Zhou chu chu san hai

This extremely entertaining Taiwanese neo-noir works both as a pitch-black comedy and as a slick action thriller.

Lone hitman Chen Kui-lin, the film's protagonist, enters the scene with swaggering charisma, murders a gangster, then proceeds to daringly escape from policemen through buildings and rooftops. All of this shot with plenty of energy and bravado. And that's just the first 15-20 minutes of the film.

Soon he learns he's got stage four lung cancer, news that, understandably, put him in a depressive mood. But then he finds out he's only the third most wanted criminal in Taiwan, so he sets out to eliminate his competition before time runs out.

The premise is promising and lets you know you're in for some premium east Asian fatalism. You know that mix of melancholy and unpredictable, extreme violence that permeated the works of, say, Kim Jee-woon or Park Hoon-jung? Couple that with some twisted humor and you've got a winner.

In fact, I've mentioned those directors because this film has distinct two halves, and the first one resembles A Bittersweet Life or Night in Paradise somewhat. Until the second hour, it's a crime thriller with bursts of solid action, polished to a fault. Then it turns into a contemplative drama that reveals the film's more spiritual, reflective side. But surprises are still in store for the viewer.

I love tonally uneven genre films and this one sure fits the bill. Some might not like how it swerves into so many directions before settling down, but I felt like it only added to its charm. Director Wong Ching-Po isn't new to this type of film (if you've seen Revenge: A Love Story, you'll have some indication about how this one turned out), and his script extracts some great performances from the actors. Ethan Juan, as a homicidal protagonist, and Yi-wen Chen, very memorable as a spiritual leader, are standouts.

In all, this is a technically polished, fantastically shot and scored crime thriller which offers more than just surface-level genre pleasures. It's also got a deeply cynical worldview and an aura of eccentricism that work in its favor. Big recommendation.