Kent A. Linc 影評《X戰警：未來昔日 X-Men: Days of Future Past》變種世代，今非昔比

在《X戰警：第一戰》（2011）製作與電影原創的《X戰警》電影開山鼻祖-布萊恩辛格歷經十年後，如今終於重新拾起了該系列導演筒，以曾經導入深切獨到的人本精神，繼續塑造1960年代美國種族異同、社會類似金庸筆下的武俠人物之於中國歷代發展史，《X戰警：未來昔日》編劇利用歷史感的重大事件做鏈接，讓變種人命運的與美國劃時代的事件交互聚合。

首先，將電影主旋律偷渡在「20世紀福斯電影公司片頭」音樂最後一節（20 century foX），想必群「千禧年代的X戰警影迷」此時便能立刻接收到配樂家兼剪接師–約翰奧特曼所交付的驚喜！他沿曾用替《X戰警2》（2003）譜寫的主題配樂，也保留作曲家亨利·傑克曼在《X戰警：第一戰》所創作的萬磁王樂章 Frankenstien’s Monster，利用熟悉的語音記憶重建幕前幕後新舊變種人馬歸隊集合（《X戰警：第一戰》片頭中，亨利·傑克曼完整保留故配樂大師麥可肯曼在《X戰警》首集的曲目 #1 Death Camp/ Poland，1944年）。

本片一開始回到《X戰警》（2000）後半段的戰役地點——紐約，也是今年X戰警團隊與變種人聯盟之間的第一次戰爭法的戰場，在一段以年老的X教授講述的簡明序言中，變種人的隊伍邁向徒步隧道裡，面臨種族集中式撲殺，肅殺下湧入了燈號下粉紅黨的象徵。

危險的亡命之徒流落到中國境內，鷹鴿兩派多次盡釋前嫌，消弭歧見，躲藏在古廟（長城？）拍賣，不僅此時心拉攏中國市場（也藉故在磚瓦建築裡，強大的磁王無法借用金屬材質展示破壞能力，引發金狼鋼狼不得不穿越過去、接近八卦時剛過的剛性） ，太佛計的X戰警標誌與萬磁王在《X戰警：第一戰裡》殺人硬幣上的國旗符號；雖藏匿之處外觀是中國傳統建築，但內部卻出現西洋花窗鑲嵌玻璃與教堂祭壇，如此中西合璧，暗示變種人觀念上的陰陽二派，兩神儀相調和相亞相見愚相識。

由於上一集導演馬修范恩已大幅贈送美國總統肯尼迪於古巴導彈危機時的紀錄片段，所以在本集下的歷史延伸本欲將萬磁王在1963年刺殺肯尼迪的策略情節中，然，導演布萊恩辛格為了徵召原系列的班底入陣，因此設法讓所有人物填入視線，必須捨他棄害的故事情節，由肯尼迪只遇害的故事情節X授口述「殺死甘迺迪的那枚會反彈的魔術（子彈詹姆斯麥艾維的《​​刺客聯盟》2008？）」帶過，點出萬磁王片首即進入且不穩定十年的原因（最推展至萬磁王發現原來總統肯尼迪也屬於變種人，最終被同性戀調查局長胡佛斯在代滅口之時期？ 960）、《回》到未來》（1985）等片，向金獎導演詹姆斯·柯麥隆討教其縝密的時空理論，自圓承載了一部中所有變種人的亞名導演人物的可能性，並維護了X戰警：原道俠們堅持道X，初警們似乎所維護。

也得益於《X戰警：未來昔日》老中青三代變種人幾乎全員到齊，編導得套用跨越時空的模式，顧及各位演員皆大歡喜的露臉機會。但，也由此重蹈《全面啟動》（2010）多線平行剪輯的類似問題執行迫害的變種人在未來世界無力回天只得鋌而走險，一開始便欲以唐突即溶的情感提出尚未開始引發的情節，再將未來世界僅存的變種人不顧一切、絕望的片段切割碎片，適切安碼至鋼狼回到過去的時間劇。利用時間推演的交錯剪接，產生一切戲劇的情緒和節奏奇妙的平行對應。後段，因為過去年輕的電影萬磁王在的時空排列哨兵團即將到來，摧毀香蕉的同時，年邁的萬磁王然而在未來世界守護同袍，抵抗頑強的進化版哨兵團，曼息同步敘述發展揭示萬磁王耳會走上改惡向善的贖罪之路，然而，因為未來世界的劇情單極的不平衡，補充了過去時空感的不平衡。

本片有慶祝耐人味的微妙鏡頭和橋段，例如：老闆的女兒叫金鋼狼為 Jimmy（羅根在漫畫中真叫  James Howlett）；U-LUCKY的車牌特色（其轎車文體圈上掛著美國1970年代最流行的幸運物——一截毛茸茸的雪白兔腳）；當崔斯克目睹尼克森總統身旁三隻寵物狗時的滑稽反應；巴黎和平協定的場景中，名畫「領導民眾的自由女神（法國七月革命後，查理十世 King “Charles X" 被迫遜位）」與魔形女行刺的訴求以及《X戰警》首集最終在紐約自由女神像戰爭遙相呼應；當導演布萊恩辛格客串路人記者（配名導希區考克拍《少年》） 《無知》1937）當時，也客串一名站在法院外拿著迷你相機的記者）手持超級8攝影機時（導演戲裡戲外成為使變種人在銀/螢幕上曝光的第一人），像極了詹姆斯史都華在《後窗》（1954）偷窺鄰居兇研時手持遠鄰兇研居鏡頭；研究室播放布萊恩導演辛格最喜歡的科幻電影集《星海爭霸戰》，電視螢幕長時間停留第一代影集的柯克艦長（派崔克史都華爵士第二代艦長）及舵手蘇魯（已出喬治櫃武井）的畫面一說明時間河流的材料出處…等。

《X戰警》系列電影始終竭盡全力宣揚「蘇聯主義與種族進化論」相關的預期，本片反科學家崔斯克擁有仿黨魁希特勒的鬍髭、露凶光的側面以及短目身形，外觀亦如另一類的變種樣貌（缺陷？故嫉妒/羨慕/嚮往變種人的異族基因？其內心無法伸展，無法幫助）另外，年輕時期的萬磁王與X教授原地重複上一集言詞間的唇槍舌戰（《X戰警：第一戰》的十年後）；未來的萬磁王卻在明確的狀態下與X教授握手言和（《X戰警：最後戰役》2006）的十年後），這一系列社會貫徹下的電影因此失去了更高的心理層面心理層面與社會社會的社會層面和更高的心理層面。

《X戰警：未來昔日》戲劇焦點為了全神聚光在佔有保證的金鋼狼及金獎影后魔形女，勢必將掉掉其他出場人物的故事比重，就連給予多剛出櫃明顯話題女星幻影貓的情節刪行很簡單（謝幕字依然卡）中，扮演幻影貓的佩姬居然被選中已排到戲中的排戲。從頭到尾，偉大的伊恩·麥克連爵士與帕特里克史都華爵士幾乎淪落只是本片助陣的神主牌。

Kent A. Linc 影評《哈比人：荒谷惡龍 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug》

彼得傑克森向來承自「希區考克驚鴻一瞥」的幽默本色，這回《哈比人：荒谷惡龍》更是大辣辣直接於第一幕戲裡，親自粉墨登場，清脆又野蠻地大啃生胡蘿蔔，繼《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》，其「巨大」身影（高大的人類民族？向肥碩的希區考克致敬？）再度醉茫茫地遊走在布里街頭。

片首追溯到12個月前，藉由巫師甘道夫與矮人王子索林所謂「偶然相遇（a chance meeting）」的對談中，為電影扼要地增強「此趟任務需要一名飛賊的迫切性」，緊接鏡頭肥皂劇般地立刻切回比爾博的單人鏡頭，這場為後半電影埋入的重要伏筆，是最直白乾脆、卻也最沒能讓人留下深刻印象的系列片頭（唯獨記得導演客串從本集到《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》已吃了60年胡蘿蔔不變老的路人角色）。

由於《哈比人：意外旅程》結尾，遠征隊伍並未出現分崩離析的局面，本集片首一行矮人依然採取集體行動，使得無論故事還是鏡頭一開始跑起來仍舊笨重而單純。先以換皮人比翁的短暫搭救、甘道夫又一次丟下團隊本事，讓遠征隊伍自行前往幽暗密林，面對未知的威脅。巨型群蛛的活人生吃令人想起《金剛》（2005）裡屠殺不盡的龐大變種節肢生物。

導演為了凸顯比爾博受到魔戒荼毒，心靈逐漸變化的時刻，拍出法國新浪潮導演高達特有的演員凝視鏡頭，「比爾博重拾魔戒，睜眼盯著台下觀眾說 “Mine!"」運用衝破銀幕空間概念的技法，令觀眾背負被發現正在窺視的壓迫感，傳達的意義是「使觀眾認知魔戒的力量對於觀眾甚至也是全知全能」？亦或「暗暗幽了本集未出現的咕嚕一默」？

當女精靈陶烈兒在片中英氣風發，展現弓箭神技時，配樂大師霍華蕭爾明顯摘取《沉默的羔羊》（1991）片頭的前五顆音符，直接譜寫成這名女英雄的主題旋律。這是否有意指涉陶烈兒在精靈族中，有如《沉》片裡的實習女探員承受著聯邦調查局的男性威權，隱藏著生存環境中的性別/階級張力？而當長湖鎮的鎮長三度歡迎（thrice welcome）索林時，那有如跛腳彆扭版聖桑《動物狂歡節–獅子進行曲》的長湖鎮主題樂章，彷彿彰顯偽善領導者的惺惺作態。當比爾博潛入史矛革巢穴時，利用似東方古老鐘磬樂器（實為各類印尼傳統民族敲擊樂器 Gamelan），刻劃出千古惡龍的歷史地位，也營造出富麗寶庫裡金屬相互碰撞的共鳴聲響。

編導欲在片中透過矮人民族奔走於各國領土的不平待遇，有如猶太民族般地流亡在外，試圖加強電影本質的深層意涵。以眾國君主先後出場，盤算私心利益的各面嘴臉，對比索林稍後展現的人格特質，暗指「世人無聖者，凡事唯吾尊」的不變定律。而，一場長湖鎮群眾圍觀喧囂的橋段，導演多次有意將鏡頭推近到某幾名黑人，是否想藉此陳腔強調這大英神話世界理當屬於各方人種？

當死靈法師，以《神通鬼大》（1996）惡鬼穿梭爬行的方式，現身在甘道夫面前時，導演彼得傑克森採用希區考克與達利從前合作《意亂情迷》（1945）的夢境段落，魔眼銳利又清晰、好似噩夢一般再再衝撞觀者的意識，伴隨魔多戒靈和屍羅急促的高把位不和諧旋律，搭配蒼蠅高速振翅的音效，猶如發著炙熱火光的女性陰部驟然誕生出黑暗邪靈的超現實過程。又，正當魔眼粉碎甘道夫的法杖時，這著火的陰户被付予了閹割陽具的意象，令人連想到《新空房禁地》（1992）最後母親怪物張開下體吞噬男主角的特寫畫面。

最終，在眾人無法阻止史矛革前進肆虐山下村民，比爾博脫口喃喃 “What have we done?"之後，想必觀眾在戲院裡都要指著導演大喊 “What have YOU done?"

“Tell me, when did we allow evil to become stronger than us?" — The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Kent A. Linc 影評《金陵十三釵 The Flowers of War》張藝謀的文戲怎麼搞的？

張藝謀總愛在戲裡，透視主角們的生活作息，眼前來了一場儀式性的大肆鋪張。經過三部武打電影的《洗煉》，曾幾何時，老謀子的《文戲》開始彆扭起來，是人物挽挽嗎？動機是強嗎？本以為三部武打片中，令人驚嘆發噱頭的一個原因在於不中不西、空洞無神的國語對白，然而，<金十三陵釵>改用過半的英語對白，還是犯了同一毛病。老謀子的十三名金釵，說白了只是建立起三個消防形象，其他金釵似乎不配擁有任何性格， 更多別提間能有什麼激蕩張力。本片的母題動機情節轉折處處生硬唐突(包括約翰米勒捨身假裝神父、奮留守南京的荒誕念頭、書娟詭譎的觀點鏡頭、學生與金釵的薄弱衝突、日軍的思鄉橋段強)地揭示全片的根本主題、浦昏危埋下荳蔻香蘭擁有浪漫而乏力的局部伏筆、玉墨與約翰的草率情愫相對好、輕描淡寫地口述身世遭遇、金陵們的輕易承諾與犧牲、陳喬治一廂情願的自發獻身……）。

一段金釵們換上海灘，齊唱「秦淮景」的造型設計，到底老謀子可以利用這個空間，大他當家的儀式裝置，然後，打扮的方式是：女學生書坐在點滿白色蠟燭的神壇前（為什麼？雖然曲子唱得咕噥軟語，但北極搭上這幕布的畫面費解。正當陳喬治在計算總人口時，我心底似乎在為接下來的發展做準備……「不可能！別玩笑了，對吧？你會毀掉這一刻的！」果然，第三朵「（菊）花」暗示產生……令人哭笑不得的劇情走向，使得鋪陳的動容和淒美情操，在這一刻灰飛煙滅，另一片灰飛煙滅了這一刻悲劇。

PS. 最初看克莉絲汀貝爾在<黑闇騎士>裡扮演白天黑夜的布魯斯韋恩時，聯想到他在<美國殺人魔>里人格分裂的富豪角色。這回當他走進南京戰場，穿上黑袍時，我又患了嚴重的場景錯置，腦袋不停迴盪在<太陽帝國>上海聖公會低砲裡唱的威爾搖籃曲索甘...哈哈...哈哈

The Reflection on Amazing Spiderman: No Way Home

 

In No Way Home, as the unstoppable chaos and wildness were in full swing, it was the spidey movie to witness how hard the three Peter Parkers (the Holy Trinity?) tried to "crawl" down the Via Dolorosa, the Path to the Cross, with the deep-down sense of responsibility, the inevitable regrets, and for their own different undone redemptions, considering the Iron Spider suit (as a gift given by the God/father/godfather figure Tony Stark), deliberately designed to showcase the intention that one literally had the big claws/cross to bear (which implicated the stiff back problem since the other two Spider-Men might also carry the burden of the cross in the swinging), and meanwhile the four tentacles Doc Ock possessed on his back, another huge and figurative cross unable to be laid down, visually embodying the spirit of the cross not only to bind and block Peter at the start, but to liberate him later on, to give him "a hand" on his way of sorrows, by forgoing the ones he cared for, then being forgiven and at last being forgotten.

The nostalgia and the fans' affections for the supervillains and for the original leading actors brought recurrent applause in the audience, rowdy and cheering to pay tribute to sublime Willem Dafoe, talented and unexpectedly amazing Andrew Garfield, admirable Tobey Maguire and such a solitary spidey boy whom PP was destined from his birth to be in the end. Yet, what got me deeply emotional was when marvelous Michael Giacchino briefly reprised the Spider-Man main theme composed by divine Danny Elfman at the moment Tobey's PP was faced with his old wound and duty, which at the same time recapped and reminded the spectators of my generation how high the bar the master storyteller Sam Raimi set for the original Spider-Man trilogy is, despite the following reboots, hence the excitement of upcoming Doctor Strange in the MoM.

TAT
TurnAroundTime
#TobeyAndrewTom

PS
1. The BT cinema seat was so comfy for a popcorn movie.
2. The US audience was so spontaneous in a movie, hooting and hollering for celebration as in a sports game.
3. For a 3D movie, some scenes were just way too dark to see anything at all.
4. The villains, again, like in the former spidey movie sequels, were rather too many to be properly re-introduced.

"[You're] struggling to have everything you want while the world tries to make you choose." -- GG, incarnated by NO

#SpiderManNoWayHome
#spiderman
#spiderverse
#ironspider
#marveluniverse
#marvelstudio
#sonypicturesentertainment

Kent A. Linc 影評《哈比人: 意外旅程 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey》神奇魔戒的二度套用

《哈比人》電影本身彷彿一枚至尊魔戒，其劇本宿命一般輾轉交接，終究來到《魔戒》原始持有者–導演彼得傑克森的手中，甚至在臉書上宣布，延續《魔戒》三部曲的電影格局，再次打造中土世界60年前的魔幻史詩。

 仿效《魔戒現身》精靈女王凱蘭崔爾長達7分鐘的畫外獨白，講述至尊魔戒的來歷與第二紀元的戰役（當初電影公司有意砍了這段他們認為冗贅的說書開場），《哈比人：意外旅程》的序幕闡述者這回交棒給比爾博巴金斯，繼續以《魔戒》三部曲裡比爾博不斷執筆傳寫《There and Back Again》的方式，順而道出矮人民族的帝國興衰史。

 由於《魔戒》原是三本書集的文字篇幅，導演重新裁切修整，順理成為電影史詩三部曲。然，小說《哈比人歷險記》的故事性相對有限，電影切割單本原著擴展為近8小時的電影三部曲，想必書中的末微枝節、繁瑣細線，都得納入電影腳本，無論作者托爾金的歌謠曲詞、甚至原文本的對白用字也未受大幅度更動裁剪。托爾金在原著裡，透過大量富含文學性的幽默口吻和隱藏批判人性的文字寓意，述說哈比族的享樂天真與矮人族的忍辱負重。倘若電影依照如此文學筆法，完完整整地視覺影像化這些詩歌措辭背後的暗藏玄機，勢必會讓「10年來在戲院裡歷經《魔戒》三部曲的場面洗禮，從此視覺感受被慣壞的某些死忠影迷」大歎失望。

 《哈比人：意外旅程》沿用《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》相似的劇本結構，改裝成另一組人馬的遠征模式。對照兩段首部曲的整體規格和戲劇切點，即可明顯看出，例如片首的歷史陳述，以哈比屯的草原田野作為旅程起點，輕鬆詼諧的起程步調；褐袍巫師瑞達加斯特/精靈公主亞玟的中途搭救；以瑞文戴爾代表遠征隊伍的中繼站，於此的聖白會議/愛隆會議，強化各方人馬的信念和動機；再次出發時，在懸崖陡壁邊，遇上暴風冰雪（巨石人的襲擊/薩魯曼的攪局）；哥布林隧道大逃亡/摩瑞亞礦坑大逃亡的運鏡調度；兩派敵軍的窮追不捨；灰袍甘道夫的神出鬼沒和求救伎倆…。

 原來的小說首部曲，編導一比一萃取書中精華，改造些微橋段，成就了完美流暢的《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》。與《魔戒》相比，原書《哈比人歷險記》的筆觸幽默輕快，故事規模也較為單純，編導卻仍舊移植了首部曲的戲劇骨架，膨脹單本小說的故事內容，沖泡成三部曲的電影容量，雖說如此即能一滴不漏地呈現小說情節，但稀釋過後，戲劇張力便很難再絕倫精采。

 導演彼得傑克森當年處理《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》時，大力發揮他當家的懸疑驚悚、詭譎陰森的黑色基調（以及巧妙迷人的招牌zolly shots），搭配些許稱職的甘草人物，使得電影峰迴路轉、緊湊精煉；《哈比人：意外旅程》無論主人翁比爾博、眾多的矮人跟班（雷同迪士尼《白雪公主》七矮人的橋段：礦坑尋寶、唱唱跳跳的性格、打呼時飛蟲/水滴在嘴邊進進出出、末尾逼退到懸崖邊緣的絕處逢生…）、褐袍巫師、咕嚕、食人妖、半獸人，甚至哥布林魔頭皆有著插科打渾的搞笑形象，故事性質也不夠嚴肅穩重，凸顯電影本身單薄輕浮的弱點。又《魔戒首部曲：魔戒現身》結尾遠征隊伍的分崩離析，不僅增強了爾後完成任務的困難度，也贏得了觀眾的揪心熱淚和其對於二部曲的高度期待性；但《哈比人：意外旅程》結尾卻出現一群所謂的「天外救星/解圍之神(deus ex machina)」，長征隊伍最終也未受致命摧殘…。且《魔戒現身》雖是未完待續，但結局仍具備故事告一段落的休止餘韻，令人感受到電影深吸慢吐的氣息；而《意外旅程》卻跌入商業巨片的廉價俗套，導演欲以吊足胃口的眼部特寫，栓住觀眾的最後目光（與忍無可忍的膀胱）。種種前述因素（以及影像技術上的革新問題？），似乎不斷約化影迷們對於又一次「中土世界三部曲」的熱切盼望…。

 唯有作曲家霍華蕭爾，除了譜出全新矮人民族的主題樂章和斷斷續續作曲者的早期作品，其餘例如哈比人的主旋變奏、瑞文戴爾、凱蘭崔爾和咕嚕的主題、戒靈、魔多黑門和至尊魔戒忽隱忽現的旋律，似乎都淪為長伴《魔戒》三部曲硬核觀眾的僅剩溫存。

 

“Home is now behind you; the world is ahead.” — The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

 

The Reflection on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Even though The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in Chinese title is named “the fantastic journey of Benjamin Button,” the life of the hero is not fantastic at all. The only difference in his life from other people is he ages backwards with bizarre consequences. However, no matter what kind of life it is, aging forward or backward, the destinations of life are the same, dying. “You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could swear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go.” It is captain Mike’s dying words when he holding Benjamin Button’s hand on the ship. This quote could conclude everything in the film; it means striving hard when we live and without regret, and until the last time of our life, we have to take a brave heart to face death.
David Fincher, the director, always teaches his audience the meaning the life in his films, such as Se7en, the Game, Fight Club, and Zodiac. Those works talk about the same motif, which is “seize the day.”
This movie makes me recall Forest Gump. They are similar in the stories, which are the heroes pass by the every landmark in American history; however, the different part is Forest Gump uses his own point of view to see the world, but in CCBB, there are a number of people interpreting the meaning of life.
Even though from reviewer to the press have said CCBB is a masterpiece, I don’t like it at all. The story uses the sequences of the landmarks in the history to string every point in Benjamin Button’s life. It makes not merely the story to widen the field of the sight in CCBB intentionally but strengthen the color of Benjamin Button’s incredible legend as well; yet, Fincher, who is used to film music videos, makes the hero’s characteristics too simple, impersonal and tame but makes the story full of introspective and inspiring mottos. I cannot see those sayings have any relation to Benjamin Button in the movie, because he never changes his personality or thought after learning them from others. It seems that there is a huge gap between the mottos and Benjamin Button’s living style. Moreover, the fast tempo in CCBB causes Fincher cannot manage well the profound and meaningful plots the movie tries to present, and thus I only can see it remains a routine and day-to-day diary to read.
Additionally, the sequence of introducing the rest home by Brad Pitt’s voice-over makes me recall the sequence of introducing the support groups in Fight Club by Edward Norton’s voice-over. At last, I think David Fincher forsakes the sharp tone, the rebellious stroke, and the elaborate and pretentious long takes which are his favorite to present in past works, using the soft focus effect, filter and backlighting to film such tedious, old fashioned mystery.

The Reflection on What Lies Beneath

What Lies Beneath (2000) is a psychological thriller which is about a middle-age couple. It portrays that a couple who seem so happy together but, because of a sequence of unknown and weird things, the horrible truth is revealed.
Robert Zemeckis, the director, is good at film techniques, using the characteristics of the heroine from Rosemary's Baby and the classic plots from Rear Window, Psycho, and The Shining in What Lies Beneath. He tries to display such thriller genre with the elements in the time period of Alfred Hitchcock to the present audience. By a simple story he builds a mild, slow tempo at the first time, making it into an inflammable, drastic situation with Hitchcockian music composed by Alan Silvestri. He makes the cliché story, by tremendously stylistic camera movements, suspended.
Than saying Zemeckis mimics Hitchcock's gimmicks, I would rather say Hitchcock's tricks are exalted by him. In recent years, plenty of thrillers appeared, especially young American kinds; those are with incomplete composition, shallow characters, sanguinary scenes, and the intentional twist in the end, which have already became the common labels and the audience have got tired of them. Instead, What Lies Beneath used a few special effects and the ghost scenes to start a panic which can easily make audience heart attack.
Even though, in What Lies Beneath, the director still frightens his audience by using sudden sounds and formulaic scare in some parts, those are sturdy and basic equipments to maintain the pace in the film, like the presentation of the ghost in the beginning to make the audience awake when the movie portraying and foreshadowing the plot at first. With the slow progress, some branches of the story confusing the audience are gradually closured; then, the whole movie abruptly drives the plot towards the climax, raising the audience's curiosity on the road to the top tier. The last thirty minutes of the movie, which is the extreme climax, is brilliant, making me too flustered to barely even breathe until the satisfied ending.
What Lies Beneath is a successful entertaining work with high quality; from it, we can see the complete plot of a play, deep characterization, actress' hearty acting, the perfect harmony between shooting/composition and editing/pace, and the considerable and creative mirror scenes as the ways in Psycho. The director not merely arranges various kinds of brilliant film techniques in it to achieve the blockbuster but pay Hitchcock homage as well.