Originally planned for 2020 but pushed to 2021 due to the pandemic, “Snakehead” is a passion project based in New York's Chinatown, and it's worth taking note.
Dazzler Media presents this powerful crime drama, inspired by true events, coming to DVD and Download-to-Own from August 1, 2022.
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Directed by Evan Leong and originally financed because of a Kickstarter campaign, “Snakehead” is the director's first feature film. The story entails a Chinese immigrant coming to New York to find her daughter, and is inspired by true events, even though the story is fictional. The film is based in New York's Chinatown, featuring Shuya Chang as anti-hero Sister Tse, Jade Wu as underground Chinatown boss Dai Mah and Sung Kang, known for his roles in the Fast & Furious franchise, as the troublesome son of Dai Mah, Rambo.
Director Evan Leong said that this film is about humanizing the immigrant experience, and the movie showcases this in a really intriguing way. Instead of choosing to make every immigrant a product of their environment, helpless and pitiful, “Snakehead” chooses to form more interesting and less one-dimensional characters. Some characters are still victims of their environment, but others, like our protagonist Sister Tse, do much of what they do because of their own will to do so. This doesn't only give the narrative more depth, it also makes the title more distinctive, and worth watching. Despite its budget and being cinematographer Ray Huang's first feature, it's a rather grand film, showing locations with charm and low-key shots that would not look out of place in large Hollywood films.
The director in turn was able to make the whole world feel real and rich, whereas the editing and pacing was great for most of the film. Unfortunately, it did feel rushed near its ending, not fitting of the grand structure that went before it. “Snakehead” seems to miss its grand finale, and it takes away from the great set-up beforehand. However, the acting by Shuya Chang was impressive, showing a notable amount of intrigue for an anti-hero. Jade Wu in turn felt commanding in her role as respected and feared leader Dai Mah, and she was able to put some interesting notes to her character. Sung Kang, Perry Yung and Branden Smith all had good supporting roles, revealing an interesting family full of ambiguous characters. These characters then lift the film to a higher level, making it unique enough to recommend.
“Snakehead” shows off an intriguing story revolving around a part of Chinatown that is often underrepresented, and its story is worth telling. Despite its rushed ending, the production's surprisingly full narrative keeps you on your toes throughout, making this film stand out.
