User Reviews

Witness how Andy Lau comes across in two movies under two different directors. In the Zhang Yimou's cheesy impersonation of an art film House of Flying Daggers, poor Lau is reduced to almost laughing stock in a hopelessly crafted and lifeless character. In Feng Xiaogang's A World Without Thieves, Lau is given a proper opportunity to act, and he responds with a creditable performance.

Not as well-known to the world at large as Zhang who has achieved fame through shameless succumbing to cheap melodrama, Feng is nevertheless the biggest name in China. Make no mistake about it, Feng's films ARE commercial. But, on top of the commercial elements, Feng retains his unique blend of style, humor and heart. On the other hand, while Zhang still rules when it comes to cinematography, a film does not live by cinematography alone.

And Feng does not suffer by that much even in that department. The opening shots of AWWT are simply breathtaking. The ensuring scene is equally impressive, with Wang Li (Rene Lau) praying in the open temple courtyard among the throng while partner Wang Bo (Andy Lau) engages in a duel of sorts with femme fatale (Li Bingbing). The rhythmic, rousing sound from the throng, the sincere penitence of prostrating Wang Li and the intimidating dexterity of the two dueling thieves blend together in a unique atmosphere created by Feng's ever attentive camera, bringing the audience right into the heart of the movie.

The plot is simple and essentially predictable, set in a familiar, slightly claustrophobic train journey, pitching thieves against thieves and against law enforcers, over certain potential loot. This however does not prevent the movie from offering the audience a bit of everything: jaw-dropping feats, suspense and tension, interesting characters, a love story, struggle between good and evil. What I like about it is that it is unpretentious. Wang Li's (and later Wang Bo's) penitence simply as result of her pregnancy comes across much better than pseudo philosophizing, for example, as in Running on Karma (which incidentally also stars Andy Lau).

The movie features an ultimate good guy character Fu Gen (Wang Boaqing) who, almost like an idiot, doggedly believe that there's no bad guy in this world (and hence the title). Wang plays it so well that even the most cynicism-stricken audience will find it difficult not to love him. Andy Lau, as mentioned, has given a solid performance, even when the character is somewhat stereotyped. Rene Lau, easily one of the best Chinese actresses around today, handles her part with ease. Watch for the last scene when she gulps down mouthfuls of food while a tear trickles down her cheek. And there is of course Ge You, sort of China's Lon Chaney, who appears in every one of Feng's films and never fails to give a delightful surprise every time.

In sum, an unpretentious, entertaining, commercial but high quality film.

I just saw A World Without Thieves at a film festival, and I loved it. I had expected a more straight-forward Hong Kong production, but this was more of a mainland China movie. We follow a male-female couple of thieves, Bo and Li (both surnamed Wang, but apparently not married), the woman of whom is trying to abandon her criminal lifestyle for the sake of her unborn child's karma. So she decides to protect a naive country bumpkin who's transporting his life's savings by train, surrounded by people who want to rob him. As you can imagine, a plot with this kind of stark, sacrificial emotion involved must be difficult to turn into a successful piece of film-making. But this director pulls it off.

The movie is grand and beautiful. The emotional intensity and depth conveyed by the actors repeatedly brought a tear to my eye. The characters themselves cry several times, and their pain is convincing. The really impressive thing is that the movie really blends several genres. It has a plot and characters which are usually played for laughs in light-hearted action comedies, yet here they are treated seriously. The action scenes are low-key in order not to detract from the more important emotional matter. And adding in the magnificent cinematography, the end product becomes an art movie.

For the cinematography of this movie is simply breathtaking. Landscapes and people are filmed with inspired visual flair. There are a few kung fu scenes in the movie (the most impressive of which is the peeling of a *raw* egg, without breaking the membrane), but they are done very untraditionally. The skirmishes are never really shown, except in brief, half-blurred flashes, mimicking pick-pocketing skills, where you practically can't see the moves. However, these scenes are accompanied by special music, and most certainly have an aesthetic all their own, contributing to making this movie unique. The director is trying to do something new and different with the kung fu scenes, and I think he succeeds. The focus of the movie is not on the fight scenes, but on the characters' emotions and the dazzling cinematography.

The end of the movie is also stunning. In order to honor his lover's wish, the male thief, who has no desire to reform, ends up getting himself killed in order to return the country bumpkin's money to him from a rival master thief. Now, you can focus on the return of the money, and find the moral of the movie naively romantic. Or you can focus on the heart-rending death of Bo, and be moved to tears by his sacrifice, which was for love of his partner, and not for the naive country bumpkin. I did the latter, and I believe the director was going for this reaction. This was not a naive movie about protecting an innocent soul from the unavoidable evils of the world; it was a character study focusing on two thieves who ended up disappearing from the world, one through reform, and one through self-sacrifice. It touched me deeply.

All told, a masterpiece that I can heartily recommend, and which I will certainly acquire for myself when I get the chance.

Ratingswise, I initially wondered if I should give it an 8 or a 9. But upon reflection of how perfectly put together this movie was, and what a great artistic accomplishment it is, and how the consideration of its themes and their resolutions continue to move me when I think back on the climactic scenes, I have to give it top marks. 10 out of 10.

Mainland Chinese director Feng Xiaogang collaborated with Hong Kong star Andy Lau Tak-Wah for the first time in "A World Without Thieves" (2004). Before the film was released, it was considered by Chinese media as a step forward for Feng Xiaogang's films and a road of no return to bid farewell to "serious" films.

In fact, Feng Xiaogang as a blockbuster film director, his films are actually quite "meaningful" to Hong Kong audiences, especially his last film "Cell Phone" (2003), which describes the defensive battle of the relationship between men and women. The sharp dialogue is rich in entertainment, and it also exposes the problems of male and female couples in Chinese society. However, Feng Xiaogang has always been under a lot of pressure from public opinion, believing that he led Chinese films to leave a rigid rule that since the founding of the country, films have served society and art, even if it's an international production directed by Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, it must dress up as a face that promotes the quintessence of the country, Zhang Yimou mentioned in many interviews that Chinese films have never had the concept of commercial films. Their generation's understanding of films was only within the scope of "clear rules and regulations" such as politics and art, until the market opened up and was affected by Hong Kong Cinema, began to have a serious exploration of commercial films.

When the major directors had not yet grasped the elements of commercial films, Feng Xiaogang with his keen sense, developed a commercial film road that was different from Hong Kong Cinema, and achieved the throne of the best-selling director. However, at the same time, he also has to bear the pressure from the industry and public opinion, and his cooperation with Hong Kong actors and film companies makes people feel that he has no return to pure business. However, "A World Without Thieves" makes people look different. The protagonist Wang Bo, played by Andy Lau, finally lost his life for his lover Wang Li, who was pregnant with his child. Wong Bo's behavior was recognized by the police security Han. In the end, Han told Wang Li that when their child was born, she should tell the child what kind of person his father was, and it was absolutely "not ashamed". The touching story has educational significance, and domestic critics also gave positive comments to the film, "turning over" for Feng Xiaogang.

Even so, "A World Without Thieves" still has a lot of roughness in Feng Xiaogang's films, such as the incongruity between the train scene shot in studio setting and the picture outside the window. The opening scene of the film, which resembles a foreign car advertisement, does not match the style of the film. However, Feng Xiaogang still maintains his strengths in storytelling. The characters' distinctive personalities and wonderful dialogues make the film stable and solid. Coupled with the humanistic handling, the audience suffers greatly. In one part of the film, when Wang Bo, played by Andy Lau, stole money from Uncle Bill, played by Ge You, from his pickpocket group. This originally belonged to orphan migrant worker Sha Gen, played by Wang Baoqiang. Wang Li, played by Rene Liu Ruo-Ying insists on returning the money to Sha Gen. Wang Bo thinks that Sha Gen have no right to think that "there are no thieves in the world". The loss of this money is a lesson in life for him. Wang Bo's point of view is actually it has been recognized by many audiences, especially the general public who have encountered fraud and theft. They will think why Sha Gen receives such a "preferential".

As for Wang Li's temporary kindness, she wanted to accumulate blessings for the child in her belly, and she didn't want her child to have the same "thief nature" as herself, to be a normal person, like Sha Gen. Wong Li represents another point of view. People who grow up in difficult years will inevitably have more or less evil deeds, always thinking that the next generation can have a better life. Under the moral barrier, people will make up for their sins by accumulating virtue, building bridges and roads for the masses, virtuous after becoming wealthy, etc., which is a very Chinese atonement. Wang Li's temporary kindness is also based on this, and it's also recognized by people. The police security Han played by Zhang Hanyu, to a certain extent, represents a positive and official role. He watched the desperate couple fight with a group of big thieves for Sha Gen who met by chance. What finally solved his doubts was Wang Li's statement of atonement, which he felt was "reasonable". Compared with Wang Bo's cynicism, which needs to be tempered, Wang Li's accumulation of virtue seems more attractive. She has done many "big cases" and can basically "go ashore" (retire), for the sake of her children. And doing a good deed is more praised and recognized by the people, including director Feng Xiaogang.

This "reasonable" actually bears the burden of history. In order to survive and live, the Chinese have gone through countless battles and hardships in the past 100 years. It has become a rare miracle to be a normal human being. Public security Han faced with this pair of male and female robbers who had "reformed" for a while, based on sympathy and recognition of their kindness for the sake of accumulating virtue, and fought fiercely with the thieves in order to protect Sha Gen. Public security Han wanted to "let them go", but because they had a "criminal record", he decided to "handle them according to the law". Standing on the high moral platform, public security Han made a "correct" judgement.

But the director standing behind public security Han asked Wang Bo to lose his life, make sacrifices for his crime, and create a touching scene. This extends to the people who are burdened with historical crimes, to make contributions to the next generation. In Feng Xiaogang's eyes, it turns out that sacrifices are required. Does this extend to our country as well? In any case, Feng Xiaogang, a high-level referee hidden behind, was recognized by many audiences. In terms of dramatic effect and Feng Xiaogang's moral orientation, Wang Bo "must die".

By Kam Po LAM (original in Chinese)

What do you get when you combine an idealistic country bumpkin, two sets of professional thieves, and a long train ride (with more than it's share of surprises along)? Well if it's awesomely directed, acted and filmed, it's probably Feng Xiaogang's A World Without Thieves, a slow paced but rewarding film.

In the opening, we meet a male and female couple who are professional thieves named Bo Wong (Andy Lau) and Li Wang (Rene Liu). After an argument about Li leaving the profession, Bo kicks her out of the car. Walking into town, Li meets a naive orphan named Dumbo(Baoqiang Wang) who happens to be carrying his life's saving of 60,000 dollars with him in his carry-on bag. Li and Fu quickly become friends, when Bo re-enters the story. The three decide to take a train ride where they meet another set of professional pickpockets. Dumbo soon finds himself in the middle of two set's of scheming thieves, his only protection is the sympathetic thief Li Wang. But is she enough to save the lamb from the wolves?

The film's first 20 minutes is actually the best shot and most emotionally affecting part of the film, it actually called to my mind the better works of Zhang Yimou. The opener also features some brilliant work by Photography Director Zhang Li. The shots of mainland China's mountains and are incredibly shot and framed. Unfortunately, after the characters enter the train, we loose the beautiful landscape shots. The film than turns into a war of thieves complete with (what I'll call) Pickpocket Kung Fu, a series of dangerous contests, double crossings, and all kinds of out-right deliciously scandalous behavior.

Although, shot a bit too-closely for my tastes, the action scenes are well-done, but they seem to be a bit out of pace with the film's beginning feel and overall themes. The competition scenes where actually much more satisfying than the film's martial arts. I wished the director would have featured more of the pickpocketing tricks and less of the razor-blade Kung Fu. Luckily, the sum of the whole is greater than it's parts and overall AWWT makes for one of the most satisfying films I've seen in years.

The characters also help make this film what it is. Andy Lau is excellent as the devious but likable Bo. Rene Liu is also great as the Yin to Bo's Yang. Her Character is played pretty straight forwardly but is convincing as the only real character in the film that could be called a decent person(other than Dumbo). Everyone plays holds their weight in the film, actually the only weak link-in terms of acting-is Baoqiang Wang as the naive countryman. His performance isn't bad but seems to be a bit over-done (is anybody really that innocent?).

On a inconsequential side note, I understand the concept of Andy Lau's need to disguise himself (being a wanted man and all). But why did the director feel the need to dress him in that horrible wig? I actually applauded and cheered approximately 70 minutes into the film when Bo looses his hairpiece in the wind.

Bottom Line- A World Without Thieves is an all around good time. It has it's share of minor faults but is overall a great film.

This is one of those movies I'd heard a lot about, but never quite found myself in the right place to see, until I finally managed to lay my hands on a Hong Kong DVD.

Few things in movies irritate me like white subs against light backgrounds, especially when it's a widescreen DVD with acres of virgin darkness below the screen area, but in this case such gripes are largely irrelevant. The plot is neatly woven and each character is given enough time to establish their true intentions. Not being a Chinese speaker, I tend to watch the nuances of expression for glimpses of the subtler plot elements, and that usually helps me to fill in the gaps left by those unreadable subs.

Subjectively, this is a very mobile film, which gets moving in fine style with some beautiful travelogue style tracking shots of high mountain China, and a mildly incongruous "borrowed" top of the range Beamer. The brief hiatus before the train journey begins, allows us to glimpse the widening cracks in the happy couple's business relationship. The naivety of the young farmer they encounter is a useful counterpoint to Andy Lau's selfishness. And thus begins an exploration of honesty under duress.

I don't want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that there's some fun cgi trickery, some elegant grifting duets, and some nicely underplayed camp malevolence, all washed through with strangely hypnotic, slightly blurred cinematography and lighting. Very similar to the woozy feeling one gets after a few hours on a train.

This film covers its many bases with an elasticity that allows the viewer to figure it out in their own good time. The underlying atmosphere of quiet menace versus insouciant braggadaccio, centred around the naif's bundle of cash and his gentle zen philosophy, is perfectly played out to a subtle and suitably rhythmic score. Where a western film would brutally over-dramatise the scene on the roof of the train, here it's played so nonchalantly that one would almost assume it's an everyday occurrence.

As a modern take on an old fable, it works on every level. I enjoyed watching the onion being peeled away, layer by layer, to the point where it became pure fatalism. Honesty, dignity, bravery, and compassion. With added sleight of hand, and a pinch of sorrow and sadness. Well worth seeing.

I've been a huge fan of Feng Xiao Gang this last couple of years and loved every single film he made with Ge You.

So what about the first FXG pic with Andy Lau? Let's just say that, what took me three friggin' movies and the same number of years to experience on a emotional roller-coaster CRASH that is the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I got it in one sitting with this movie. Andy will made a fine king in Middle Earth.

Forgive me for being cryptic here, for I am still in shock myself. Cryptology is a defence mechanism. OK, at least AWWT was over before I had time to register what a stupendous achievement this film has become for me (personally).

So do I like the movie, you might ask? OK, scratch that, try asking me why this ex-LOTR geek no longer haunts the cyberspace, raving about Frodo and gang like he used to, "pre-coronation ceremony"? Then perhaps, just perhaps, you may have an inkling of an idea of how I feel for this movie. Maybe not. Ack! Inarticulation is my friggin' curse. Even that last sentence was stolen somewhere online.

OK, enough comparisons and useless ramblings. Right here, right now, I shall resolve to erase every single shred of memory I have of this movie, and go back to being a loyal FXG slash Ge You fan. I shall forget ever having seen this movie and not revisit it again. This first user comment here shall hence be, my last in this thread. The Sinnerman shall not break this promise! So now my good people, I'm glad this commentary piece confused the hell outta you. Its your turn now to go watch it. Enjoy. Or not.

a highly promising script of two thieves, wang li and wang bo who suddenly find themselves adopting a young and naive carpenter and end up trying to keep his life savings from being stolen by a rival gang of thieves on board a train. the film started off fine enough, with eye catching cinematography and a good soundtrack. however, someone must have lost the plot midway because as much as i wanted to fall in love with the film, it ended up a disappointment. a highly muddled ending probably spoiled it for me. dumbo's character was never fully dealt with towards the end and one feels empty wishing that this promising film would at least live up to it's promise.