Obsession with the past, typically involving viewing that past through rose-tinted spectacles for various reasons, is not unique to the parts of the world where the author of this review lives. One example could be China, a country possessing an exceptionally long history, which has, among other things, been a rich and almost inexhaustible source of inspiration for writers, artists, and, of course, filmmakers. The tendency to portray "the good old days" through the prism of nostalgia can sometimes also be observed in the treatment of personalities, events, and eras that can hardly be called "good." One example is the 1930s, a period during which China was going through perhaps one of the most traumatic chapters in its history and was under the rule of all sorts of shady characters with blood on their hands, yet which, despite this, serves as a grateful source of stories for lavish film epics. One such example is The Last Tycoon, a Hong Kong gangster epic directed by Wong Jing in 2012.
The film's titular character is based on a real-life figure named Du Yuesheng, who ruled organised crime in Shanghai during the 1920s and 1930s and, thanks to his closeness with Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the nationalist Kuomintang party, and his willingness to support him with money and in other ways in the fight against the communists, enjoyed the status of the world's most powerful gangster. The creators of The Last Tycoon, however, are well aware that an authentic biographical film about a member of the losing side in a civil war would probably not fare well with the censors of the PRC, so Du Yuesheng was "rebaptised" into a fictional character named Cheng Daqi.
The plot begins in the 1910s when Cheng (Huang Xiaoming), a young provincial fruit seller, is used as a pawn in the clashes of local thugs and ends up in prison under a false murder charge. From there, he is extracted by an officer "greased" with political and other connections, Mao Zi (Francis Ng), who will later become his business and political partner. Cheng goes to Shanghai seeking a better life, and in that city, which is divided into different zones thanks to international concessions, crime related to gambling, prostitution, and the opium trade flourishes. His mastery of combat skills, but also his undoubted diplomatic talent, allow him to slowly gain control of the Shanghai streets, and also to win the favour of Hong Shouting (Sammo Hung), who will become his mentor, protector, and in the end, sworn brother.
By the 1930s, the now middle-aged Cheng (Chow Yun-fat) enjoys the status of the city's unofficial master, but his rule is challenged both by the civil war, in which the unscrupulous Mao Zi finds himself opposed to the "rebels," and by the increasingly likely Japanese invasion. Additional problems for Cheng are presented by the fact that Ye Zhiqiu (Yuan Quan), an opera singer he has been in love with since early youth, is entangled in these intrigues.
The Last Tycoon at first glance has everything a historical epic should have. Aside from the fact that a considerable amount of money by Hong Kong standards was spent on it, with reconstructed costumes, sets, and props of a long-vanished era, it boasts an impressive cast featuring legends like Chow Yun-fat and Sammo Hung. The melodramatic plot served as a solid foundation for a series of fairly good action scenes using fists as well as bladed weapons and firearms, including a showdown in a church reminiscent of John Woo's best work. The screenplay, however, cannot adequately maintain its quality right to the end, and this is not helped at all by the fact that the plot is at times not entirely clear to viewers unfamiliar with the political intrigues and factional infighting in 1930s China.
The Last Tycoon, of course, like many similar films, sacrifices historical authenticity for melodrama, so the "problematic" gangster boss Du Yuesheng is transformed in the film into a patriot and hero who, at the end of the ballad, is ready to do the "right thing" and stand up to the Japanese even if it means his death. A creative treatment of history is not a problem in itself, but the manner in which it is done is a bit clumsy, and they overdid it. The bloody finale thus features more explosions and pyrotechnics (along with sometimes not the most adeptly executed CGI effects) than in the scenes reconstructing the Japanese bombing of Shanghai in 1937. The impression is further marred by inevitable comparisons with some thematically and stylistically similar films like Casablanca and Bonnie and Clyde, which in the end will lead viewers to the ironic conclusion that, in terms of film quality, Hollywood's past was better than Hong Kong's present.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)
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