Weekend in Taipei – Film Review

Reviewed by Daniel Coomans on the 31st of October 2024
EuropaCorp presents a film by George Huang
Produced by Luc Besson
Starring Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei and Sun Kang
Running Time: 114 minutes
Rating: MA15+
Release Date: 31st of October

Weekend in Taipei sees former DEA Agent John Lawlor (Luke Evans) travelling to Taipei to bring down drug lord Kwang (Sun Kang). On a weekend away some 15 years after an undercover operation that saw John fall in love with one of Kwang’s drivers, Joey (Gweir Lun-mei), John returns to try and finish the job he started all those years ago. But a fateful reunion with his former lover and the son they had together changes everything.

John is perhaps the worst example of an undercover operation, his hot headed behaviour and quick to action nature has seen him moved around between countless branches and relegated to mostly desk work. On a suggestion from his handler, he takes a convenient weekend away, in Taipei of all places. Kwang is a powerful businessman, publically he owns the largest fishing company in Taiwan, privately however, he is a drug lord with hands in every pocket. His grasp extending even as far as the underground of the US drug market.

Weekend in Taipei is Europacorp’s first production after the company’s financial restructuring and a four year hiatus. With George Huang as the lead director, the former is known for creating hits like Taken and The Transporter series and the latter for directing Machete. Between them is a wealth of action and comedy experience, a knack for creating compelling characters and strong chemistry, even between two opposing characters. At first glance, the film looks to be of the “straight to dvd” variety, the type of b-grade you crack open a few cans and enjoy, but with actors like Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei and Sun Kang (most notable for his appearance in the Fast and Furious franchise as Han), will it overcome this initial judgment?

After watching the trailer, I’ll admit, I was more than intrigued. I’m a big fan of Sun Kang, he’s a handsome, charismatic actor with a wide range of talents. In the Fast and Furious franchise, he presents as a calm, soft spoken, incredibly well educated man. With little care for things like status or power, a polar opposite from his role as Kwang, a power hungry drug lord with an obsession for possessions. Short tempered and ruthless to even his own underlings should they step out of line.

Still, the trailer had an air of that B-Grade charm, it’s a hard vibe to describe, sometimes it’s the plot itself. Maybe it’s a bit cliche or a bit over the top. Sometimes it’s the quality of filming, is it shot on the best, most expensive gear. Is it shot with picture perfect lighting or from the perfect angles? And sometimes it is a combination of all, or even neither of these things. I’m glad to say that upon watching the full movie, I was blown away. The quality of filming, the lighting, the angles, the actors, it’s all so expertly crafted, yet somehow despite all this. It retains that B-grade charm, the plot is incredibly cliche; protagonist finds that love interest has married the antagonists, rekindles their relationship, together they take down the big bad. All while their chemistry between each other (and the addition of a son) sells us a comedic story of a mismatched family coming together.

It is not simply held up by only one of the many talented actors, but rather, Weekend in Taipei is a perfect balance of action, comedy and serious stakes. Even the supporting actors get their time to shine. It all comes down to even the finest details in the script, like why Gwei’s character drives barefooted. Where her otherworldly talent for mechanics and driving come from. The raw, honest bewilderment that their son Raymond (Wyatt Yang) expresses at the notion his parents are so far from the image he grew up believing them to be. It’s these moments and the way that they are captured on screen that elevate this production to one that rivals that of big screen masterpieces.

I went into the experience expecting a decent showing, but knowing scarcely little about the premise. The one thing a good trailer does is show just enough to invoke an intense interest but not enough to spoil the feature. I wasn’t surprised by the plot no, but I was surprised at the level of depth in a movie that falls just short of two hours. I didn’t once feel like there were any unanswered questions, I didn’t once think that there should have been more time spent explaining a scene. They say a picture tells a thousand words, pause the film at any one point and you’ll understand what’s just happened, is happening, and will happen in the next frame. By the end of the film, you will feel equal parts satisfied, and yet, hungry for more.

You get a real sense of speed in every scene with vehicle chases. Yes, even in the chase scene with a bunch of stock Honda Civics with vinyl decals typical of gang culture to make them look fast. There’s a real sense of desperation in scenes where one of the family members is in grave danger, the real emotion of feeling the quick thinking Gwei as her motherly instincts take over. The real effort in John trying to make up for lost ground with his kid son.

If anything in this movie can be considered a flaw or weakness, it’s probably the mid-point of the movie. Where the family is laying low in Joey’s village. The whole thing probably overstays its welcome just a tad, that’s not to say it was bad. It was absolutely necessary for building the backstory between John and Joey, setting the premise for how they got to where they were before the start of the film. But I do think that it could have done without a scene or two, if you watch it too, I think you’ll know what I mean the moment you see it too. At the same time, the last 20 minutes probably seem a little rushed, giving just a hint of a sense of padding the time out in the middle of the film. But then suddenly realising they need to get the conclusion done quickly. It’s a very small issue in what is otherwise, a near perfect movie that had me fixed on it until the very end.

In conclusion, Weekend in Taipei is a masterpiece. An action comedy that I feel many will let slip into obscurity, when it is truly an instant hit and deserves to shine on the big screen. I hope it is able to garner a lot of attention and affection from movie goers. There’s a term for a car that doesn’t look like much, but has a lot of power. We call it a “sleeper”. This movie embodies the notion of sleeper, a true case of don’t just a book by its cover. Don’t just bookthis film simply on the trailer as it’ll surprise you too.