I've heard it said by a number of my contemporaries, that this film's predecessor, The Yamakasi (2001), was an exhilarating ride of a movie. With a screenplay and story by the reputable Luc Besson, I was wont to believe in them (being the gullible little fool that I am) and it was this particular piece of trivia, and the fact that it was a cult hit here in Singapore, which prompted me to see its sequel, Les Fils Du Vent. While I do not actually have any major misgivings for watching the latter, I was more than just a little disappointed by its inane silliness...
Les Fils Du Vent is truly a sorry excuse of a movie; in fact, it is simply a messy patchwork of action montages, stringed together by an almost non-existent storyline. It's no wonder then, because Luc Besson had no hand in this feature whatsoever. Granted, the action sequences were top-notch (very reminiscent of the Thai martial arts hit, Ong Bak) and breathtaking, with the actors performing every single stunt and baffling acrobatics without the help of CGI-effects; however, the ludicrous, toilet-paper thin plot took itself much too seriously for its own good. Thankgod then, for my highly developed, peculiar sense of humor, which enabled me to sit through all 90 minutes of it rather unscathed ;p
This is definitely a heavily stylized action flick which, in my honest opinion, would have worked better as an extended MTV. The throbbing soundtrack, the fancy martial-arts moves and almost surreal acrobatics are all quite an experience and a feast for the senses; but I'd rather watch a bad Jackie Chan/Jet Li film than to watch this again...
my ratings -- 1.3/5 stars~
PS: my apologies if I've been a little excessive in slamming this film. I think I'm just too exhausted right now to write properly...
