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BURNING PARADISE (1993) Burning Paradise is, on paper, a very standard kung fu film. The plot is simple and time tested. A legendary Shaolin patriot, Fong Sai-Yuk, escapes the burning of the Shaolin Temple and is on the run. He is cornered, captured and the elder monk with him is killed. Fong is then imprisoned in the Red Lotus Temple, where he encounters the wildly evil leader of the cult, Elder Kung and another legendary Shaolin patriot, Hung Hei-Kwun, who is apparently working for the bad guys. Before long, Hung is revealed to be a spy (which isn't really a surprise considering the fact that this guy is a well- known hero) so Fong and Hung then spend the rest of the movie trying to escape from the temple and bring down the Red Lotus Cult in the process. That Lam does something special with this humble setup is not surprising. He has shown a knack throughout his career for pulling something new out of tried and true formulas (his brilliant Prison on Fire being ample evidence of that). This film is no exception. Burning Paradise is simply a treat to watch. The art direction is superb. I quite confidently compare it to films like Blade Runner, Twelve Monkeys and Aliens in that it chooses unique and successful "look" for itself and plays it for maximum effect. From the desolation and isolation of the opening scenes in the desert to the claustrophobic and menacing Red Lotus Temple, every set, costume and prop serves to heighten the mood. At a time in Hong Kong when every period-piece looked as if it had been filmed with leftovers from Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China series, this film stands alone as a unique and visually exciting interpretation of a theme that has been played many times before. Another highlight is the demonic villain, the purely and unflinchingly evil Elder Kung. He deals death, pain and torment left and right and revels in it with diabolical glee. Lam is obviously playing Kung as the Devil and the Temple as his personal Hell and no interpretation could have worked better. The combination of the temple and its' master create scenes that combine implied danger and revulsion in a way that make Kung a perfect foil for the honor and heroism that the leads represent. The leads... If there is one thing I would change about this movie it's the casting of the leads. Neither is particularly inspiring in the acting department and neither is of the caliber of a Jet Li, Xiong Xin-Xin or Zhao Wen-Zhao in terms of their martial arts skill. They're both very good but neither possess the necessary grace to push a film like this over the top. I mean, if Jet Li played Fong Sai Yuk and Zhao Wen-Zhao played Hung Hei-Kwun I might be talking about the "Greatest Ever" instead of merely the excellent. That said, the leads are a minor concern with this film. The rest of it is so skillfully crafted and entertaining that cardboard cutouts would have made a decent replacement. The Temple itself more than makes up for their relative shortcomings. It is a labyrinth filled with deadly traps and unwholesome characters that practically hums with doom. This is a setting, and a film that should not be missed. ROB LARSEN Rob Larsen, a web designer by trade, has been writing about movies (with an emphasis on Hong Kong films) in print and on the web for nearly five years now. Formerly the Film Editor for Boston's Weekly Dig, Rob's film writing and interviews (with folks like Spike Lee, Donnie Yen, Darren Aronofsky and Jackie Chan) have also appeared in The Boston Metro, Shovel Magazine, and on his own site DrunkenFist.com
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