You probably heard about Lust, Caution because of its R rating and its supposedly hot sex scenes. Indeed the scenes are hot. Really hot, in fact. But that’s not all there is to it. Really. Behind it all is a well-crafted wartime espionage thriller.
Set during World War II in Hong Kong and later Shanghai, Wang Jiazhi (Wei Tang) is a resistance agent tasked with seducing and then eliminating Mr. Yee, a high-level Japanese collaborator. Tony Leung as Mr. Yee is, as usual, impressive as the initially suspicious and impassive target.
The act of seduction, pulled off wonderfully by Wei Tang, unfolds slowly and subtly creating palpable sexual tension between the two. This gradually gains speed and culminates in intense physical contacts that illustrate the feelings that developed between them. This feelings clouds their judgments and eventually lead each to take actions they didn’t intend.
Definitely, a must watch.
Rating: 5/5