The scenes in this extraordinary place unfold slowly, building a powerful and abiding picture of the ugliness that man can visit on nature. Power by murder is the method of the lords of the underworld in Shanghai and Las Vegas. The difference between the two lies in the nature of the appalling cruelty.
American violence is usually quick.
But, odd as it seems, the American sensibility is especially violated by torture and by crimes against children. That said, this film is an absorbing look at an unfamiliar culture. Director Zhang Yimou makes sure we see the entire story through the eyes of the young boy. It is very effective, often devastating, because we are always aware it is not just we, but also the boy, who must see the unfolding horror as it destroys his innocence and steals his childhood. Moving from the dim murkiness of the city into the bright glitz of the nightclub where Bijou sings is an unexpected, fascinating contrast.