Felix Chong’s loose fashioning of the real-life Carrian Group financial scandal of ‘80s Hong Kong into film is a polarising triumph that you’ll either get or you won’t. The Goldfinger has actors Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau reuniting on screen, two decades since their starring together in Internal Affairs (2002)—which, amazingly, was also directed by Chong, making this a long-time reunion for the trio. Even with the roles of goodies and baddies swapped, the chemistry is certainly there. Lau performs the perfect stone-faced agent of anti-corruption whose bleeding righteousness only wobbles for a millisecond when made a high and personal enough offer. He sees through Henry’s crafted confidence, who teases the former like a feather wand in front of a cat, never truly believing (or showing he believes) he’ll face the consequences of his actions.
We’re given a bit of narration in the beginning that peels open the lid of the story simply enough, and interest is piqued as Henry muses on the life he’d planned, “Who’d have thought that a different story lay ahead?” It’s the last showing of mercy to viewers before they’re thrust into the world of stock trading, and if you’re not particularly familiar with the system, you may be a bit mystified as they brush over strategies and significant plot points. It’s one for those with an interest in the topic, but there’s still something left for those who enjoy daring, jumbly narratives and stunning production design that almost exists to distract you from the slow plot.
While the actors shine, it seems like the director envisioned a film slightly different from what we were left with. The editing is strange, and the film is inconsistent in pacing and quality. The slow-mo shots have so few frames it feels tacky, but then it’ll cut to a shot so well crafted you forget the preceding flaw. The beginning of the film was fast and almost tried to speed over exposition, but the later arcs are much slower: the complete opposite of a typical movie pacing, that reaches a crescendo as tension and stakes arise. It almost wants you to feel bored of Henry by the end, as you sink into the heavy-eyed outlook of an ICAC officer, no longer enamoured by the glitz of Henry’s falling empire.
It’s got style, there’s no denying that. But the flashy production might just be there to distract from the fact that the storytelling is a bit clumsy. The budget was overflowing when it came to sets like the interior of the Golden Hill House; some scenes were there just to show it off, topped with a red and minty-blue colour grading to say “Hey, this film is set in the 80s!”…But we can’t critique it too harshly when the effect is gorgeous. The Goldfinger is a bold feat that makes some interesting choices as it ventures into what might be alien territory for some. While it’s not for the cinemagoer who just wants a bit of brain-dead fun, nor for those who care too deeply for detail, it will be a smash hit for the oddballs in the limbo in between who simply love a challenge.
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Written by Maddie Armstrong
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