...the...ooooof!!...oh-so deliciously diabolical, serpen-twining storyline that deftly makes up the sly and sensual 18th century Pierre Chodolos de Laclos novel, 'Les Liaisons dangereuses' is an intriguing odd-bird, as far as classic novels go, in that the ensuing events depicted therein, ideally coupled with the associated and sinister character cross-play within the story are just as intricately compelling and appreciative...perhaps even a bit more so...than the final outcome of the story, itself...the journey, more alluring satisfying than the destination, or the prize...you know, the old adage of 'getting there is half the fun'...very much comparably akin to that of not only appreciatively beholding strikingly beautiful tapestry, as a whole, but also having an equally, if not higher regard for each and every stitch, in the tapestry's material. Reaching as far back as director Roger Vadim's 1959 rendition of the compellingly timeless tale (...the first, to take liberty in uniquely retooling the original story's proceedings and morality, to a different time and place...in that case, adeptly melding it into the social niche of a jazzy-accented, contemporary 1950's France), this literary observation is never more comparatively poignant, in noting the varied and eclectic cinematic renditions of the classic literary work, over the years...that is, with the added inclusive and engaging intrigue, associated with the performances, themselves...making the proceedings all the more engaging...the perfectly coupled performers, bringing with them, an equally adept and engaging character chemistry. To varying degree, this has effectively, assuredly & readily worked quite appropriately in previous, well-received and critically acclaimed filmed versions...and respectably joining that honored and revered fold, the exotically sensuous and devilishly sinister 2012 Chinese production, "Wi-heom-han gyan-gye"...otherwise known as "Dangerous Liaisons"...
...despite the setting now transplanted to a glitzy and glamorous, albeit tumultuous, pre-war, early 1930's Shanghai, director Jin-ho Hur's marvelous take on this deviously manipulative power play melodrama remains the same: Xie Yifan, a rather successful, well-to-do business socialite, with a roguish, devil-may-care penchant for disposably seducing women, is made privy of yet another potential conquest, in the form his uncle's granddaughter, Du Fenyu, who has just arrived from a Japanese-occupied Manchuria, having recently been widowed. During a glitzy socialite benefit party, Yifan rekindles his acquaintance with an old girlfriend, Mo Jeiyu, who is now a local bank's seasoned chairperson, and despite having an underlining desired and passionate appreciation for Yifan's company in the past, never really succumbed to his seductively wily ways, despite persistent advances on his part; besides, Jeiyu has her vengeful sights set on striking a blow onto Jin Zhihuan, a business tycoon who humiliated her. In retort, she asks Yifan to deflower Zhihuan's teenage beau, Beibei. Appearingly less interested in taking up Jeiyu's request, and more interested in pursuing the seemingly chaste and innocent Fenyu, Jeiyu sees this observation as prime opportunity to engage a covert and indulgent little game with her ex-beau: If he successfully seduces, then abandons the unsuspecting Fenyu, Jeiyu will finally relent, and allow Yifan a single night with her. Accepting the proposal, it proves easier said than done, as Fenyu proves initially less than open to Yifan's charms...
...returning to her efforts to get back at Zhihuan, Jeiyu turns her attentions towards corruptively coercing a lurid romance between the naive Beibei and a young and unassuming, aspiring artist, whom Beibei appears smitten with; however, Jeiyu's determinant pressured efforts to push this romance along, backfires, and the proposed coupling is instead nullified and repelled. Beibei, now wrought with sadness, is 'sympathetically' taken in by Jeiyu, with the underlining purpose of having Yifan...uh, comfort her, in his own imitable fashion, as an added bonus to the wager. Successfully performing in that respect, Yifan returns to his task at hand...seducing the unwary Fenyu; however, as Fenyu seemingly and finally believes that Yifan is true to his devotion and intent, something appears to pass between them...a seemingly emotional connection. Is Yifan genuinely falling for the now succumbing Fenyu?? Or is this all part of the ruse...in order to attain the prize, stemming from a most despicable game of hearts, and culminating in a cache of sinister plotting, betrayal, lost honor, broken hearts...and much worse...
...once again, despite a familiar and well-read tale of deviously manipulative power play, with the filthy rich, coldly playing with people's hearts...just because they can...this uniquely and unconventionally retooled rendition of the classic is made renewed and freshened, with the ensemble of players having adeptly and skillfully embraced the characters requested of them...giving them life, in the sense that despite the coercing human 'facade', which the viewer consciously sees in the onset, in engaging this sensuous and tension-filled soap opera, one can eventually see the 'beast' behind the disguise. South Korean born Jang Dong-gun, an up and coming performer, probably best known domestically, as the martial arts anti-hero loner protagonist, in 2010's "The Warrior's Way", is calculatingly smooth and cold...undeniably and voraciously wolf-like, as Yifan...for lack of a better term, a 'serial seducer', who feels nothing other than for himself, in hunting, capturing, using and discarding his countless unwary conquests, in a trivially matter-of-fact way...not unlike that of used, disposable tissue. Jeiyu, the definitive 'snake' in this story's manipulatively assorted affairs, is deliciously devilish, as keenly portrayed by Hong Kong actress and pop singer Cecelia Cheung...giving the viewer an embraceably villainous characterization of one whose self-serving desires and clearly diabolical intent knows no bounds, no matter what happens...or who she hurts...that is, without being too over-the-top, in the execution of performance, as opposed to the same character, rendered in other filmed versions (...with the latter dubious honor still remaining beholden of award-winning actress Glenn Close, in the lavishly prerequisite 1988 Tinsel-town production). And in the fawn-like, youthfully naive, albeit measurably and seasonably wary role of Fenyu, the beautifully diminutive and equally seasoned Zhang Zyi, whom most will remember from her noteworthy performances in 2000's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", 2002's "Hero", 2004's "House of Flying Daggers", and on these shores, a villainous role unto her own, with 2001's "Rush Hour 2"...
...as incorrigibly manipulative as the more nefarious characters herein are, in this unconventionally, albeit effectively restaged variation of the classic "Dangerous Liaisons", the film itself is equally, if not cleverly manipulative on an emotionally captivating level, despite any suggested familiarity with the story, and surprisingly enough, without assuming the level of camp, which has been evident in previous takes on this classically torrid tale. A very satisfying rendition, this is...worthy of it's original inspiration...
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