Decent Noir, but not great

Rating: 6/10 (16 January 2003)

I've been trying to catch up on classics, and "Chinatown" was available at my local library so why not?
To be honest, I wasn't really impressed. What "Chinatown" has going for it is good cinematography and a decent cast. I found the plot disappointing. It was okay, but really not much better than mystery movies coming out of Hollywood today. Just weave a complicated web of deceit and then slowly unravel it. It's a tried and true formula, and I don't think that "Chinatown" did it particularly better or different.
I know I could get flamed for this, but I didn't really appreciate the harsh treatment of the Chinese in this movie. Most of the recurring Chinese characters are menial servants, and of course Chinatown itself is a metaphor for the scum of humanity. Now I know that most Chinatowns are or were at some point the red-light districts for their respective metro areas, but, "Forget it, it's Chinatown." Can you blame an Asian for being slightly offended by this flick?
****Spoiler****
Finally I didn't particularly enjoy the sleezy, pedophilic twist towards the end regarding the incestuous nature of Cross and Katherine. Perhaps my perspective is affected by my knowing that Polanski himself was charged with raping a minor and consequently fled the U.S. To me, this taints the movie and makes me feel that this particular plot twist was more than just a step to move the plot on.
***end Spoiler ***
Overall, I give Chinatown a 6/10. It has great style but average substance, and in my mind it doesn't stand the test of time. It wouldn't make my top 100.