【电影简介】

中国上海，法租界，第三届环球花国大选公开赛盛大开幕。俊眉修眼，顾盼神飞，万千佳丽撩人心。环宇直播，开天辟地，花国总统首次全球民选。在大选组委会主席马走日（姜文饰）的操办下，花国大选极尽民国之风流，俘获亿万之关注。总决选上，三强名伶各显身手，伯仲难分。眼看左青龙右白虎莺啼如歌燕飞若舞，身怀大美心有大爱的完颜英（舒淇饰）最后登台绝招频出，颠倒众生。

大选桂冠，花落完颜。声势浩大的第三届花国大选让马走日一举成名天下知，成为上海滩炙手可热的人物，也让他的搭档兼发小项飞田（葛优饰）声名鹊起。新一届花魁完颜英履行承诺开始了对整个城市巡游，仰慕者千万。然而事情的真相是，整个花国大选是马走日一手操纵，他和完颜英之间也是姘居多年的旧相识，完颜英的再次当选，让两人之间的关系发生了微妙的变化。

【音频文本】

In 2010, Chinese director Jiang Wen released an action comedy film “Let the Bullets Fly” which rocked the country’s movie market. Its huge commercial success made everyone believe Jiang had found the way to dominate Chinese cinemas. In fact, his grip on the audience was so firm that even critics refrained from pricking, or if they did whine their voices must certainly have been drowned in the deafening sound of adulation.

But with the advent of his new film “Gone with the Bullets”, the previously muffled discontent of his antagonists has suddenly found an outlet. Starting from real estate veteran Ren Zhiqiang who spoke of his difficulties understanding the movie, more and more self-styled critics blamed their bewilderment on the director’s ego. They believe that Jiang Wen had once again lost control in narcissistic self expression and this is going to cost him dearly in audience reception.

One thing about the film that sets the critics on fire is the vast number of messages hidden in the story.

In 1920, a Shanghai playboy Yan Ruisheng robbed and murdered a well-known prostitute, he was later caught and publicly executed. But that was not the whole story, before the case was closed, local media had explored and exposed almost every detail of the suspect and his victim. And after Yan’s death, his crime was told in China’s first full-length movie and once again became a product for public entertainment. “Gone with the Bullets” examines the relative truths in news reporting and filmmaking, the director’s idea is best represented by a scene where his character vandalizes a camera in a film set.

This is just one example of Jiang’s many implicit ideas. During 140 minutes of sitting, we also witness new money’s attempts to become respectably “old”, a politically married couple’s advices to their daughter regarding the importance of concubines and the wisdom about men, plus a lot more metaphors and mockeries. All of these can be too much to digest, it certainly took me a second viewing to get a better overview.

And comprehension is not made easier by the varied forms of expression.

Beginning with an extravagant beauty show featuring garish colors, loud music and way too many bared legs,the movie’s narrative is continued in talk show, black and white silent film and stage play, all the while paying tribute to “The Godfather”, “A Trip to the Moon”, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and many other classic films.

This wealth of information and sometimes contradicting opinions drive the critics over the edge. Some of them refer to Jiang Wen’s good upbringing and his other auteur films as evidence to suggest he is an elitist director and has no respect for the needs of the viewers.

I think these critics’ accusations are not well grounded.

First of all, one doesn’t have to be an elite to be able to enjoy classic music and classic films invokedin Jiang’s story, and the reluctance to exercise one’s brain should not be encouraged as normality. China’s movie industry has already seen too much banality made in the name of satisfying the audience. It is high time we stopped feeding the viewers with nonsensical comedies, it is the ultimate crime of disrespecta director can commit against his viewers.

Jiang Wen, on the other hand, has consistently encouraged his fans to think with his challenging storylines, and the images and music in his films are always enjoyable. Any viewer in their right mind who refuses to wallow in the mud of vulgarity will be able to appreciate the healthy amount of his narcissism. The only question is, who would you rather be?

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