 March 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Formosa Films, Living Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The production team originally intended to film the movie in Taiwan, where the story is set, but ultimately settled on Thailand thanks to their already existing film friendly infrastructure. The producers also had concerns about recreating politically charged moments in Taiwan's history in public areas.

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Quotes

Ming: You should drink your tea, it's a healing tea.

User Reviews

A murder-mystery that offers an intriguing insight into the complexities and brutalities of Cold War relations between the US and Taiwan.

I didn't know what to expect with this film. Murder-mysteries are not generally my thing, but this one pulled it off with a truly insightful look into Taiwan in the early 1980s. Objective viewers of this movie will appreciate its fresh perspective on a sometimes tired Cold War theme.

Rather than presenting a documentary explaining the compromising complexities of relations between the US and its less-than-democratic allies in Taiwan in their fight against the "Reds", Formosa Betrayed hooks the viewer with dramatic events that keep us waiting to peel away the layers of characters we see to figure out what's going on. In the process, we learn of their individual hardships, heartaches, and disillusionment; as well as their hope, courage, and betrayal. While the limited depth of some characters may leave viewers wanting more, the basic story keeps us captivated.

Formosa Betrayed does a good job of piecing together scenes in a modified chronology of events to provide an enticing but very smooth flow. Attention to details like uniforms, posters, architecture, and nature provides scenery that keeps us transported in the appropriate space in time. Combined with these elements is an excellent soundtrack that completes a well-done film.

While the story's plot - like its characters or the actors that played them - could have been sharpened to provide more astute answers to the many questions that are raised, it makes me think there is room to explore similar themes in the future.