4.5/5
Tsai Ming-liang’s Rebels of the Neon God is an absolutely mesmerizing story of disaffected Taiwanese youth that combines elements of social realism with a French New Wave sensibility. But at the same time, Tsai maintains such a disciplined and almost formalistic use of framing and composition rather than the loose, free-flowing camerawork we’ve come to associate with “realism.” While so many films that echo New Wave sentiments end up making disaffection and alienation seem cool and aesthetically pleasing, Tsai shows the emptiness and desperation for what it is – a meager existence on the margins of society. It’s beautiful, haunting, and deeply moving in its exploration of isolation and loneliness. And there’s something incredibly powerful in its symbolism of young people adrift, searching for connection, turning to endless diversions in order to stem the rising tide of hopelessness.
