Where’d everybody go? One day, a healthy, say, 10% of the population up-and-disappears. The “who?” is fairly obvious. The “how?”, “where?” and “why?” … less. I’ve seen two versions of this tale in recent years: one excellent one (This Is the End) and one crapfest (Left Behind). This Is the End was much better than either of the others at realizing the true devastation of such an event. You can’t lose that many people without society grinding to a halt. There are just too many ways in which we are interdependent on one another for this not to bring absolute chaos.
But that’s not important right now.
What is important is “why?” Why were selected people “Gone with the Light?” What did they have in common? One of the important things a film like this can do is describe who is left. Gone with the Light presented several “stranded” folks and then hinted that love was the key factor: the people who got taken were all in love with each other.
So, hey, embarrassing. Funny story as to why I’m still here: Turns out me and your mom, well …
This is where the films goes, which is odd on several counts: 1) for however the film has chosen to define “in love,” it means that no one left in the picture is “in love” with anybody else… it might even be said that no one left loves anyone else. This begs the question which side would you rather live in, the love-less world (Gone with the Light) or the saved-less world (Left Behind)? 2) it makes you feel sorry for everybody left; we generally assume that being “saved” is about the choices you make, but
being “loved?” That’s as much choice as it is pure luck. 3) it gives the stranded a complex. Suddenly the characters have to explain why nobody really loves them, which is a very peculiar cast motivation.
The struggling loveless remainder includes a teacher willing to create proof of fake love to quell rumors, a young woman about to marry the wrong guy (I guess we now know why, huh?), a leg-breaker (awww … the thug didn’t find true love … awww), and the best story of the four about a soon-to-be divorcee who can’t find her husband and nor can the other two women looking for him, either.
I liked the mystery of Gone with the Light more than the execution. Movies with such a heavy premise have to select examples very carefully. The overarching plot is that millions of people have disappeared; it’s a tall order to select the four best stories among them, no? I daresay you’re never going to get there; hence the film is likely self-defeating – and, yet, I had absolutely no problem with the reminder in This Is the End – hence it can be done. I’m not sure this film is a winner, but it should keep your attention for a while.
Let me update the story in case you forgot
Some random folks were there and then not
The lovers went away
In their wake, hate all day
Are you sure this wasn’t a right wing plot?
Not Rated, 131 Minutes
Director: Runnian Dong
Writer: Runnian Dong
Genre: Wha happen?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Romantics
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Schemers
