Mean Creek

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“If you could snap your fingers and he'd drop dead in his tracks, would
you do it?�

There are those who seem to deserve whatever happens to them. George is a bully. He's been held back in school, so he's older and bigger than the other kids and he bullies them, especially Sam. Sam's girlfriend Millie asks Sam the question quoted above. Sam just looks at her, never saying “yes,� but also never saying “no.�

Sam's older brother and his friends plan a way to get revenge on George. The plot involves a boat trip down a river. But as we learn more about George, we begin to understand a little bit about why he acts out. We may even begin to have some sympathy for George, but he continues to push everyone's buttons. Pushing buttons creates animosity, and that animosity gives him some sense of control over his world, even if it is a destructive force.

There are loads of films where viewers are invited to relish the revenge that is exacted upon someone as vile as George. But Mean Creek doesn't glory in the revenge, instead we are shown a much darker side. When the revenge comes, we do not welcome it; we are ashamed. Is there a qualitative difference between bullying a bully as opposed to what the bully does to others? What is an "adequate measure of revenge," and what is too far?

Writer-Director Jacob Aaron Estes was awarded a Nicholl Fellowship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for this script in 1998. It marks him as a fresh young talent. This film gets him off to a wonderful start. This is a very modestly priced film, and has the look and feel of a low budget film, but it delivers a great artistic return for the small investment.

One of the most striking things about the film is the near total absence of adults. We are put directly into the world of these children. Within the film, there is also a significant absence of some important adults in the lives of the children. Some of the children come from broken homes, some have experienced deaths of parents, some we never quite know about. But throughout the story, they rely on themselves for every decision they have to make. And eventually, those decisions become very important, and deal very clearly with right and wrong. Even as they speak about ethics, they are making their choices for right or wrong on their own. They do not seek the help of the adults in their lives.

This gives the story a bit of the feel of Lord of the Flies, in which a group of well-mannered schoolboys become stranded on an island and revert to a cruel and violent nature. As in Lord of the Flies, the "innocence of childhood" is in stark contrast to what they do. (Well, these kids aren't that innocent, in fact, we don't want to see what they are capable of.) The natural setting of the film as they travel down the river adds to this feel. But these children do not completely lose their moral compass. They do know what is right and what is wrong. The difficulty comes in doing what they know to be right.

There is a section of the film, after a key dramatic action, in which we spend a good deal of time just looking at the children and their responses. There is no dialogue, just the shock that they register in their faces and body language. This goes on so long that viewers begins to feel uncomfortable because we sense that we are looking in on something so intimate that we need to turn away. That sense of discomfort helps to bring us even more deeply into the spiritual and psychological trauma that these children are experiencing.

One of the key elements in this film is forgiveness. How do we forgive others for the terrible things they have done? How do we come to grips with a past that has hurt us, if there is no way to address that hurt? And most importantly, how do we forgive ourselves for things we have done?

Mean Creek will probably be well below the radar for many moviegoers (it's being shown on only 23 screens nationwide as this review is being written). It could prove, though, to be one of the most compelling stories we see this year. Searching for it would be well worth the effort.

Hero

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China is, of course, a land of long and magnificent history. More than 2000 years ago, the land that is now China was a variety of warring territories that eventually were united through the conquest of the Qin (or Chin) dynasty. The uniting of China so long ago is still an important idea in China, so the independence of Taiwan (and until fairly recently, the British hold on Hong Kong) continues, in the minds of the Chinese, to be a way that China remains divided. This film comes out of mainland China, and clearly reflects the attitude that all of China should be one.

Hero takes place during that ancient time when the mainland was divided. The Qin king lives in isolation, no one is allowed within a hundred paces to prevent assassins from coming near him. Into the palace comes a nameless man with a claim to have killed three extremely skilled assassins. To receive his reward, he recounts to the King how he overcame each of them. But is everything as he said? The king questions his account. Perhaps this man is an assassin himself.

The story is told and retold with different color schemes: the first version done in blue, the second in red, the third in white (plus a flashback in green). As the colors change, we see, not different perspectives but different possibilities, as each one explores deeper and deeper into the truth. The variations make for a kaleidoscopic effect to the story.

Zhang Yimou has created a stunning epic. The huge scale, use of color, and beautiful cinematography make this as much a piece of visual art as of storytelling. The martial arts scenes, reminiscent of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, are awe-inspiring. The story engages mind and emotion and draws us into the mystery of where the truth lies. Hero is one of those near perfect blends of visual and story that film makes possible.

It is epic in that it gives China's history and unity a sense of meaning. No doubt the Chinese government censors are pleased with the "One China" message that the film affirms. Certainly China (namesake of the Qin dynasty) continues to think of itself as misunderstood and only seeking the good of all its people, as the Qin king reflects in the film. But even with that focus, this really isn't a simple propaganda film in support of the Communist regime.

One of the aspects of the film adding to the visual beauty, is the way it treats violence. This is very much a martial arts film. Yet, in spite of the nature of martial arts, violence is not glorified in this film. The fight scenes are made into something beautiful, but they are beautiful in part because there is so little blood shed. When blood is seen, it actually serves to remind us just how precious blood is.

As the film moves towards it climax, it begins to show us that violence is not the answer. To describe the ways this message is conveyed would require too much information; it could spoil your experience. But the message is made clear in a number of ways. In the end, we know that it is not by killing that peace will come.

Although the political issues may discourage some, the beauty of film and the way the story is told are reward enough in themselves for seeing this film. Even the politics should open our minds to thinking not only about China but also about the way we often look at what it means and costs to be united as a nation.