"Wind Voice": A Four不像 Movie Version of the Killing Game
By Tianya Murong
In October, the movie market enters another golden season. Compared to other main melody films that present grand and peaceful images, "Wind Voice" easily makes audiences forget its identity as a main melody film, with a tone and story that seem cold and dark. Fortunately, a highly suspenseful original story, combined with a well-paced rhythm, gives the film an image of step-by-step progression. Despite having many logical subplots, the film remains excellent overall. Thus, in terms of costumes, it is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. However, this masterpiece has a special situation - it is 四不像 (four不像).
Five staff members of the Wang Puppet Government are confined together due to the leakage of an intelligence clue. Although their characters are distinct, their statuses different, and their identities uncertain, they still cannot escape the interrogation and punishment by Japanese investigator Takeshi and the cunning Wang Tianxiang. In the end, some will die while others will survive.
The scene introducing the five characters uses three long shots stitched together, all filmed with a handheld camera for a moving long shot. First, there's Gu Xiaomeng played by Zhou Xun and Li Ningyu played by Li Bingbing, two translators who are like sisters. Next, there's Wu Zhiguo played by Zhang Hanyu and Jin Shenghuo played by Ying Da, a pair of mid-level officers, one civil and one military. Lastly, Bai Xiaonian, the effeminate commander's attendant, appears. Su Youpeng portrays a character entirely different from his previous screen image. The effeminate gestures and love for drama are merely external shells; the essence of this character combines gentleness and beauty. Therefore, his death is both brutal and unforgettable, tearing apart something beautiful without mercy.
After clarifying the relationships between the characters, let's look at the external form characteristics of "Wind Voice". First, this is a film that shines through its environment, building a setting for the development of the plot through the cramped feeling of a closed space and a unique layout structure. The eerie castle-like architecture, dim indoor lighting, inexplicable foreign harmonies, combined with Ye Jintian's meticulous yet overly complex art design, perfectly restore the era while creating a special segmented environment on the screen. There is no sound of the marketplace or crowds here. What exists are living people each harboring their own thoughts, and the intricate relationships they create.
Most films set in closed spaces are related to crime. Of course, black comedies are not uncommon either. This summer's low-budget "Night Store" was a fusion of these two genres. "Wind Voice" has a more thorough and stubborn closure. The few outdoor scenes are dominated by dark tones, with the sea serving as a backdrop of hidden currents.
Furthermore, this is a detective-style film. At this point, this story inevitably reminds one of Conan. The insider "Old Ghost" is hidden like the murderer in a young detective story, and the rules are indeed similar. And just like "There can only be one truth," those revealed first are often not the true hidden ones. In young assassination stories, those who speak in a strange manner and give orders arrogantly are not the real culprits but die first. Therefore, Li Ningyu, who gets the most close-up shots of facial expressions, and Jin Shenghuo, whose nervousness is evident on his face, are all deliberately set up by the director. The former always looks "righteous," while the latter's nervousness leads him to his doom. If you are familiar with this type of story, you would immediately know that a cunning fox does not "show off." Intuition comes from details, which serve as evidence when making habitual deductions. Habits are both conventional and named logic. Clearly, from a logical perspective, it's not them.
Thus, when Bai Xiaonian's death presents the first tragedy and the first punishment, habitual detectives should know that Old Ghost will ultimately be decided between Wu Zhiguo played by Zhang Hanyu and Gu Xiaomeng played by Zhou Xun. Meanwhile, if one takes another step further, Wang Tianxiang played by Wang Zhiwen is always flawless, and even the limping commander seems like a more terrifying alternative answer disturbing you. If the viewer hasn't fallen behind by now, following or closely adhering to the director's thoughts, waiting for the breakdown and crying scene between Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing to arrive, then the logical deduction part of this movie can score above passing marks.
During this time, it's akin to creating puzzles step by step. Afterward, the movie becomes a rapid unraveling after the secrets are revealed, and an extra segment of main melody is forced upon you.
However, don't forget the third feature of "Wind Voice", that is, the spy warfare of enemy advance and self-retreat + SM-like cruel punishments. This is the ace that truly pushes this film into the center of controversy. Mai Jia's story source, which is detached from reality yet based on reality, along with the special background of the Wang Puppet period, provides fertile ground for spy warfare. The logical reasoning style, such as the complex relationships among characters, gives it the power to engage the audience. Carefully counting, the depiction of spy warfare in the film seems quite limited: the extensive use of Morse code, changes in the tune of shadow puppetry, and the trick of using tape to counter eavesdropping devices all become important tools to complete the circle of logic in the final revelation, helping the director finish this story. If you are fixated on or trying to find imbalances and loopholes within it, why not ask why Wang Tianxiang mysteriously protects Gu Xiaomeng, how Gu Xiaomeng escapes handcuffs, and why Jin Shenghuo under house arrest has a gun? etc., etc. The logical bugs in the movie and the unequal laws in action films (adults can't beat children, men can't beat women, the young can't beat the old, fewer people can't beat more) similarly provoke helplessness. This isn't your primary purpose for watching the movie. These are just arcs appearing so the story can come full circle.
However, opinions on the torture scene have completely polarized. Supporters believe it reflects the brutality of the enemy and the dangers of revolution, while opponents think it's a gimmick for commercial promotion, with excessive bloodshed driven more by curiosity than narrative necessity. Upon reflection, directors Gao Qunshu and Chen Guofu are good at crafting scenes but not emotions. In the opening episode of Gao's famous TV series "Conquer," multiple crime shooting scenes are recreated to deepen impressions before Liu Huqiang's intimidating entrance, which is a hypnotic disaster of strong cinematic techniques. Thus, the predictable outcome of the tortures in "Wind Voice" can be foreseen. In the castration of Bai Xiaonian, we hear the sounds but do not see the actions, although the method is correct, it clearly lacks depth. Recalling the beginning where the female assassin responsible for the killing is shown through acupuncture, the display is as follows: a red high heel, bloodstains, body, and finally, a close-up of the face. Although progressive, it lacks gradual revelation and instead has a straightforward presentation. Thus, when Zhang Hanyu's body trembles amidst the roaring electric shock device, and Zhou Xun encounters a sexually suggestive rope punishment, the characters' pain is replaced by surface destruction, failing to make the audience feel the empathetic pain. So you know, these are all minor issues. Thus, an interesting phenomenon occurs: when the director tries hard to render the torture, people don't feel the importance of revolution and faith, only curiosity. For example, the major torture is actually the anatomy lesson delivered by Huang Xiaoming's Japanese officer Takeshi connected to Li Bingbing's nudity scandal. Does this represent destruction? Or is it a need for commercial news points? When the director wants to be subtle, terrible things happen again. Barking dogs don't bite (absolutely no derogatory intent), Six Grandpa's needles can take away one's soul. Teacher Wu Gang once again delivers a performance worthy of being called a veteran actor. This character has none of the actor Wu Gang's traits. I admit that since "Glory's Anger," I've been a big fan. Watching through, every show is brilliant, every role unforgettable. That finger brushing over a row of silver needles is simply painful to the heart, chilling. Thus, cruelty is not manufactured. Torture is not an omnipotent key. Here, the film is not a simple closed-space movie, not a simple logic puzzle, not an ordinary spy war movie. After the dialogue scene (or breakdown scene) that drains the strength of two actresses and the truth is revealed, when the movie uses a closed space to build the narrative environment, clothing consignment, spy war establishes enemy-ally relationships, confirms the righteous and evil sides, and uses punishment to create sensory stimulation, linking the story with reasoning and pushing everything to a climax! After these three unlikes —— the most unlike comes last. That is, the very ending reminiscent of "No Thieves in the World."
Actually, you can say "Wind Voice" resembles a closed-space movie, a mystery film, or a spy story, but what it least resembles is a main melody film. This main melody mark feels like a forcibly attached label, somewhat annoying. Seeing the cheongsam lace, having Zhou Xun deliver the exact same voice-over narration outside the picture is obviously not smart, and justice doesn't require personally slaying evil for a satisfying conclusion, does it? The killing of Huang Xiaoming in the entire film doesn't contribute much to emotional rendering and seems rather abrupt. Thus, the film least resembles a non-"main melody" main melody.
In terms of acting, Li Bingbing stands out due to her heavy role, consistently holding back in large portions of the play, doing so appropriately and accurately capturing Li Ningyu's reserve. Hopefully, she can maintain this. She learned the single-eye tear technique during the nude scene, which works quite effectively. Zhou Xun was a bit jarring in the early parts, but naturally became the familiar actress we know after the restaurant dispute scene. There's nothing to say about Ying Da, he doesn't stand out, doesn't draw attention, and completes his task perfectly. Su Youpeng's role is very striking, and his demeanor is crucial. Huang Xiaoming plays the villain deeply ingrained tactic, explaining why his character must die, and it's likely that the director didn't initially intend to portray him as a villain. Zhang Hanyu continues to be steady, and this actor needs time. His biggest issue isn't acting, but how to handle the transition between righteousness and evil. Compared to his past police roles, his recent performances are all characters walking the line between good and evil, each worth reconsideration. As for Wang Zhiwen, I admire his performance greatly. Judging solely by performance, he is the best in the entire film.
Technically, Jake Pollock's cinematography extensively uses the one-shot method. The aerial photography, however, seems somewhat perfunctory. Moreover, the portion before entering the enclosed space involves excessive handheld filming, though the director's intention to innovate cinematically for this piece isn't wrong, far surpassing the frequent black screen switches in the previous work "Tokyo Trial" which left one speechless. However, the editing still seems somewhat rough. By comparison, Oshima Michiru's original soundtrack is mediocre, the main melody in the soundtrack falls short of being a highlight, but the piano during dialogues qualifies as decent.
To sum up, a film that magnifies the closed space moment by moment, constructs enemy-ally relationships with espionage, grabs attention with torture, develops the plot with reasoning, and finally elevates itself to a main melody —— the analysis of "Wind Voice" concludes here. The description "四不像" given to this film is not belittling, but rather a description of a film that defies categorization. This thing is just like the "killing game" we're familiar with. Only the time, opponents, and location have changed. The Japanese officer and Professor Wang Zhiwen, who strive to participate, are the "pseudo-enforcers," seemingly understanding everything yet being toyed around. Zhou Xun is the supremely intelligent killer who captivates everyone with her acting. The rest of the cast follows her, catching ghosts incessantly or sacrificing futilely or breaking free after struggling. Finally, remember that the director is the judge, who can set their own rules and enjoy themselves immensely. We are the clever or foolish observers on the side. Sometimes, we think the story is clear, only to encounter unexpected twists. Sometimes, we know the players in the game aren't smart enough or the gameplay isn't reasonable, yet we can't change anything. We can only perk up our ears and listen to the wind. Hearing people laugh or cry, listening to who is the ghost and who is innocent. Listening to who is lurking, and who is just playing along.
Overall Quality: ★★★★☆
Actors' Performance: ★★★★☆
Audiovisual Effects: ★★★★☆
Entertainment Index: ★★★★☆