Fallen Angels (1995)

Director: Wong Kar-Wai
Stars: Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Runtime: 99 minutes

Synopsis: This Hong Kong-set crime drama follows the lives of a hitman, hoping to get out of the business, and his elusive female partner.

Verdict: The similarities between “Fallen Angels” and “Chungking Express” are so evident that you could easily consider it to be a sequel to the 1994 hit that propelled Wong Kar-Wai into stardom. Not only are there numerous references to it, but the two are also structured and shot similarly, to the point where I wasn’t in the least surprised to learn afterward that the initial plan was to merge the two together.

Once again, the film follows two largely disconnected love stories taking place simultaneously in Hong Kong. Through visual tricks that only he can pull off so wonderfully and that includes the likes of close-ups, low frame rate sequences, or sped up scenes, Wong Kar-Wai successfully exports the grounded narrative into a unique but appropriate dreamlike setting invigorated by a killer upbeat soundtrack that shouldn’t work but somehow does. A setting that, thanks to some minor liaisons between the two stories, made me feel like I was witnessing a chapter in the lives of complete strangers, the ones you glance at in a restaurant or a bar and completely forget about the minute you step out. It’s an interesting experience that truly serves as a reminder that even the extras in your lives are protagonists in their own narratives.

But, similarly to its predecessor, the overwhelming number of characters, no matter how charming and relatable they were, negatively impacted my emotional attachment to the film. I was invested in some more than others, and couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed whenever the film switched to the story that involves the ones I was less enthused about.

Three movies into his filmography, and though I do very much appreciate his work, I’m still not entirely on board of the Wong Kar-Wai train. Much like the “In the Mood for Love” and “Chungking Express”, “Fallen Angels” left me satisfied with what I had seen without leaving the impact I was expecting from it going in.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10