Film Name: 刺猬 / The Hedgehog
Last night, on a whim, I decided to go see the newly released movie “The Hedgehog”. Apart from seeing a few trailers and knowing the two lead actors, I had no knowledge of the movie, and even the director, Gu Changwei, only came to mind when the credits rolled. ……
This unknown state ensured that I would not have many preconceived impressions and prejudices, and my reaction after watching the movie was that it was not an “instantly likable” good-looking film, but its spiritual core and localized performance gave it some of the qualities of a good film.
The theme of the film is also reflected in the poster, which centers on a series of displays and discussions on several issues, such as “whether people are sick, whether they are crazy, and whether they are normal”.
In addition to the choreography and text of the credit, there is no doubt that Ge’s portrayal of Wang Zhaotuan is the biggest contributor to The Hedgehog, a character who always disregards the rules of society and immerses himself in his own world is in fact very difficult to play, one point less would be too bland, and one point more would be too crazy……. However, Ge used his But Ge You, with his “cold outside, hot inside, hand-warming stove” style, covered out a wandering in the edge of the commonwealth, will be crazy not crazy state.
In contrast, Wang Junkai as Zhou Zheng is really young (put these two together than of course unfair), but fortunately, the persona of the role of Zhou Zheng does not need to be more old-fashioned, he only need to show “marginalized young people’s silence, rebellion and anger” on the line, so in the “carry” and intertext with Wang Warrior Troupe Therefore, the movie is quite decent under the “carry” and intertextualization with Wang Zhaotuan.
The movie does not have a clear main line, but mainly tells the story of these two people – Wang Zaotuan’s heart is towards the ocean, he is very slow to the people and the world around him, and he is often unwilling to enter or even forget his own social identity, while Zhou Zheng grew up with a bit of a stutter, which causes him to be special and out of place, and because of these alternative manifestations and characteristics, Wang Zaotuan and Zhou Zheng gradually become a different kind of people. Because of these alternative behaviors and characteristics, Wang and Zhou Zheng gradually become abnormal people, or even “sick” people.
This is the core selling point and highlight of The Hedgehog, but I think the problem with the movie is that it is not good enough.
To understand and empathize with a character, you have to be either charismatic enough or have a story that’s close enough to life, and The Hedgehog’s talents are all in the dark.
Personality charisma, Zhou Zheng this child, not to mention, even the Wang War Group, at best, is an unusual words and deeds of middle-aged and elderly people, not crazy, also does not bring fairy, his attractive temperament is hidden under the surface;
And close to life, not that the film is not grounded, on the contrary, it is too grounded, most of the ordinary people’s lives where there are so many horse-racing blood plot, but also in the small quarrels, stumbling in the life, in all fairness, Wang Zaotuan and Zhou Zheng’s family are okay for both of them, was forced to the extreme of the operation of the very few, which would dilute the drama of the story.
This dilutes the drama of the story. Add to this the fact that the movie is an “everyday, weak narrative” type of movie, and it looks even more fragmented and flimsy, and from the intuition of many viewers, The Hedgehog is indeed not much of a good-looking, exciting movie.
However, as long as you can accept the “overly solid” nature of the movie, it’s a good, strong film.
Take the issue mentioned above, because it is too everyday and buried, it is full of plausible confusion – for example, we will have the illusion that we are trying to “correct” Wang and Zhou’s relatives who are right, and to give them a way of doing things! Mr. Zhao is really some kind of enlightened master of the world.
This is where the deception of normal life lies. Mr. Zhao, the “White Fairy”, is obviously a charlatan who uses feudal superstition to cheat, but he is taken as the last straw by a group of normal people, while Zhou Zheng and Wang Zhantuan, who seem to be abnormal, will call the police to solve the problem instead.
Who exactly is the normal person?
Although The Hedgehog doesn’t have a very clear main line, it still manages to have a beginning and an end in its thematic elaboration (and suppresses it before raising it): Wang Zhaotuan voluntarily succumbs to his wife and voluntarily goes to a mental hospital, and Zhou Zheng finally goes to college and becomes one of the thousands of wanderers who have traveled away from their home towns and villages……. But they don’t become ordinary or mediocre after all. , mediocre.
Wang Zhantuan still escaped from the mental hospital and went to who knows where, while Zhou Zheng really realized Wang Zhantuan’s long-cherished dream, became a seaman and saw all continents and oceans.
That’s why I love the other line on the movie poster, “May you and I not get stuck in life.”
Both Wang Zhantuan and Zhou Zheng have been stuck a few times, some from the compromise of normalcy, some from the pity for their loved ones, but the standard of life should not be an obstacle for them to run to their own selves.
Do you and I have that same Pacific Ocean in our hearts?
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