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Red Corner (1997)
Rate:
5
Viewed:
10/23
10/23:
It'll be easy to say Red Corner is the one that got Richard Gere banned from entering China.
But that's not true. His intense support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama is the primary reason, having become interested in
Buddhism during his twenties. Therefore, I was surprised to see him in a Chinese setting. What happened is the filmmakers
shot a lot of footage in China and had the images used for reconstruction of Beijing right in Los Angeles along with the CGI work.
In other words, Richard Gere was never in China to send his personal "fuck you" message.
Back to Red Corner, it's not good, bringing back memories of Midnight Express and
Brokedown Palace.
Bai Ling plays a stupid, useless, and brainwashed state-sponsored lawyer who's not worth caring about, hence the loss of
emotional value throughout. Smug, impossibly handsome, and smiling during the worst of conditions, Jack Moore makes the
biggest mistake by leaving the embassy when we know in China that happy ending isn't to be expected.
It's amazing to see how much Jack Moore can remember and recall the tiniest but significant information that'll ultimately
exonerate him. The idea of him asking for an English-translated book on Chinese laws is laughable. They'll make up anything
as long as there's no public embarrassment of being wrong. Sometimes, the scenes jump ahead rapidly in order to wrap up
the story with a predictable ending. If Jack Moore's eyeglasses have been stepped on, then how is it possible that he can "see"?
All in all, Bai Ling's unlikeable character is the number one undoing of Red Corner.