I wanted to go back to an older Stephen Chow film for my last film review and so, From Beijing with Love was recommended by a friend. The film is Chow’s version of James Bond and for audiences that have seen the old Bond films and are looking for something refreshing, From Beijing with Love is a great tribute and parody. Compared to the newer Chow films, the film definitely has much more of a coherent feel. I found it more reminiscent of Kung Fu Hustle where plot elements are revealed for a distinct purpose. In place of Bond’s signature gadgets and suave nature, our agent (ling-ling-chat) has knife throwing that does not seem impressive at first, but proves to be useful much later on. He throws a knife early in the film and misses a target on the wall, but upon closer inspection kills a fly. I think that moments like this where attention is needed can definitely hold audiences better - especially audiences who may be new to Chinese cinema. Outside of getting students to explore the magical slapstick humor of Stephen Chow, I don’t quite see how this film might fit in a classroom.
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