A YARD OF JACKALS: Not Your Standard Political Thriller

A YARD OF JACKALS (Blu-ray)

2024 / 108 min

Indiepix

Review by Princess Pepper😺

When I finish a film thinking, “What the hell did I just watch?,” it generally means one of two things. Either it’s two hours of my life won’t get back, or the movie is so weird, surreal and intriguingly perplexing that it resonates long after the credits roll. The Chilean film, A Yard of Jackals is among the latter. 

It’s 1975, and Chile is ruled by a military dictatorship. Raul (Nestor Cantillana) lives in a small apartment where he cares for his ailing mother while earning a living constructing models commissioned by that same military. He’s also kind of sweet on Laura (Blanca Lewin), who operates a nearby shop with her younger sister (Maria Jesus Marcone).

His efforts to keep a low profile are put to the test when mysterious new neighbors move into the apartment next door, one of whom always seems omnipresent, watching Raul through windows or from his car on the street. Though never named, he’s played with subtle menace by Rodrigo Perez. It soon becomes clear that the apartment is being used to torture members of a political resistance movement.

Raul fiercely guards his laundry.

While that’s the nutshell plot, A Yard of Jackals does not unfold like a standard political thriller. In fact, it largely achieves the tone of a slow burning horror film, punctuated by an overall aesthetic that feels downright claustrophobic at times. The narrative is presented entirely from Raul’s point of view, which includes surreal sequences and imagery that kind of establish him as an unreliable narrator.

However, this isn’t a difficult story to follow, and for patient viewers, the way writer-director Diego Figueroa slowly builds dread is pretty impressive. But what really makes the film memorable is the climax and denouement, which I can almost guarantee you won’t see coming. If nothing else, it’s a shocker of a plot-twist, yet ultimately makes complete sense within the context of what’s previously transpired. 

At the same time, I can imagine some viewers considering that same twist to be a frustratingly ambiguous way to end a movie, perhaps feeling they just endured a two-hour bait & switch. I’ll also concede there are moments where the pace could’ve been just a little bit snappier. A Yard of Jackals is expanded from a short film also directed by Figueroa, and it sometimes kinda shows. Aside from that, it’s a quietly unnerving experience.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE - Features director and cast interviews.

IN-PICTURE COMMENTARY - By writer/director Diego Figueroa and filmmaker Inti Carrozo-Ortiz.

TRAILER

ON THE RUN: An Unusual Partnership

ON THE RUN (Blu-ray)

1988 / 89 min

88 Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Badass😸

I’ll say this much…this bleak and brutal Hong Kong action film doesn’t pull its punches. On the Run is the first film I’ve seen by director Alfred Cheung, and if this is indicative of his work, the guy’s got no qualms over killing off characters other directors might be compelled to spare. In this case, it adds some welcome unpredictability to an otherwise standard crime thriller, as does the unusual pairing of its two main protagonists.

Heung Ming (Yuen Biao) is a cop whose estranged wife (also a cop) is murdered by a mysterious assailant, Chui Pai (Pat Ha). Though his status in the department is pretty lowly, Heung vows to find the killer. When he manages to track Chui down and capture her, he informs his superintendent, Lui (Charlie Chin), so he can make the arrest. Instead, Lui sends his men to kill them both because the entire squad are corrupt, ruthless drug dealers.

Shouldn't have picked at it, Heung.

Here’s the interesting part…since Heung is framed for his wife’s murder, he and Chui end up on the run together with his young daughter, Lin, in tow. Not only do the two learn to trust each other, they make a formative team when turning the tables on their pursuers. In fact, Chui becomes every bit as protective of Lin as her father. This quasi-family dynamic is pretty engaging, and if nothing else, it’s certainly an unusual partnership for a film of this type.

Elsewhere, On the Run maintains a grim tone, punctuated by frequent bursts of action and bloody violence (with a notable emphasis on eye trauma), culminating in a histrionic climax that’s simultaneously satisfying and silly. The basic story itself - a manhunt for someone wrongly accused - is nothing new, but it’s presented with a lot of flair and includes some unexpectedly affecting moments. However, the tacked-on denouement, presented as a title card, feels arbitrary and unnecessary. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Running Away is an interview with director/co-writer Alfred Cheung; Predicting the Future is an interview/analysis with David West.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By podcasters Kenneth Brorsson and Pjil Gillon; 2) By Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto.

ALTERNATE ENDING - Pretty much the same as the original ending, minus one final scene.

HONG KONG TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new and original artwork.

THE ADVENTURERS: Andy Lau Brings the Pain

THE ADVENTURERS (Blu-ray)

1995 / 110 min

From Eureka Entertainment

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Badass😺

When this arrived, I initially thought it was a rerelease of an identically-titled film I once reviewed which also starred Andy Lau. And I had no problem with that. I generally enjoy Lau’s action movies and 2017’s The Adventurers was a fairly entertaining heist flick. But 1995’s The Adventurers is a completely different animal. It’s one of director Ringo Lam’s lesser-known films on this side of the pond, having never been released on Blu-ray until now.

Lay plays Wai Lok-yan, a Cambodian fighter pilot still traumatized from witnessing the murder of his entire family when he was a boy. The man who killed them is Ray Lui (Paul Chun), a treasonous former CIA operative who’s since become rich as an illegal arms dealer. Wai has had revenge on his mind ever since, and after a failed attempt to assassinate Ray, he’s recruited by the CIA to go undercover as a ganglord in order to help bring Ray (and his much bigger associates) to justice.

Andy Lau suffers for his art.

The job takes him to San Francisco, where he wastes no time taking over territories. He also insinuates himself into the life of Ray’s estranged daughter, Crystal (Jacklyn Wu), eventually marrying her to get closer to his target. The problem is he’s also fallen in love with her, which creates a moral quandary, especially after he learns she’s pregnant. And absolutely none of this sits well with Mona (Rosamund Kwan), Ray’s mistress with whom Wai enjoyed a brief tryst. 

It's occured to me that I’m making The Adventurers sound like a melodramatic soap opera. While some narrative elements reflect that, it’s primarily a violent, complex action film. Some of the story doesn’t always come across as plausible, but it’s certainly exciting, with some excellent action sequences. Lau has always been a solid physical & dramatic actor, and he’s in fine form here. As Ray, Chun makes a wonderfully hateful foe, while Kwan could sort-of be viewed as a femme fatale…and a compelling one at that.

The Adventurers is nowhere near as upbeat as the somewhat misleading title suggests. For the most part, the tone is dark and serious, compounded by brutal violence and a massive body count, especially during the kaboom-laden climax. For Andy Lau and Ringo Lam fans, this one-time collaboration is worth seeking out. 

On an amusing side note, the original poster (reproduced on the Blu-ray cover) shows Lau standing in front of a New York skyline, even though none of the movie takes place there.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - Two Adventurers features Asian Cinema journal editor Gary Bettinson, who thoroughly discusses the golden era of Hong Kong action films, focusing largely on director Ringo Lam and The Adventurers; Interview with writer-producer Sandy Shaw.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic David West.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes “Unconventional Heroism,” an essay by Han Joon Magnan Park; cast, crew & Blu-ray credits.

TRAILER