IR Film Review: THE FORBIDDEN CITY [Well Go USA]
The interesting aspect of "Forbidden City" is its mix of Italian and Chinese to tell a story mostly set in Rome. The action optimizing Elisa Wong (known for the live action "Mulan") is fast and furious when it happens and yet the film is also balanced by the more cathartic Italian form of storytelling combined with a gangster picture. Written and directed by Gabriele Mainetti, it is an interesting mix since it moves different than a normal kung fu action film. There is a slickness and some Italian humor and yet retains a bit of the melodrama familiar in certain Far East cinema. Mei (Wong) comes into Rome searching for her sister who had left and had been working some unsavory jobs. The basis in the prologue is that she and her sister were born during China's one child law and so Mei had to be hen while her sister was able to go out. The resentment plays both ways.
In the same element, she ends up at Marcello's restaurant which was once his father Alfredo's who apparently ran off with a Chinese prostitute. It doesn't take long to connect the dots. A reveal on a patch of land propels the rest of the movie. Enrico Barello plays Marcello with as much empathy and approach that he can but the character is a bit lost in this flurry of action (which is sort of the point). Mei is fighting a losing battle since she is out of her element, though with skills, and has no back up. What is good is that the film doesn't play like she is indestructible and yet she is determined and destructive. Another character that does make the film work well is Sabrina Ferilli as Lorena, Marcello's mom. She is still a beauty and she plays Lorena as full of life but also one that passed her by. Considering her amount of screen time, she exudes a richness, not unlike Sophia Loren in certain moments.
On the other side, there is the gangster character of Anibale (played by Marco Giallini) who has most of the heavy lifting in terms of the exposition and has to play most moments just right without overplaying them. He captures the humor but also the duality of the story being told, especially in the final moments. Chun Yushan plays Mr. Wang, the head of the Chinese gang and of course has been in many Chinese action films. His fight with Mei is measured and yet the set up of it does carry some weight. He is proud of his son who has becomes a rapper and yet his son doesn't want anything to do with his father. The story point is subtle and yet very pointed. Eventually the key comes down to responsibility....and in many ways "The Forbidden City" takes a different road, which sets it apart. Its action scenes, especially at the inset are breakneck and fairly practical but they smartly set up the play for the plot before entering in again. As a result, it is much clearer to follow than some similar films, even if it is in two languages, which in many ways is more difficult for the filmmakers, and yet it is a strength here. "The Forbidden City" isn't a great film but it tries something new without losing track of what it is. B
By Tim Wassberg
