Increasingly, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies have become popular in cinemas around the world. These gangster movies vary in timeline, production quality, and setting, but they all share a common theme of crime and violence. In the past, this popular genre highlighted the travails of a single person in their search for respect, power, and wealth. Recently, though, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies have shifted away from this traditional focus and are now more often set up as a team effort of criminals seeking revenge, justice, and riches.
One example of a better tomorrow Asian gangster movie is the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians. This movie follows a group of wealthy Singaporeans as they commit crimes and seek revenge against their foes. The movie follows protagonist Rachel Chu, who is a Chinese-American professor, as she navigates her newfound wealth and power. Her efforts and eventual successes in the underworld ultimately lead to the movie’s theme of seeking justice against injustice.
You’ll find better tomorrow Asian gangster movies in many different countries across Asia, with themes from macho recklessness to high-powered espionage, from romance to crime solving. While all of these movies have a common theme of violence and crime, the central focus of each better tomorrow Asian gangster movie can vary greatly. For example, the 2020 movie Kiss of the Dragon follows martial arts specialist Liu Jian who seeks revenge against the Chinese mob. Here, the movie focuses on story-telling and the martial arts scenes, which lead the hero to redemption.
In order to create a better tomorrow Asian gangster movie, filmmakers will usually pull inspiration from various sources, such as existing movies, current situations, and even real-life gangsters. For example, in 2010 The Raid was released by Indonesian director Gareth Evans. This movie was based on the story of gangsters in Jakarta and the movie focused on the martial arts combat scenes. This movie drew inspiration from various real-life street battles in Jakarta between the police and gangsters using martial arts.
To differentiate from other gangster movies, filmmakers often use distinct visuals, intense action sequences and well-crafted characters. For example, the South Korean movie The Man from Nowhere is about a former special agent who seeks revenge against a drug-dealing organization for the kidnapping of his neighbour. This movie is full of action scenes and features intense fight sequences. It also features mournful music that increases its emotionally intense scenes.
As well as movie techniques, a better tomorrow Asian gangster movie is symbolically linked to themes of nationalism, resilience and justice. This can be seen in the South Korean film Old Boy (2003). The protagonist fights against a powerful criminal group and struggles to regain his freedom and discover why he was kidnapped in the first place. In the ending, his efforts are rewarded as he takes revenge on his captors, inspiring a sense of patriotism among viewers.
In conclusion, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies are gaining popularity around the world, and the genre has shifted from individual heroes taking down crime syndicates to a team effort of criminals seeking revenge, justice, and riches. Filmmakers rely on distinct visuals, intense action sequences, and well-crafted characters to differentiate their movies, as well as capturing themes of national pride, resilience, and justice.
Multiple Perspectives
A key component of better tomorrow Asian gangster movies is having a diverse range of perspectives. This is to ensure that all viewers from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds can relate to the movie. One way to accomplish this is to feature different criminal behaviours. This is seen in the South Korean movie Welcome to Dongmakgol, which features a group of North Koreans, South Koreans and a US soldier, each bringing their own unique perspectives to the story.
Filmmakers also integrate multiple perspectives by having the movie speak to a wider audience. This is done by highlighting social issues and challenges, as seen in the South Korean movie A Taxi Driver. Here, the story focuses on a taxi driver and his struggle to help a foreign journalist whilst they report on the Gwangju Uprising. The movie showcases the different challenges of living in South Korea, and the audience is able to gain insight into the gravity of the situation.
Having multi-cultural casts is also a way to portray different perspectives. An example of this is the 2019 movie Parasite, the story of two families of different economic backgrounds. Having two families from different backgrounds allows the audience to see the challenging dynamics between each family, as well as their different ways of thinking.
Another way to have multiple perspectives in better tomorrow Asian gangster movies is to tell multiple stories. This is shown in the 2013 movie Die Tomorrow. The movie intertwines five different stories of death and rebirth, each set in a different place in Thailand. This allows the audience to get a snapshot of different ways life can end and begin.
Asian Values & Identity
Better tomorrow Asian gangster movies often include themes that showcase Asian values and identity. This is done by highlighting the moral dilemmas that are often depicted in the movies, such as loyalty and justice. An example of this is the 2007 South Korean movie The Good, The Bad, The Weird, which follows three individuals and their differing beliefs on justice and loyalty. Here, the movie questions which action is right, as well as showing how morality can influence crime.
Filmmakers also use characters to demonstrate Asian values and identity. This is prevalent in the Indonesian movie Headshot, wherein the lead character discovers his spiritual powers and uses them to fight crime. Here, the character’s use of martial arts is used to showcase the country’s heritage and its traditional values.
Furthermore, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies often address the challenges that Asian people face, such as prejudice and inequality. This is done by creating strong Asian female leads or writing powerful stories of overcoming adversity. For example, Tony Joung’s Seoul Train showcases the struggles of North Korean refugees in South Korea and how they strive to keep their hope alive in the face of racial discrimination.
Relationship with Audience
The relationship between better tomorrow Asian gangster movies and its audience is an important one. Fans of the genre recognize the visual storytelling techniques used by filmmakers to create a certain atmosphere and feeling. One way to do this is through the use of colours and lighting. This is used in South Korean movie The Host, which uses greys and blues to set the tone in the movie, while green and browns are used to highlight the more intense scenes.
Aside from visuals, the relationship with the audience can also be created through the use of sound. This is prevalent in the South Korean movie Mother, wherein the use of orchestral music and sound effects creates an intensely emotional atmosphere for viewers. This is to enhance the intense scenes and make the audience feel more connected to the protagonist.
Furthermore, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies have an increasing trend of self-aware humour. This is done with tongue-in-cheek one-liners and comical characters. For example, the Hong Kong movie Flash Point includes humorous scenes and dialogue between the cops and bad guys. This adds frivolousness to the movie and is used to lighten the intense atmosphere of the gangster genre.
Pop Culture Relevance
The success of better tomorrow Asian gangster movies often depends on how deeply a movie connects with its audience. This is often done through pop culture references and product placements, which gives the movie more credibility and authenticity. This is seen in the South Korean movie The Villainess, which features product placements like Nike and Samsung to give the scenes more realism.
Furthermore, pop culture can also influence how creative and innovative a better tomorrow Asian gangster movie can be. This is especially seen in the 2017 movie Train to Busan, which uses elements from zombie films to create an intense, thrilling and entertaining experience for the audience. Such elements enable filmmakers to create new stories and characters within the genre.
Finally, better tomorrow Asian gangster movies are increasingly being used as a platform for social commentary and critique. This can add a level of sophistication and depth to the genre, as is seen in the 2017 movie Right Now, Wrong Then. This movie questions whether crime can be linked to socio-economic factors, offering an alternative view of justice than what is normally portrayed in the genre.
