Exiled

As was the case with filmmaker Johnnie To’s previous action-oriented efforts (including PTU and Fulltime Killer), Exiled is heavy on style but disappointingly low on substance. This time around, the director has taken things a step further by eschewing character development and plot to an almost absurd degree. Instead, To, clearly inspired by old-school Westerns (particularly Sergio Leone’s Man With No Name trilogy), emphasizes long, drawn-out standoffs, most of which come to a predictably violent head. There are consequently no characters here worth sympathizing with, with this situation exacerbated by To’s reluctance to offer up any expository interruptions. And although there are a number of genuinely exciting action sequences spread throughout Exiled‘s far-too-long running time, with the final confrontation an obvious highlight, the overtly uneven vibe ensures that To neophytes will find little here worth embracing.

** out of ****