A R O U N D T O W N 發光的城市 17 TAIPEI TIMES • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 [ DOCUMENTARY ] Mei Langfeng in full rose-tinted Technicolor Snow blindness Chen Kaige’s biopic of the Beijing opera legend Mei Langfang ‘Beyond the Arctic’ tracks a trio of athletes as is a refined production but reveals nothing more than what is already known they journey toward the North Pole, braving polar bears on the way. A pity then that the result is myopic BY HO YI played by veteran Chinese actor Wang Xueqi young Mei. Cast in the role of Qi Rubai, Mei’s STAFF REPORTER (王學圻), ends with the passing of the aged mentor, agent and friend, seasoned thespian fter 2005’s disastrous fantasy epic maestro and thus the end of an era. Sun Honglei (孫紅雷) steals the show for the BY HO YI The Promise (無極), Chinese director The following two acts pale in comparison rest of the film with his slightly overstated but STAFF REPORTER Chen Kaige (陳凱歌) seeks to to the opening chapter, which recalls director potent performance. A re-establish his name with a return Chen’s artistry and is worth a visit to the Though it is opined that Lai’s gentle and hree men venture 650km to to Beijing Opera, the subject matter that theater alone. The second part centers on feminine disposition makes him the ideal the Arctic Circle in 21 days. brought him international acclaim more than the love affair between noted Beijing opera candidate for the role of the adult Mei, the T Extreme weather conditions a decade ago when his 1993 Farewell My performer Meng Xiaodong (Zhang Ziyi, 章子怡) actor is fated to fail since he plays not a living cause limb-threatening frostbite and Concubine (霸王別姬) won the Palme d’Or and the married Mei (Leon Lai, 黎明). Despite person, but an immortalized legend, revered life-threatening dehydration and at the Cannes Film Festival and earned two the cast members’ competent performances, and extolled but deprived of weaknesses, hypothermia. Polar bears pose a Oscar nominations. the story suffers from a lack of dramatic secrets, emotions and even humanity. genuine threat. A biographical film about the life of Beijing intensity and a sometimes labored narrative. The same failing applies to the film itself. Beyond the Arctic (征服北極), opera legend Mei Langfang (梅蘭芳), Forever In the final act, the film takes up a tone Adhering to the orthodox historical perspective veteran documentary director Yang Enthralled (梅蘭芳) feels and looks like a mirror of patriotism rather abruptly when Mei is on Mei, Chen’s work avoids the scandalous, Li-chou’s (楊力州) latest work, follows image of its iconic protagonist — polished, painted as a flag-waving artist who refuses the political and the human lying beneath the a trio of Taiwanese athletes on elegant, but fettered and lacking a real sense of to ply his art in the service of the Japanese character’s veneer. their grueling trek to the Magnetic flesh and blood. invaders during the Second Sino-Japanese Director Chen learns to adapt and North Pole as part of the 2008 Polar Composed of three War. Mei’s legend concludes with China’s compromise with those who are keen on Challenge, an international race that acts, the film begins greatest Beijing opera performer returning to preserving Mei as a national hero in Forever takes place between mid-April and with the young Mei the stage under the Communist regime. Enthralled and Lai’s Mei is destined to be dull mid-May each year. (Yu Shaoqun, 余少群) Wang dazzles with his superb portrait of and flat, whereas other characters shine with Known for his story-driven coming to the fore as Shi, a tragic figure who clings to the ideas and their defects. Leon Lai faced a tall order approach to documentary filmmaking, eloquently From left, Kevin Lin, Albert Liu and Jason Chen were the first an emerging talent virtues of imperial China, valuing dignity and playing an immortalized demonstrated in the Golden Horse-winning My Taiwanese to enter the Polar Challenge, an international race who isn’t afraid honor over life. legend. PHOTO COURTESY OF 20TH Football Summer (奇蹟的夏天), Yang opens the film across the Arctic. PHOTO COURTESY OF BACKSTAGE STUDIO to innovate Wang fills each of his gestures with drama CENTURY FOX TAIWAN by introducing the team members: renowned ultra- and modernize and nuanced emotion. His opera performance marathon runner Kevin Lin (林義傑); Albert Liu (劉 with the focus on the trio’s morale-boosting the ancient exudes equal amounts of charm and delicacy, 柏園), CEO of online games company Gamania sessions through lighthearted frolics and horseplay, performing making it hard to believe that the actor spent Digital Entertainment (遊戲橘子); and college director Yang misses a rare opportunity to explore art form. The a mere four months picking up the basics of student Jason Chen (陳彥博). the surrounding wilderness, its inhabitants and climactic Beijing opera before shooting the movie. For the following 75 minutes, the documentary the human struggle to overcome its challenges. Beijing Surprisingly, novice actor Yu is not tracks the trio’s preparation and training in Substantial issues such as wildlife conservation and opera match overcome by Wang’s remarkable Resolute Bay, Canada, and their exhausting and the predicament faced by Taiwanese athletes, who between Mei and his presence and turns in a perilous trudge under the midnight sun, filled with generally receive virtually no government support, mentor Shi Shanyan, commendable performance as the humorous, sometimes hilarious moments as the grants or sponsorship but still try to make a career trekkers exchange jokes, dance Bollywood-style out of their professions, are only touched upon in and sing Taiwanese tunes to keep their spirits up the film. and distract themselves from the physical and mental torments they endure. The climax of the film involves a polar bear FOREVER ENTHRALLED (梅蘭芳) raiding another team’s tent, startling a Frenchman and two Chinese men out of their sleep. Yang 征服北極獸 DIRECTED BY: CHEN KAIGE (陳凱歌) juxtaposes footage of a European hunter (who BEYOND THE ARCTIC ( ) was not involved in the race) showing off the hide STARRING: LEON LAI (黎明) AS ADULT MEI LANFANG, YU SHAOQUN (余少群) AS YOUNG of a polar bear he had just killed, against video DIRECTED BY: YANG LI-CHOU (楊力州) MEI LANFANG, WANG XUEQI (王學圻) AS SHI SHANYAN, ZHANG ZIYI (章子怡) AS MENG of the Franco-Chinese team successfully scaring 林義傑 XIAODONG, SUN HONGLEI (孫紅雷) AS QI RUBAI, CHEN HONG (陳紅) AS FU ZHIFANG off the intimidating predator, just a stone’s throw STARRING: KEVIN LIN ( ) AS HIMSELF, ALBERT LIU 劉柏園 陳彥博 away, simply by shouting and yelling at it. ( ) AS HIMSELF, JASON CHEN ( ) AS HIMSELF LANGUAGE: IN MANDARIN WITH CHINESE AND ENGLISH SUBTITLES The athletes’ endeavors are undoubtedly LANGUAGE: IN MANDARIN AND TAIWANESE WITH RUNNING TIME: 145 MINUTES inspiring and commendable. The documentary, CHINESE AND ENGLISH SUBTITLES however, fails to fully convey the drama of the TAIWAN RELEASE: LIMITED SCREENINGS FROM TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. expedition. It is understandable that severe RUNNING TIME: 75 MINUTES OFFICIAL RELEASE ON DEC. 19 weather and treacherous terrain can impose insurmountable restrictions on filmmaking. Yet, TAIWAN RELEASE: TODAY.