Dangerous Liaisons (2012) User Reviews (8)

Mysteries of the Orient.

[Jonathon_Natsis · 7/10 · 24 May 2014]

An adaptation of the two hundred year old French novel of the same name, director Jin-ho Hur's Dangerous Liaisons remains fairly faithful to the book, with the noticeable exception of landing the story in 1930s China.

In a world where power is as metaphysical as it is monetary, the sensual and conniving Miss Mo (Cecilia Cheung) enlists the allure of notorious playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-gun) to help her toy with the relationships of unsuspecting acquaintances. When the cruel pair makes a bet that Yifan has no hope of seducing the prim and proper Du Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi)- a wager neither party has even considered losing- matters begin to spiral out of control as young lovers Beibei and Dai are thrown into the mix and the human element rears its ugly head.

The film looks fantastic. The overall camera-work is inspired and dynamic, while the interior cinematography is tinged with a golden hue that gives each scene a unique and stunning richness. Exterior shots are almost Snyder-esque, making modest use of computer-generated imagery to recreate post-WW1 Shanghai in all its splendour.

But aesthetic appeal aside, the strength of this film rests on its characters. Here the audience is presented with a couple of individuals who have achieved great success in their own lives by blocking out their natural human states and manipulating 'weaker-minded' counterparts for their own amusement. As a result, the film accommodates a lot of intrigue when these raw emotions inevitably boil over and consume them.

Unfortunately, Hur's ambition in attempting to weave a multitude of arcs together during the third act gets the better of him, as a need to neatly wrap up the holistic plot overwhelms the emotional investment placed in each solitary character. As the closing credits roll, it becomes apparent that Dangerous Liaisons lacked the urgency and genuine thrill demanded, or at least permitted, by the subject matter.

It is bittersweet, then, to assert that the film stumbles at the final hurdle when everything leading up to that point is actually quite fascinating. No character is omitted from the story for any extended time, motifs in the form of letters, mirrors and closed doors intelligently hint at the exclusive, secluded world these people live in and the epilogue is rare in that it is both cathartic and memorable in the way that many others are not.

At its core, Dangerous Liaisons is an atypical and worthwhile tragic love story; Shakespearean in enterprise despite lacking in execution.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on [e-mail] and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*

Love can't stand the test

[z-59713 · 7/10 · 5 April 2020]

It's a film worth savoring. It seems to tell us a lot. I want to say it, but I don't know where to start. To be sure, dangerous relationships are about love.

The film tells of three kinds of love: the ambiguous love between Xie Yifan and Mo Jieyu, the pure love between Beibei and Dou Xiao, and the true love between Xie Yifan and Du Fenyu. It's amazing that none of these love has a satisfactory ending. Maybe this is what the film wants to tell us. Love is a dangerous thing. It can't be grasped, avoided, controlled and controlled.

In fact, love cannot stand indifference. Just like Xie Yifan and Mo Jieyu, they are indifferent to love because they don't believe in love. They think that the players will not be hurt by love and finally be abandoned by love.

Love can't stand playing. True love is sacred and noble. In front of her, any plot and filth will become pale and powerless. Just like Xie Yifan's feelings towards dufenyu, he was finally played by love and punished by love.

Love can't stand the temptation, especially the green and pure love, which is more fragile and changeable. How helpless it is in the face of many pressures and temptations. We should admit the love between Beibei and the art teacher (Dou Xiao), but both of them lost themselves in the temptation of sex. How amazing it is! What's more, when you are pure, you are controlled by love. When you think you can control love when you are mature, you have lost the courage of love.

Love is not war. It cannot be possessed, plotted or used. When your heart changes, real love will leave you

Maybe, this is love. She needs to fight bravely (such as Beibei and Douxiao), treat sincerely (such as Xie Yifan and Du Fenyu), care carefully, and faith (such as Xie Yifan and Mo Jieyu).

I believe that there is love between Xie Yifan and Mo Jieyu, otherwise there will be no tangle between Xie Yifan and Mo Jieyu. It's amazing that when Xie finally gives his heart, it's another love. And it's all a flash in the pan, and it's over soon. This is their tragedy. They dare not really devote themselves to love. In the end, Xie Yifan proves the existence of true love with his life, while Mo Jieyu can only cry in regret

As the film said at the end, everyone yearns for a home, which is the most beautiful place. Only by finding your own heart can you find your own home.

It is also praiseworthy of the soundtrack of the film, which is sometimes silent, sometimes throbbing, sometimes melodious and sometimes lyrical. It can always be perfectly matched with the plot of the film.

There are also large close-up and close-up applications, so that people can appreciate the eyes, shapes, expressions and so on of several leading characters. Nearly perfect performance not only proves the acting ability of several leading characters, but also constructs the film's excellent taste.

ANOTHER version of this story

[asc85 · 6/10 · 8 March 2013]

Why so many people in so many countries love doing their interpretation of the French novel "Dangerous Liaisons" (I'm giving the English translation, I know) is beyond me. It's not THAT great a story. There have been two American versions (which includes "Valmont") plus "Cruel Intentions," plus the Korean version entitled "Untold Scandal." I'm sure there are even more versions out there that I don't even know about.

In any event, because I'm a Zhang Ziyi fan and the reviews were relatively decent, I thought I'd give it a shot. This film is OK if you like Asian cinema, but there is no reason to go out of your way to see this film. Zhang is extremely restrained in this role, and unless they intentionally wanted her to look less attractive than she has in the past, her beauty is starting to slip. I had never seen the sumptuous Cecelia Cheung before, and she trumps Zhang in the looks department this time around.

With the exception of a very moving sequence by Zhang when she realizes she's been duped, I thought the film was soulless, and broke little new ground compared to the other versions I've seen. If you want to see a great version of this story, then the Korean version called "Untold Scandal" is for you. My review for that one is under that movie on IMDb.

A decent movie if you're a fan of the actors or storyline

[Snatchy · 6/10 · 26 March 2022]

I've never watched any of the previous versions of "Dangerous Liasons" but decided to give this version a try after finding it streaming and realizing it starred two of my favorite Chinese actresses (Zhang Ziyi and Ceclia Cheung).

Although I've never seen any of the movies, I was familiar with the basic premise -- a wealthy playboy bets his female socialite companion that he can seduce a chaste woman, but in the process actually falls in love with her, leading to tragedy. But in this case, of course, it is set in 1930s Shanghai, not 18th century France.

Jang Dong-gun is appropriately suave as the playboy Mr. Xie, though it feels like his character is never quite fully fleshed out and considering he is essentially the lead character, that is a problem (more on that later).

Cecelia Cheung is quite good in the role of the manipulative Miss Mo, as she manages to imbue humanity into an otherwise devious character. I actually felt myself wanting more scenes with her.

Zhang Ziyi is fine as Du Fenyu, the widowed, innocent woman who becomes the object of Mr. Xie's bet and obsession, although this type of role feels a bit overly familiar for her. I wonder if it would have been more interesting to have Cheung and Zhang switch roles.

Mr. Xie, the playboy, I feel is the most problematic part of the movie. I found his character very unlikeable, and his pursuit of Fenyu felt more clumsy and sleazy than smooth. When later in the movie he "seduces" a young virgin (as part of the secondary plot of the story), it is through manipulation and could certainly be viewed as coercion if not outright sexual assault. I felt myself impatiently waiting for him to get his inevitable comeuppance.

Overall a decent movie but nothing groundbreaking.

A Nutshell Review: Dangerous Liaisons

[DICK STEEL · 4/10 · 14 October 2012]

Based on the 18th century French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Perre Choderlos de Laclos, Dangerous Liaisons got a memorable screen adaptation through Stephen Frear's film with the likes of Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman playing pivotal roles in a tale of power, corruption and the use of sex as a manipulative weapon amongst the rich and idle. While the original tale is set in France before the French Revolution, this Chinese version sets it in the tumultuous period in 1930s Shanghai, retaining key plot developments and characters from the novel

Screened at the Cannes Film Festival Director's Fortnight sidebar, this Chinese production, directed by Korean Hur Jin Ho, who did April Snow, doesn't offer anything new to those who are familiar with the original tale, or various adaptations already done for the screen and stage. To the uninitiated, it deals with the games the rich engage in play in, using each other's resources to tangle and play with the feelings and emotions of others, just because they can, or in essence, to hit below the belt of one's enemies, striking straight into the ego and pride. And relationships built are nothing but temporal and fleeting, for the purpose of advancement, with self interests put above anything else.

I mean, who puts mirrors on ceilings, if not to reflect on one's narcissism? Which is just about what Cecilia Cheung's character of Miss Mo, central to the plot and chief manipulator, does for her mansion of opulence. The primary villain in the film, the character is the classic smiling assassin, who seem to befriend you with honesty and sincerity, only to be wielding a butcher's knife behind your back, ready to strike. A trophy wife who had made it good when her husband passed on, she's what would be top of the list if Forbes was doing the richest, most powerful and influential list of women in Shanghai, to whom everyone kowtows to. And her objective here is simple, to get the playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Dong Gun) bed the virginal Beibei (Candy Wang), in order to slap the face of a rich rival who is determined to marry a virgin.

But for Yifan, Beibei is not a challenge, because his sights is firmly set on the recently widowed Du Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi), his second cousin who is now staying in his mansion. For all his wit, charm and style that made countless of women fall under his spell, he cannot seem to get through to Fenyu who has been resisting all his advances, and I suppose nothing appeals more to Yifan than a real challenge. At one point he admits that he never would dare cross Miss Mo, and given the knowledge of Beibei's mother badmouthing him to Fenyu, he accepts Miss Mo's challenge and bet, and the manipulative games are all set to begin, for unexpected consequences to all parties who allow true emotions be involved, and putting everyone in a fix whether to trust their hearts, or heads and the respective reputations that precede them.

For its rich production values in recreating costumes and sets for 30s Shanghai, obviously the filmmakers decided not to pay attention to other details, such as the accuracy of the English subtitles, which is horrible for a production of this scale and magnitude, with ambition to appeal to the Western world. It was bad to the point that you'll be paying attention to the next line of subtitle to spot yet another typo, which is distracting to say the least, taking attention away from what is happening on screen. The significance of change, with the story unfolding just before the French Revolution, somehow lost its touch in this Chinese adaptation, which had anti-Japanese sentiments in that era, but obviously played down given the socio-political situation of today. So we don't get any macro-influences, with this version firmly involving micro-relations between all the characters.

While the characters themselves are one-dimensional for epitomizing certain values associated with them, the delivery could have been ramped up by the star studded cast made up of actors from China, Hong Kong, and South Korea, who seem to have been miscast in the film. Cecilia Cheung still needs a better role for her comeback to the entertainment scene, since Speed Angels was really straight to video material, and Legendary Amazons was a total joke under the guise of a period action film. Here, her Miss Mo cannot seem to wipe away her hypocritical smile, and nary does she threaten convincingly as the master of manipulation at the top of her game, unable to shake the rust from her absence.

Zhang Ziyi too had roles which were more challenging than the one she played here, and is often reduced to icy cold stares, or is trying too hard to act demure, or clingy, as the housewife who has that streak of rebellion in her, which was never crystallized in full. Perhaps it would have been more interesting if Cheung and Zhang swapped roles. Jang Dong Gun seemed to have been cast not only for his good looks, but to allow the South Korean market to be open for this film to make inroads in. But he's just too clean cut for the role, unlike say, Lee Byung-Hun, who has this natural streak of playfulness, and roguish demeanour to have made it a lot more convincing.

Still, for those unfamiliar with the Dangerous Liaisons story, this film could be your introduction to it, except that since it's a Chinese production, do expect sexually tense situations to be watered down for mass PG consumption. It does it job to introduce the tale, but is hardly one of the best adaptations around.

Hong Kong's rehash of an old Hollywood movie

[manutd1972-756-534267 · 5/10 · 4 August 2013]

A stellar cast of Hong Kong's famous celebrities but the acting's only so-so.

The story brings to mind Roger Kumble's 1999 Cruel Intentions. Very similar though not mirroring the exact relationships between the characters. There is Sebastian, Kathryn, Cecile, Annette, the bet, and the wager of either a material possession or Kathryn. Even Ronald makes an appearance. Of course, I'm using the character names from Cruel Intentions to illustrate the characters in Dangerous Liaisons.

As much as it disappoints me, it is also hilarious that the level of plagiarism is almost right down to the major events of the Hollywood movie. At one point, Sebastian is about to get his prize but suddenly stops short, seemingly struck by a guilty conscience, followed by Annette's moving out of the mansion, but yet subsequently giving into the advances of Sebastian, etc etc.

Not a must-watch, but if you enjoyed Cruel Intentions or at least managed to sit through it without feeling cheated of your money, then watch this for the comedic flavour of its homage paid to Roger Kumble.

I don't know why this movie rated so low

[hyh1411 · 10/10 · 16 November 2012]

I'm actually Korean but write this opinion without my nationality. I watched this impressive movie and even though my English isn't good enough trying to comment about this because this movie rated so low. Do not believe the rate. I don't know why this movie rated so low. Actor and actresses plays really well and story also really good. Watch this movie first and then feel this sad movie, Ziyi Zhang's act was so amazing. And she is so beautiful in the movie. Dong-gun Jang's act also really good except that he plays as playboy(花花公子) :( It's Chinese movie but directed by Korean. The collaboration seems really good. I hope this kind of movie comes out more and more.

Using its setting effectively to enrich its story and leaving you on a thought-provoking conclusion, this scandal-laden soap opera stands out from the rest

[moviexclusive · 8/10 · 17 October 2012]

Some characters are just so vile, so devious, so dumb or so benevolent that the notion of them being real people is simply unthinkable. But you want these people in a movie, often desperately, because the very combination of their characteristics is just the right recipe for a drama fraught with lost love, lies, betrayals and startling revelations. Like scandal-laden Taiwanese soap operas, or magic tricks, there's nothing good that comes out of showing you the whole thing before you watch them unfold. The less said about Dangerous Liaisons, the better. I hope you experience its ideas fresh and I hope the plot surprises work for you as much as they did for me.

Cecilia Chung plays Mo Jieyu, a jealous and cunning ex-lover locked in horns with former partner and millionaire playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Don- gun). They make a bet that the one-track minded Yifan couldn't resist: If he beds new-in-town widow Du Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi), Jieyu will give herself to Yifan again, but if he fails to achieve the goal, he must give her a piece of land. Talking about Dangerous Liaisons then leads to a more complex problem because this premise that it's being sold on barely scratches the surface of what the whole movie has to offer. Yes, the movie concerns these three characters, but in many ways, they are just catalysts, with most of the major events unravelling around their actions.

Telling you how it all exactly plays out and why would definitely sell you on this movie, but it's hard to do so without spoiling the show, so I'll stick to the other noteworthy bit: the setting. Director Hur Jin- ho's 1930s Shanghai is at once glittering and ramshackle, with opulent, brightly lit buildings and polished cars flanking timeworn shophouses and beat up trishaws. The rich hold firm their social mores while the poor prove less restrained, yet they co-exist in undisturbed harmony. It's one of the most carefully curated, detailed and beautiful looks at a lost world, delivering a reality that feels consistently believable even though it's only vaguely familiar.

If that sounds like the setting plays a big part in the movie, that's because it does. So much of the plot is predicated on the traditional customs of the period that you suspect the movie would have been less smart and less tense had it been staged at another city in another era. Keeping a couple apart by telling the audience that a relationship isn't valid if the people involved don't share similar social statuses or breaking a marriage because the virgin that a rich and famous man is going to marry suddenly becomes a non-virgin isn't new, to be sure, but it's interesting to see a movie hit on these concepts to propel its story into richer complexity.

Into this complexity is where you find the characters switching roles. This is the sort of movie that spends enough time in the headspace of its character for you to claim that you can fully interpret what each character is thinking by the time Dangerous Liaisons nears the end. And you could have easily imagined the movie simmering down to a more predictable conclusion of having each of its characters get his or her reward or comeuppance. Which the characters do. But there's a greater note to that end, and I find myself forced to question whether the good person is actually the bad person, and whether the bad person is actually the good person. Or whether there's always a good side to a bad person.