This films is certainly going to be more of an acquired taste than a lot of films, but I thought it was a damn good film about 4 vastly different people from different provinces driven to pretty violent acts. The film's violence is far more shocking since each character's story, prior to its climax, is quiet and naturalistic. So, in turn, I believe that makes the eventual violent climax that much more powerful and impacting. Because of that, I believe people who don't like it will point to the film's quiet parts and deliberate pace as part of its negatives. Not that I can blame them, as I don't think the story, which has plenty of social commentary about corruption and the effects of globalization on people of lower-to-middle class. I also think the quieter and deliberate pace helps paint a poetic picture of contemporary China, it all feels real. Granted, the film is inspired by true events, but Zhang Ke Jia's way of directing and writing helps add a little bit of realism to each character instead of it feeling like an exaggerated version of someone real. The violence itself is pretty graphic, particularly for someone like Ke Jia, whose known for his quiet and surreal views of contemporary China. But it doesn't feel gratuitous, it just feels like it's a natural culmination of each story you watch. These are people, at least 3 of them, that are pushed to their absolute limits before they finally decide to push back against those who, they feel, is wronging them. Again, it's certainly not a film that's gonna connect with everyone, some parts of the film didn't really click with me entirely to be honest, but I still found it a quietly compelling film.

Strong stories overpower the more mediocre ones in telling the tale of those left out of China's booming economy. The reactions are violent and jarring but nonetheless noteworthy