3.5, Hong Kong/China

Exodus

New York Asian Film Festival2007 / Edmond Pang > After a superb directing effort in Isabella, Pang goes off the deep-end in this seemingly ridiculous black dramedy about a secret women’s organization that kills men—or so it seems. Following a haunting, memorable introductory sequence, Exodus dives us into a mystery that takes its sweet time to unwind. Plot twists are somewhat predictable, but the tone is dark and fascinating. Simon Yam’s passive-aggressive cop is spot on and Annie Liu complements him well. Visually, Charlie Lam’s cinematography once again impresses, with lingering, vivid shots that constantly mesmerize the eye. Where the film fails, unfortunately, is in the final stretch where the speed at which the film moves accelerates to a point where it may actually leave the viewers with more questions than answers. It ends up being somewhat superficial and fluffy, but still a wonderful, offbeat treat.

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