Is this title prescient, opportunistic, or just complete coincidence? We’ve been talking about The Whistleblower in this country every day for months now; to us, of course, it means something different, not the Chinese guy in an Australian company who inadvertently investigates corporate malfeasance as part of an effort to save his own life … but I’m getting ahead of myself. So ahead, in fact, that I may not catch up.
Ok, first there’s Mark (Jiayin Lei, a man who constantly looks as if he’s just been laid off). He goes to the annual evil company retreat in MoronicFling, Australia and hooks up with an ex. Mark has been happily married for many years, btw. Then the ex dies in a plane crash which may or may not have something to do with an earth-splosion on company grounds in Malawi.
Well, that’s a relief, right? Isn’t this what you wish for when you have an affair you regret? That the source of infidelity literally go down in flames, and not by your doing? Gotta wonder if part of Mark isn’t saying, “woohoo!” No? Well, maybe laid-off face is simply his look even when he’s ecstatic. Seriously, Mark is a stand-up guy, which is why immediately feels responsible upon discovering Siliang (Wei Tang) is still alive, under wraps, and somehow is immediately being hunted by bad guys. Apparently, she fooled all government and aviation officials, but she couldn’t fool evil corporate henchmen. They know damn well she didn’t die and is hiding undercover in a warehouse. Don’t ask.
I grew up with racist jokes implying that all Chinese people looked alike. These jokes are horrible and hold no place in civilized society. The Whistleblower, however, went one step further – while on his own fact-finding mission in Malawi, Mark actually has a flashback sequence where he accesses memories that are not his own. Explain that one, movie – are you trying to say that Chinese people are all part of some sort of hive-mind collective?
The Whistleblower isn’t quite plausible, and yet it’s easy to feel Mark’s pain, constantly jumping from frying pan to fire. “Hi honey, you remember the ex I slept with on retreat and feel awful about and then it turned out she died? Well, funny story … oh, and people are shooting at us; you should probably go to your sister’s.” The actual Whistleblower isn’t revealed until post-denouement, which makes me wonder if the title weren’t altered after-the-fact. Doesn’t matter. This is essentially a Bourne Identity film. Not a spectacular Bourne Identity film, but one that can indeed keep your attention for seconds at a time.
There’s not in the company but rot
Evil thugs are on my trail, hot
What’s that you said?
My mistress isn’t dead!?
The good news is I could get shot
Not Rated, 134 Minutes
Director: Xiaolu Xue
Writer: Xiaolu Xue
Genre: The one where a torrid affair comes back to bite you, but only because it’s intertwined with corporate negligence, huh?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People who need silly plot to live
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People who do not need silly plot to live
