Lust, Caution (2007)

At a glance:
Lust, Caution is Ang Lee’s lavishly tragic story of a woman who sacrifices her heart and her body to aid the Chinese resistance of the Japanese during World War Two

Our review (with spoilers):
Wong Chia Chi (Wei Tang) is a young woman who becomes deeply involved in the Chinese resistance movement against Japan during World War Two. She begins as an actor, depicting patriotic plays and rallying support for the cause. Then, led by the passion of Kuang (Leehom Wang), she and a small band of actors turn to undercover work in an attempt to isolate and assassinate Mr. Yee (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), who is spying for the Japanese. Wong eventually gets close enough – and intimate enough – to expose him, but her proximity exposes her emotions to his intoxicating power – and each of them are influenced by the undeniable power of love and lust. In this beautiful, lavishly filmed epic tragedy, Wong makes perhaps the ultimate sacrifice, allowing herself to fall in love with a man whom she knows is condemned to death by her own actions.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"A beautifully rendered, long, drawn-out but ultimately very satisfying story of betrayal and revenge in an uneasy setting of wartime paranoia."
- Damon Wise (Empire Magazine)