Expected more

Excellent but underrated film

Absolutely brilliant

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This movie is non-stop entertainment. All of the main characters are likable and easy to relate to, whether or not you are of Asian descent. The direction is pitch perfect, and basically subtle. This movie starts kind of slow and seems to be just a film about bored high school kids, until they start to abuse the power they have been given and it turns into an epic crime film. This is Lin's best feature, and although Fast 4/5 were good films (FF:TD was NOT), I would like to see Lin go back to this kind of story telling. Unknown actors giving amazing performances in a realistic movie filled with action and humor...what else could you ask for? This is one of my deepest sleeper picks, and I constantly show it to people who have not seen it. The movie also does a great job of both embracing stereotypes and shattering them, simultaneously.If you have not watched this film, go do it NOW.

What I mean is this seems more like an amalgam of Kids, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Cheats, Dazed and Confused, Napoleon Dynamite, Risky Business, Trainspotting, Juice and Very Bad Things, from a teenage, angst ridden Asian perspective. Things get real. Instead of hanging out doing drugs, and having sex, these "kids" study hard, get good grades and build up extra curriculum activities to get into a good university. The twist is that all this is a facade/cover for their teenage rebellious activities in the suburbs, again from an Asian American perspective. This is when the Math Club pulls scams, sell drugs, uses drugs, parties like '99 and guns (Colt '45, maybe ?), in an attempt to be the high school Triads. No one is who they seem to be. Through this cycle of events, life is lived and things are learned. Growing up is tough and sometimes it is more than shelter, warmth and food. The movie somewhat implodes in the third act when making an omelet takes precedence over it all. I do believe this is one of the director's (Justin Lin) best. This isn't saying much. The whole experience isn't overly original but time passes quickly and it sure beats Annapolis or Tokyo Drift.

I had been wanting to rent this movie for a while now, ever since I read an article about it in "Entertainment Magazine". That article piqued my curiosity about this film. Since I am African-American I know how we see ourselves in society but I wanted to see how Asians (especially young Asians) view themselves in this society. The amazing part about the film was as long as these teens grades were good no one suspected them of committing any crimes plus the fact that their demeanor at school was so laid back and normal. Unfortunately that is also the eerie part about this movie because those kids could be your own next door neighbors or friends of your own kids and you would never suspect them of such crimes. Also the fact that out of all the character's "dark sides", Ben (the most unlikely one) had the "DARKEST SIDE OF ALL". I think it was a piece of symbolism to say that when he lost his virginity that all his inhibitions were released to the point that he would do just about anything which led to his ultimate act of violence. It was quite disturbing to see Han trying to comfort Virgil as they were finishing off killing Steve and then to have the guilt weigh so heavy on Virgil to where he attempted suicide. It seems as though Virgil and Ben mentally switched places. I was explaining to my daughter the fact of what happens sometimes when people are too smart for their own good--you get bored and your "idle mind becomes the devil's workshop". These kids were striving and pushing themselves towards perfection but what they did not realize was "perfection (or near perfection) comes with a price".

I watched this movie not expecting much. People close to me informed me that the movie was exceptional and worth watching, but these are also the same individuals who enjoyed the Mummy II. It is rare that I enjoy a film of this level without previously having good expectations of the film. I did not enjoy this film in the traditional sense. The cinematography of this film was transcendent if not sublime. It left me feeling as though I had seen a unique film. I wish more films today left me with that feeling. I highly recommend this film for all. It has the ability to please those whom enjoy film as an art form and those interested in just plain entertainment.