2046 (2004)
Rated • 1 review • foreign films, movies, wong kar wai, 2046, themoviethatchangedmylife • lovehkfilm.com
Ultimately, the biggest problem with 2046 is that it's simply too much Wong Kar-Wai. It's ironic that a film about choosing change over static existence would spend so much time reliving "Wong Kar-Wai's Greatest Hits." Within the first twenty minutes of 2046, Wong Kar-Wai goes back to In the Mood for Love and Days of Being Wild--and the self-reflexive nods to his previous work just keep coming. Still, complaining about all of this is exceptionally nit-picky because within its bloated exterior 2046 possesses many moments of fine, fleeting beauty that make it well worth a viewing. Minute gestures, moments of emotional longing, and the eclectic soundtrack all help make 2046 a wondrous cinematic experience--it's just that the final product isn't as successful as Wong Kar-Wai's other works. This is likely a reaction to enlarged expectations, and 2046 certainly pumps them up with its pseudo science-fiction interludes (which are intriguing, but not capitalized on), massive cast of "It" names, and allusions to greater historical and cultural significance. It all becomes a bit too much, and 2046 can't match its nominal aspirations. But even a partly-successful Wong Kar-Wai film is head-and-shoulders above most of the stuff out there.
