Red Corner (1997)

Cornered!

I'm sometimes taken aback when conservative commentators (like Laura Ingraham) pose rhetorical questions like: Why doesn't Hollywood make as many anti-Communist films as it does anti-Nazi ones? She literally asked why if there was a Schindler's list, why there no STALIN'S LIST. Now, while it may be true that many Hollywood denizens are politically a bit left of center, is it really the case that, unbeknownst to us in the unsuspecting public, they've been glorifying Communist ideals and furthering its cause almost two decades after the fall of the Soviet Union?

I suppose if you were to cite RED CORNER as a film which takes on the last remaining Communist superpower, Ms Ingraham and her fellow rightwing pundits would respond that a. it's a rare exception; b. the only reason, these liberal filmmakers are criticizing a Communist government is because of that regime's abuses against Tibet, an even more beloved "liberal cause," and c. China is portrayed in the film as a society that is being essentially corrupted by Western influences anyway.

In other words, you can't win. If Hollywood makes a contemporary "anti-Communist" film these days, its motives will still be suspect. A liberal guy like Richard Gere is still a "Buddhist" liberal after all, and so he may be a little more loyal to the Dalai Lama than, say, to Mao Zedong. But hey, he probably like Mao more than George Bush. Dollars to donuts.

So ideology aside, how effective is RED CORNER in purely cinematic terms? It actually is fairly well made, and reasonably suspenseful. The cast is attractive and capable, and the cinematography, editing and Jon Avnet's direction are all solid. There's a fairly ludicrous chase scene, but then what action movie doesn't have one of those. Thematically, as some have noted, it plays into latent fears of every American traveling or living abroad about what could happen if one gets into serious legal trouble in another country--especially, a country (any country) not known for protecting the rights of the accused. In short, even those who oppose the movie's political or cultural commentary can't deny it's a fairly effective piece of filmmaking.

Some will also find the movie of interest as a cultural snapshot of life in the rapidly developing, post-Mao China. It's a flawed picture, no doubt, but the film does evoke the tensions between the urbane neo-capitalists of the 90s and the Old Guard Communists in governmental, military and legal realms. It's a fuzzy picture, to be sure, and the movie can be faulted for heavyhandedness, but I cannot think of too many other dramtatic films that have even treated the topic of China's internal tensions at all, let alone any better than RED CORNER does. In that, it reminds of another cinematic attempt to portray some potentially profound changes in a Communist society; namely, the similarly themed, sometimes awkward mix of suspense and commentary, the 1985 Russian based potboiler WHITE NIGHTS.

Something I read recently reminded me that RED CORNER was released on the eve of a US visit by (I believe) Deng Xiouping. If the timing of the release was as cynical and manipulative as it appears to have been, then it really does undermine any serious message the film might have otherwise offered. Just what role (if any) Richard Gere might have had in this minor international embarrassment is unclear. It is pretty clear where his political sympathies lie and why he may have been drawn to the project. Still it would be a mistake to label Gere OR the film "anti-Chinese." Gere's court heroic, court appointed lawyer (played with real presence by the deservedly popular Bai Ling)serves as a reminder that there are concerned Chinese citizens out to foster and preserve justice. Like the "good German" or "good Russian" character of yore, she's there, at least in part, to remind us viewers that there are good people everywhere.

Like all people of good will, Gere and Co. are, in spirit, anti-tyranny and anti-injustice. Viewers will have to decide whether or not they make their statement sufficiently well.



January 1, 2008

You have to desire change from deep down in your mind

This is a poignant film about today's world and how change can come to a country, any country. In this case we are dealing with China. Corrupted people are framing up an American TV man in order to prevent a contract being signed that does not go in the right direction for their interests. The point is that the corrupted and plotting official is the son of a highly respected man, a son who was educated in the West and brought back his corruption, or at least a good knowledge and know how about it, from his foreign sojourn. He is using the opaque situation in changing China to cover up his dealings and has a little group of plotters and accomplices to manage his operations. But the film tries to show how the Chinese today are realizing from their own experience and history, even from their own culture that includes Mao Zedong and a couple other revolutionaries, that they have to change in their own minds and then change their country. This cannot come from outside, especially not from the US that is no model, neither social nor economic nor even political, but it has to come from inside, from deep down in the souls, the minds and the spirits of the Chinese. What is most difficult for us to understand is that the Chinese live on a completely different set of principles and concepts and that they have to invent a new open society from their very concepts and philosophy. Democracy for example cannot be the same thing in China and the USA or France, for the very simple reason that it is not the same in the USA, Great Britain, France of Italy, not to speak of Japan and Finland. There is not one model. There are many models that are therefore no models at all. The film very carefully and cautiously tries to show us how the mind of a person can open little by little when confronted to real life if that person is simply honest with himself or herself, with his or her own principles, with his or her conception of justice. This leads that person to considering the very concept of human being, of individual, of subject, of what is necessary for that individual to feel free and happy. The very point we are confronted to with China is that it is one fourth of humanity or so and no one has any interest in a brutal and uncontrolled change in a direction that is not carried and supported by the heritage of the country, its history, its culture. The United States have a strange but understandable reaction in front of the rest of the world because they are all the descendants of immigrants who left a culture and a history behind them to build out of conscious and willful choices a new history and a new culture, a heritage that became something that had to be built out of nothing or very little. They cannot understand that other countries will not be able to do any change that would break up the fabric and material of the country itself. If you did that you would provoke a ferocious reaction that could just wash you away in one wink of an eye. Actually the Americans today are not better or worse than other countries and peoples. If we from outside told them you have to rationalize your political system on the let's say German model, they would jump to the sky, and yet how can we accept that the political system is not the same in all the states, that citizens have to publicly declare themselves democrat or republican to be able to take part in the primaries, which goes against the very principle of democracy which is the secrecy of our political choices and our ballots. And If Europeans told the United States that they have to ban the death penalty within one or two or three years to be granted the privilege of being recognized as a democracy and keep the status of permanent veto-endowed member of the Security Council of the United Nations that could be withdrawn from them because of their not having banned the death penalty, they would react violently and viciously. Yet to join the European Community you have to ban the death penalty. This film is a marvelous demonstration of this fascinating question, even if it is slightly sentimental.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
December 23, 2007

Great action and drama

Yes..this can be touted as Richard gere tirade against China, ostensibly in support for Tibet cause, at least partially. Rather controversial !
**************** Spoiler comment below *************************
Richard plays a role of Satellite communications American Business man settled in China. He sleeps with a dancer who happens to be daughter of top military officer (rather strange !) and then finds wrongly accused of her murder on the night they meet. The rest of the movie involves a talented and courageous Ling Bai (Young attorney who herself has troubled past) trying to rescue him. The story has some twist but mostly drama including courtroom.
If you leave out Chineese this part, the movie has great action and drama. It is not a big suspense movie as we can guess early in the movie that some politian/High profile business man is involved. The acting of Ling Bai was brilliant. She really potrays the emotion of a woman who is talented and kind hearted woman who risks her own life to save innocent man. Gere is great as ever with but it is different experience to see him pounded.
The movie does have some flaws. Gere was attacked many times in prison and outside but the Judge doesn't pay attention to this ? Also how did the missing phone records come up when they were deleted. We see that the records were grabbed away by a man in mask. But how did they re-appear ? Where was the crucial locket found ?
Inspite of some goofs, the movie is still entertaining to see chinese setting and a helpless foreigner. The direction is great but music is just average. The chase scene involved Gere and police is brilliant. The most moving part is the friendship between Ling Bai and Gere which is nicely captured in the final scene. August 11, 2007

Red Corner with Richard Gere

Richard Gere plays Jack Moore, who works For McAndrews telecommunications a company that is about to make a billion dollar deal with Hoffco communications in China.

This detail is very important as you will see later on. Moore is seeing Hong Li, daughter of a strong military General named Hong.. Moore and Hong Li are having a good evening when Hong Li Receives a phone call from someone who apparently doesn't want to leave her alone. (I hate it when that happens.)

She says something in Chinese , "Mishu" I think and she tells Moore that it's nothing. Everything seems fine until Moore awakes the next day. He is awakened by Chinese policeman who are arresting him for some reason. Moore looks over and sees his girlfriend Hong Li covered in blood.

It seems that Moore (Gere) has been framed for the murder of his girlfriend . An anonymous call has been placed saying screams were heard. Photos of him with blood on his shirt were placed as proof putting him in the murder scene.

Moore goes into trial where he is defended by Shen Yueli, a Chinese lawyer (played excellently by Ling Bai.) At first Moore's trial goes against him and he stays in prison for the time being. Gere probably does probably his best acting, next to "Primal Fear", which was made in 1996. Gere and his Chinese lawyer do their best to find out who the real killer is before Time runs out. The film is actually quite good, though it has writing flaws that become evident. For instance as Gere's Lawyer tries to find out the phone records for Hong Li, she finds out that the records have been deleted , but then in another scene a friend of hers has gotten a hold of it because security wasn't there to stop him.

This only last for a minute though as Yueli and her friend are attacked by a masked villain who steals the records from her. The villain is later found to be Huang Mi Lu, a military soldier.. The most intriguing aspects of the film are the court room dramas where we see how Moore and Yuelin try to unravel this conspiracy of government traitors that has used him for their own purposes. Moore goes back to court and knowing that Mr. Huang Mi Lu is behind this scheme to set up him up questions him.


The movie is brilliantly directed by Jon Avnet who not only gives a very entertaining film that provides a first hand look into a communist country like China where human rights ,poverty and famine are still an issue, except for the fat cats of the country. It's a good little political thriller with a couple of twists that make it interesting. Recommended.
February 15, 2007

Red Corner...

Whatever you do, don't mess up in the People's Republic of China. That's the message I received from this film. Richard Gere and Bai Ling do an excellent job in this film. It's a wonder that the film didn't do any better than it did.

This was a good murder/suspense film. Richard Gere's character did really have everything on the line - with the U.S. Government helpless to help him. See for yourself...Four stars... February 3, 2007

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