After the fascinating In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-Wai drags us into his world of feelings , into his world of passion through the film 2046 . “Romanticism means you follow your heart more than your mind,” Wong said in his Hong Kong promotion. “If that’s the case, my films are 75% romantic; the other 25% is the realities, the problem solving and luck.” As for himself, he laughs and says he’s “60% romantic.” Which sounds as if the other 40% were talking. “When we fall in love we wonder: Will they change? Will I change? How can we make this moment last forever? This was the beginning of my film”- added Wong.
The plot ? When last seen, at the end of in the Mood for Love, Chow was mourning a failed affair with Su Lizhen (Maggie Cheung) and making a pilgrimage to the ruins of Angkor Wat. He was told that to bury a sad secret, one should find an ancient hole, whisper the secret into it, then cover it up. That was 1967. It’s a few years later, and Chow has taken residence in room 2046 of the Oriental Hotel, where several bewitching women cross his path. One is Lulu (Carina Lau), who traps herself in a series of volcanic affairs. “She didn’t mind sad endings,” Chow notes in the film’s narration.
A mysterious woman, only known as Black Spider, quietly walks into his life and brings back his lost memory, the memory of the time he spent with an married woman named Su Li-Zhen (Maggie Cheung). Black Spider helps the writer to win back his money then he could buy a ticket returning to Hong Kong. She refused to share her past with him, except her name, which is also Su Li-Zhen (Gong Li).
However, a question remains: is the movie good? And the answer is no. It’s wonderful—a rich, glamorous and acutely human work with superb performances by Leung and the four gorgeous actresses. The result : a romantic masterpiece where he depicts the troubled hearts of people who have the attitude but not always the aptitude for love.
My sound advice : Don’t miss it as it’s a superb piece of art. Yet, if you have ever been in love , you may feel this is the love you had always been looking for… and feel blue!! It’s your choice !!
