Ning Hao’s 2006 heist film was shot on dv for a song, but damn the film sings. The low-rent production and high-concept pitch (it’s Ocean’s Eleven in China) both fade from memory a few moments in. Yes, it’s a heist film–but it’s also a parody of heist films. Where Soderbergh’s slick cons run elaborate, high-tech scams on gangsters with deep pockets, here a rare jade (found during digging at a small-time factory) is guarded by a dedicated but woefully unresourced security chief, and sought by a couple of crews of generally half-assed thieves. (There is one high-profile expert jewel thief, and his smarts get him nowhere.)
The film is also technically devious–Ning often shows us an event, then cuts to another scene which we slowly realize is a rewind, bringing us back into the earlier event from another angle. There’s split-screen play, some loopy and glorious foot-chases. The filmmaking is joyous, the acting just as playful. I can’t recall how I came upon this, but it was great good fun, and I’m going to watch Ning’s earlier film and keep an eye out for those coming….