Fallen Angels

I loved Chungking Express, so I did enjoy this movie. However, Fallen Angels suffers from what many sequels suffer from--too big a reliance on things that worked in the first film.

Chungking Express showcased Wong's trademark stylized camerawork. But Fallen Angels went over the top. I felt like I was watching a prolonged music video. The oblique camera angles, quick pans and other assorted camera tricks detracted from the stories. At times, the story didn't progress at all. Chungking Express had two distinct plots where you really cared about the characters and where they were headed.

It also seemed like Wong tried to reproduce the quirkiness of his previous characters in Chungking Express, but this time with tedious, over-the-top excess. Watching Takeshi overact got really tiresome, whereas in Chungking Express it was funny and charming.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the movie. Perhaps it was too much of a good thing (after Chungking Express)? Wong Kar-wei is still the master, though.