I Come with the Rain (Tran Anh Hung, 2008)

[Cosmic Bus]

Much acclaimed director Tran Ahn Hung ... looks set to take his career in a startling new direction with the new film, I Come With The Rain, an international crime thriller with a sterling global cast that includes Josh Hartnett, Lee Byung-Hyun, Takuya Kimura, Elias Koteas, Tran Nu Yen Khe and Shawn Yue.

Kline, an ex-cop in Los Angeles traumatized by slaying a serial killer, is hired by a powerful corporate boss to go to the Philippines and find Shitao, his missing son. Kline’s leads take him to Hong Kong. Torn between good and evil, caught in the crossfire between a mafia drug ring and the police, he tracks down Shitao, who has become a mysterious vagrant.

Shot by Mamet collaborator Juan Ruiz Anchía, and featuring music from Gustavo Santaolalla and (reportedly?) Radiohead.

A series of images from the film here.

Given all of the uncertainties (the cast, a new and unusual genre/story choice, his first English-language picture) there's a rather large chance of complete failure, yet I am nothing if not intrigued by this entire project. It's definitely not what I was expecting from Tran, to say the least!

[Len]

Those pictures are just gorgeous, I'm seriously liking the look of the film.

As for the rest, I've no idea what to expect. Could indeed be a horrible failure, but it's refreshing that for his first english-language feature, he's not just recycling stuff from his older work, like most asian directors seem to have a tendency of doing. Dunno about the casting either, but I've faith in the director, maybe he can make Hartnett work.

[Nothing]

The casting is bizarre. You can't do better than Koteas, can't, uh, do much worse than Hartnett... Looks extremely interesting nevertheless.

[Anhedionisiac]

I've known about this for a while and I've tried to use the time since to focus and come to terms with it buuuuut nope, still completely baffled.
From Vertical Ray of the Sun to this? Does this mean Anh Hung is as much of a dildo as Kim Di-Duk and Zhang Yimou?
The pics aren't comforting. At all.

[yoshimori]

Oh ye of little faith. Only Tran - not Wong Kar-wai not Ang Lee nor anyone else - has made Tony Leung watchable (in Cyclo). We'll see if he can do the same with Hartnett, and in a language the director is not particularly comfortable with. Maybe not.

And his family name is Tran. Not Anh Hung.

[Anhedionisiac]

And his family name is Tran. Not Anh Hung.

Whoops. Forgot. My bad.

[sidehacker]

Wait, so Tony Leung in unwatchable? News to me.

[Cold Bishop]

Tony Leung is never anything short than great.

And god, I really hope this isn't bad as it can be. It's obvious that this is a grab for the mainstream, but here's hoping that even though it won't be a Cyclo or a Vertical Rays, maybe Tran has it in him to make a credible mainstream thriller. But Josh Hartnett...

At least it doesn't appear to be a Hollywood film, so if Tran does something original or daring with it, the studios won't take it away and chop it up. But that's probably wishful thinking on my part on what Tran can do with this film.

[Antoine Doinel]

I come with the trailer.

[yoshimori]

Whether I'll like it or not, we'll see, but it is, by definition, a work of genius.

[Cosmic Bus]

After watching that promo, I really can't figure out what to think of this. I feel like Mulder: "I want to believe!" but aside from the visuals, very little of it felt... right.

[chaddoli]

Any news on this? I have a feeling it's going to be amazing. Festivals? Distributor? Release date?

[flyonthewall2983]

From an editorial POV, it's a terrible trailer (is that Massive Attack 4 minutes in, btw?). But I'm very intrigued by the footage, and I hope that poor performances only come down to whoever put together the trailer.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

Wow, what a disappointment.

Imagine all the most precariously indulgent characters and aspects of Cyclo (which I think is nearly a great film) followed to their absurdly cliched Hollywood conclusions. Gangsters, Cops, Serial Killers, Jesus Figures, Prostitutes, Bums all occupy the screen in ways utterly and dreafully familiar without the grace of being quite iconic. The imagery is too uniformly slick and occasionally derivative (the "sculptures" made in the vein of Francis Bacon). The point of the film - if any - eludes me due to its contrivance and convolution... what seemed like daring or at least audacious juxtapostions in Cyclo are, here, just "piling on" or collaged, disparate whims. Additional viewings may reveal a more purposeful meaning to the film's fractured structure, but I have my doubts that it will be worth the effort, unfortunately.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Just a warning: the Japanese DVD and BD has been quite brutally cropped. Here's a quick comparison of a shot chosen completely at random:





I probably shouldn't say this, but since these are somewhat extenuating circumstances, pic #2 is from a Korean-hardsubbed bootleg that's been floating around for a few months, probably sourced from a screener. No official Korean DVD has been announced, but I'm guessing it will happen eventually -- whether they'll use the proper AR is another issue.

[Adam X]

seems this is being released on DVD (only?) in Australia, 1st April.

hope this isn't an early April Fool's joke ...

[tajmahal]

hope this isn't an early April Fool's joke ...

The film IS the joke. Everything you have heard is true, but nothing can prepare you for just how bad this film is. How any studio and/or producer could have released such an incomprehensible mess is beyond me. It's not so-bad-it's-good bad, it is just ridiculous.

Seriously, unless it includes a director's cut, steer clear. Tran Anh was Hung out to dry with this one.

Yes the pun is bad, but the film is terrible.

You have been warned.

[Zot!]

Joke or not, there is a UK Blu announced! Lets hope they fix the aspect ratio and subtitle the jokes well. This and Green Papaya? very unexpected.

[Adam X]

The film IS the joke. Everything you have heard is true, but nothing can prepare you for just how bad this film is.

even worse than Wong Kar-Wai's MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS?

off the top of my head, I think the only english-language film I can think of by a non-British/American/Australian/etc director that's actually been for the most part enjoyable to watch is Tavernier's IN THE ELECTRIC MIST. even if it did feel a little like an American updating of Coup de Torchon...

Having not seen I Come With the Rain yet, I'm still interested despite whatever's been said about the film here, but I never really expect genius from these border-crossing films. Zulawski's POSSESSION being a wonderful exception.

Am I wrong or was there a rumour/announcement for a UK BD of VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN made not so long ago?

[knives]

off the top of my head, I think the only english-language film I can think of by a non-British/American/Australian/etc director that's actually been for the most part enjoyable to watch is Tavernier's IN THE ELECTRIC MIST. even if it did feel a little like an American updating of Coup de Torchon...

Herzog, most '30 and '40s Hollywood productions, ect.

[Zot!]

off the top of my head, I think the only english-language film I can think of by a non-British/American/Australian/etc director that's actually been for the most part enjoyable to watch is Tavernier's IN THE ELECTRIC MIST. even if it did feel a little like an American updating of Coup de Torchon...

Herzog, most '30 and '40s Hollywood productions, ect.

I liked Erik Zonca's Julia quite a bit, and the Von Trier movies, and Blow-up, and Atlantic City. But as a rule, yes, they are awful. Blueberry Nights, eek! Strangely enough Happy Together was great.