Fallen Angels

The Brief

A visually innovative, neon-drenched and melancholic film from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. Fallen Angels was made in the wake of Chungking Express and shares much with its predecessor: the setting (Hong Kong), love-struck characters wandering alone through neon-lit nights, and - above all - its striking, slightly frenetic aesthetic, with extensive use of wide-angle lenses and motion blur. The film follows a hitman, Wong, and his young female accomplice, who is hopelessly and obsessively in love with him. They rarely meet, yet she maintains a desperate one-sided relationship through the objects he has touched and the spaces he has occupied - even a bed he once slept in. We also encounter another young man, He, who is mute and roams the city at night, breaking into closed shops and forcing unsuspecting strangers to consume absurd amounts of ice cream. Fallen Angels contains several subtle references to Chungking Express (such as the expired pineapple cans and the Midnight Express snack bar), and can in some ways be seen as a loose follow-up. It is darker and more blue-toned, but retains the same nostalgic, melancholic atmosphere and understated humor. It’s also a film that rewards repeated viewings. Good to know: * Subtitles: Norwegian