Review: Jeez where do I start? Do I begin with the amazing story or the unrivalled performance of Bai Ling (ANNA AND THE KING)? How about Chris Doyle’s magnificent photography or the beautiful color schemes of the film? No? What about the haunting music by Chan Kwong-Wing or the creative direction by Fruit Chan? This is just too difficult. The whole film was somewhat of an orgasmic experience that felt almost taboo. The subject matter is truly disturbing, so it’s hard to explain how great this movie is without sounding like a maniacal serial killer.

DUMPLINGS is not so much a horror film as it is an artistic, dramatic, thriller. It has some seriously shocking and disturbing scenes that will surely go down in the books, but they are not scary per se. “Disturbing” seems to be the reigning descriptive term that accurately depicts the film in its entirety. The terror comes from inside the individual, not from ghosts and goblins. Since DUMPLINGS revolves around dumplings (and its respected special ingredient), it was inevitable that it would be compared to the buns in Herman Yau’s UNTOLD STORY. Both films are unique in their own right though. It’s not a fair assumption to go into DUMPLINGS thinking that it is just going to be another UNTOLD STORY rip-off. That is simply not the case. Both films have their fair share of shocking scenes, intriguing characters, gore, nudity and all the Chinese delicacies you can eat. Both works also received the infamous category III rating, which is the worst rating a film can get in Hong Kong. Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed UNTOLD STORY, I felt that DUMPLINGS is the superior film when it boils down to it. No doubt about it.

The great Christopher Doyle (AWAY WITH WORDS) utilizes his godlike skills with the camera to aid both the director and the cast. Chan Kwong-Ming’s score impacted the outcome of the film almost as much as the photography with a GODFATHER sounding theme that was found throughout the movie. But everything really came together thanks to Director Fruit Chan (HOLLYWOOD HONG KONG, PUBLIC TOILET), who surely can be called one of the most prolific and refreshing filmmakers in Hong Kong today. Chan creates an environment in DUMPLINGS that never feels safe but somehow manages to still feel like home at the same time. It’s so weird to think how comfortable he can make you feel while watching some of the most horrifying and disgusting scenes of all-time. He also seems to really get the most out of his cast, which is particularly true with my new favorite actress.

Bai Ling, Bai Ling, Bai Ling. What a fantastic performance she gave as Mei. Without being too familiar with her previous work, I had no idea what to expect, but she certainly was the star of the film. She undoubtedly deserves endless praise. Miriam Yeung (LOVE UNDERCOVER), who is typically cast in comedic roles, did a fantastic job as the aging and lonely Mrs. Lee with money to burn. And as expected, Tony Leung Ka Fei (DRAGON INN) delivered an expectedly great performance. Since the main focus of the film revolves around only three major players, it was vital that the cast have a strong rapport with each other, which seemed to come naturally. Each actor complimented the others’ talents very well.