Wu Jie is struggling with grief and life’s pressures. As she is about to end it all, a murder victim catches her attention, and the investigation brings her back into focus as more bodies are found and the investigation gets more complicated.
Written by Pin Chun Lin, Ying-Ting Tseng, and Yi-Chien Yang, with Ying-Ting Tseng directing. This film is a dramatic police procedural from Taiwan, so some of the process does vary from what most North American audiences are used to, but not so much that the film feels outside of the realms of comprehension. The film is built like a slow burn and one that does really take its time, with limited action sequences, and plenty of discussions throughout the film from just about everyone. That being said, the film is written in a way that this work and the back and forth between different groups of characters helps keep things fresh and interesting. The way the story is developed and brought to the screen, keeping the whodunnit revelation for the end and not spoiling it along the way. There are some clues here and there, but this is well done, and it doesn’t show its cards too soon.
The cast here is solid. Lead actress Janine Chun-Ning Chang gives one of those strong yet vulnerable performances that sticks with viewers. It’s the kind of performance that centers a film, makes it more than “just” a whodunnit, and elevates everything along the way. Her work here is so good, so solid, she shows the meaning of balance and subtlety in acting. She’s the exact right person for the part and really keeps the attention on herself here no matter what else is going on around here. Balacing Janine Chun-Ning Chang is Chloe Xiang as her newly assigned detective trainee who is sweet and innocent at first and who gets a completely different arc in character evolution while still fitting perfectly into the story. These two are the main reasons to see this film, they sell their characters and the story perfectly. The rest of the cast is really good here as well.
Overall, the film looks great. The cinematography here is also solid, carefully framing the shots. The lighting works great, allowing for some dark scenes and sequences where the viewer can actually see what is going on. The film has a carefully calculated look to it, making it a bit cold at times, which fits just right with the lead character and what she goes through. Images here are well shot and well planned, the look of the film is steady throughout the 2 hours run time, helping it create a world where the characters can evolve and be, giving the viewer an experience that is more than just another police procedural.
The Abandoned is a solid entry from Taiwan in the police procedural films. The acting is strong, the visuals work great, the film overall pays off in more than one way. It does take a bit long before it gets anywhere, but it’s easy to get into and really get involved in the case at hand.
This year the Fantasia International Film Festival runs in Montreal from July 20th to August 9th.