[Review] Hell or High Water: Him, and Also You and Me
Hell or High Water was a "runner-up" at many major American film awards this year, garnering numerous accolades and nominations but not winning many awards. The film premiered in the US last August and arrived in Hong Kong more than half a year later, yet its themes remain highly relevant.
Desolate Western landscapes, Stetson-wearing lawmen, themes of death and revenge... Hell or High Water gathers almost all the quintessential elements of a Western film. However, its critique of modern society, along with elements of bank robbery and escape, also bring a different flavor to the genre.
The film's screenplay is not at all complicated; it's simply a story about two brothers committing a series of bank robberies. Although the film involves some uniquely American mortgage issues and specific geographical elements of Texas, audiences unfamiliar with these elements can still easily grasp the film's premise: banks exploit ordinary citizens through mortgages, interest rates, and other means, leading the two brothers to "seek revenge" for justice and their family, robbing banks and using the stolen money to protect the interests of the next generation in the form of a trust fund.
Every character in the film has their own motivations, without clear divisions of right and wrong, and no absolute protagonists or villains. Each character acts based on their identity and beliefs: brothers Toby and Tanner commit crimes to protect their family's interests, while the detective pursues them based on his duty. One of the things I liked most about the film is its portrayal of minor characters: the waitress at the diner doesn't cooperate with the Texas Rangers not because she wants to protect Toby and Tanner, but to keep the two-hundred-dollar tip to cover her family expenses; and the cowboys chasing the brothers aren't trying to be heroes, but seeking revenge for their families and small town. This film doesn't just explore the story of the four main characters, but the story of every citizen, and perhaps even yours and mine.
The film, on one hand, uses the desolate landscape of the American West to showcase the economic and developmental stagnation of the region. On the other hand, by narrating the brothers' bank robberies to protect their family's interests, it criticizes how banks exploit the common people. These two perspectives combine to protest an injustice prevalent in America, and indeed across the world: citizens work diligently, handing their hard-earned money to banks, only hoping to live in peace and stability with their families, but banks use various means to exploit citizens and accumulate more capital. As a result, citizens become slaves to capitalists, unable to fight back through normal channels, leading to illegal means like robbery. This film does not justify the protagonists' acts of robbery and murder, nor does it portray them as great heroes, but it tells us from another perspective: not all criminals act solely for their own gain or for momentary pleasure; some commit crimes due to the injustice of the social system.
The performances of the film's two protagonists, Toby (played by Chris Pine) and Tanner (played by Ben Foster), are refreshing. Chris Pine sheds his usual "Captain Kirk" handsome young lead image to portray a weathered father and brother. Compared to Chris Pine, Ben Foster's character is more outwardly expressive and has more room for development; his uncontrolled, passionate personality is quite likable and more memorable. As for Jeff Bridges, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for this film, his chemistry with his partner Gil Birmingham is excellent, and his reaction to his partner's death and subsequent character transformation are superb, fully demonstrating this acclaimed actor's skill.
As I mentioned earlier, the Western landscape depicted in the film plays a significant role in creating atmosphere and narrative, making the film's cinematography very important in this regard. In addition to the typical Western visual style, the film also includes several large-scale car chases and gunfights, which are incredibly enjoyable and comparable to big-budget productions. The film's music also includes both faster-paced, rock-infused songs and slower, folk-like tunes, which greatly aid in building the atmosphere. Furthermore, I really liked the film's editing, especially the death scenes of the two characters, which are edited very plainly and cleanly, without deliberate showmanship. This approach perfectly matches the film's overall atmosphere, while also reflecting the commonality of "death" and "revenge" in Western films and the world they depict.
Hell or High Water has been playing in Hong Kong for over two weeks now. Interested friends should watch it as soon as possible, or you might miss it!