A number of Taiwanese LGBTQ+ related films have been circulating recently, but none so with the themes “Wrath of Desire” copes with. That alone should make for an interesting watching experience, even if director Zero Chou manages to make this film a unique experience regardless of context.
Wrath of Desire is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
“Wrath of Desire” is about the androgynous Phoenix Du, a truly mysterious character who kills a man that illegally enters their apartment. Accused of excessive force, Du comes before prosecutor Jade Liu. However, before Liu prosecutes Du, they share a single night together that would lead to both their lives changing forever. With Du being sentenced to three years in prison by Liu, the latter tries to forget about them, and takes in a young transsexual woman called Meng Ye, who brings along her own troubles.
The film opens with a bizarre scene that is sure to pull anyone into the film right away, leaving the viewer with a thousand questions, but one is vocalized. “Who killed you?”. This scene instantly draws you in, but throughout, it does have some trouble keeping you in that zone. The themes discussed in “Wrath of Desire” include a mix of sexual acceptance, unhealthy ideas about sex and power, general acceptance, and jealousy. The script is done quite well, showing off convincing dialogue and making you care for the three main characters, taking you along on their journey. It does however try to do a little too much. Despite the three characters each having their own distinct voice, at times its all just a little much. The three characters all have their own troubles, and by focusing on all three of them, the film misses on fleshing out them more.
The camerawork and editing seem to evolve as the film goes on. While starting chaotic, unorthodox, and hand-held, as the story unravels further, the camera angles become steadier as the film becomes clearer. The way scenes were edited to show different perspectives of the same event at different times was done impressively well and resulted in them having more depth than it would have been possible by using a typical approach. Despite the editing having its praiseworthy elements, a case can be made that the movie could have been shorter.
The prison sequence especially could've been cut almost completely, feeling disjointed from the main themes and showing a side of Du that doesn't really seem relevant to the story. The film feels like it takes a lifetime, which can be seen as positively or negatively, depending on the viewer. About half an hour could've been shaven off its runtime, but, in retrospect, it did feel like you were part of something unique, and something that you will think about for quite a while. The production looks quite interesting though, using a distinctive amount of grey tones, making it feel stylish. The set-design and locations add to this, making the whole film a fascinating watch.
Most praiseworthy are the performances by the cast. Peace Yang playing the androgynous Phoenix Du is mysterious and exudes both strength and vulnerability. Yang delivers a unique approach to Phoenix Du and really makes it their own memorable character. Jia-Wei Weng in turn plays prosecutor Jade Liu more conservatively but adds a lot of personality to the part. Yu-Ting Hsu as Meng Ye shows genuine promise in a detailed and soft performance. Meng Ye's character is displayed as a genuine case of uneasiness without feeling tacky, which the character easily could have been.
It's interesting that this is supposed to be the first of six LGBTQ+ related films by Zero Chou, all taking place in different Asian cities. By starting out with “Wrath of Desire”, Zero Chou definitely shows an inherent amount of ambition for this series of films, which will be worth keeping an eye on. Despite at times being lost in its direction, “Wrath of Desire” feels like an emotional journey. With a high-quality production, stories worth telling, and some great imagery, it tries to do something unique. In that, it was successful.
