The Wild Goose Lake

Name: The Wild Goose Lake
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: March 6, 2020
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Fan Liao, Ge Hu, Jue Huang, Liang Qi, Lunmei Kwai

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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The Wild Goose Lake

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Movie Details & Credits

Film Movement | Release Date: March 6, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: Fan Liao, Ge Hu, Jue Huang, Liang Qi, Lunmei Kwai, Meihuizi Zeng, Regina Wan, Yicong Zhang, Yongzhong Chen, Zeng Meihuizi

Summary: When small-time mob leader Zhou Zenong (Hu Ge) accidentally kills a cop, a dead-or-alive bounty is placed on his head, forcing him on the lam from both the police as well as dangerous gangsters out for the reward. Hiding out in China’s densely populated (and deeply divided) Wuhan province, Zhou becomes entangled with a beautiful, enigmaticWhen small-time mob leader Zhou Zenong (Hu Ge) accidentally kills a cop, a dead-or-alive bounty is placed on his head, forcing him on the lam from both the police as well as dangerous gangsters out for the reward. Hiding out in China’s densely populated (and deeply divided) Wuhan province, Zhou becomes entangled with a beautiful, enigmatic woman, who has mysterious intentions of her own.… Expand

Director: Yi'nan Diao

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 113 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage

Sep 11, 2019

This film is fascinating because of how those genre thrills are complicated by these off-kilter, idiosyncratic formal choices that trigger not just a lurid dreamscape and uncomfortable humor (that singing head in the hall of mirrors!) but also a vulnerability in the face of alienation and suffering. Read full review

Sam C. Mac

Sep 9, 2019

The film’s masterstroke is that its fugitive antiheroes are framed by an environment that reflects their criminal lives back at them. Read full review

A.A. Dowd

May 21, 2019

What it’s really about is the interplay of shadows and neon, and the endless possibilities of bodies in motion—planted on speeding motorcycles and racing up and down staircases, always chasing or being chased. Read full review

Martyn Conterio

May 21, 2019

The editing might be unexpected, unconventional, a bit annoying, but it is also very smart. Creating as it does a vital tension between plot and theme, pushing the two characters unrelentingly towards an event horizon and black hole denouement. Read full review

Jonathan Romney

May 21, 2019

Diao’s flamboyant direction means that he often sets up one elaborately staged tableau just for a single shot, those shots sometimes coming in expansive flurries; some action scenes also feature lightning inserts fired off with surreal abruptness, as in the first gang rumble. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Tomris Laffly

Mar 6, 2020

With The Wild Goose Lake, Yinan signals the makings of a major filmmaker. Perhaps the world he creates is a bit too scattered for its own good, but you will still want to melt inside its stunning, riotous glow. Read full review

The Playlist Jordan Ruimy

May 29, 2019

Despite this disappointing effort, Diao continues to impress with the clever use of his camera. Now, one just wishes he could find the substance to pull all this style together in a winning fashion. Read full review

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User Reviews

5pennies

Apr 19, 2020

I love all those elegant violence and I love Ge Hu, the handsome man gives a superb and measured performance as Zhou Ze Nong.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mateoloaiza26

Aug 27, 2020

Una fotografía memorable, con escenas de acción muy atractivas y una historia que te atrapa.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Jul 24, 2021

The Wild Goose Lake is a story that could be likened to the successive fall of some domino's.
A story centered on a chain of events triggered by a simple fight that ends in an unfortunate hunt for the head of its protagonist.
This film is a noir crime story in which the main character; ZhouThe Wild Goose Lake is a story that could be likened to the successive fall of some domino's.
A story centered on a chain of events triggered by a simple fight that ends in an unfortunate hunt for the head of its protagonist.

This film is a noir crime story in which the main character; Zhou Zenong is seen fleeing from the criminals with whom he was associated after the mentioned argument. Worse for him, in his escape he ends up killing a police officer by mistake and now they too are after him.
What follows is an unstoppable hunt for his ass.

The Wild Goose Lake is a vibrant but wise movie.
There are certain moments in which it abuses a bit of the realism considering of how many situations the protagonist escapes from, and the violent way in which he achieves it. That impaling with an umbrella was remarkable.
However, even with the numbered slowdowns, it's solvent and rather entertaining. Maybe not exceptional, but certainly pleasing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Compi24

Mar 6, 2020

A film that I'll end up likening to Ridley Scott's 2010 iteration of "Robin Hood" more than I'd like to, "The Wild Goose Lake" features a terrifically thrilling first act, a pulse-pounding final few scenes, but one of the more frustrating middle acts I've seen in recent memory, filled with aA film that I'll end up likening to Ridley Scott's 2010 iteration of "Robin Hood" more than I'd like to, "The Wild Goose Lake" features a terrifically thrilling first act, a pulse-pounding final few scenes, but one of the more frustrating middle acts I've seen in recent memory, filled with a seemingly innumerable amount of aimless scenes with scant amounts of weight loaded into any of them. It's a shame, too, because of the aesthetics that are in play in nearly every frame. There's so many images featuring expressive lighting, deliberate blocking, and brilliant camera movements -- it's just a drag that so many of the scenes that these things occur within have very little to them circumstantially speaking. If only as much were placed into the construction of this film's second act as there was placed in its sleek and potentially indelible look.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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