BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: Lust, Caution is the daring new film from acclaimed Academy Award winning director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Set against the backdrop of a transforming country, a young woman finds herself swept up in a radical plot to assassinate a ruthless and secretive intelligence agent. As she immerses herself in her role as a cosmopolitan seductress, she becomes entangled in a dangerous game that will ultimately determine her fate.

FILM REVIEW: Ang Lee is a quality filmmaker, but some times his work doesn't quite hit the mark. I'm sorry to say that "Lust, Caution" is one of those films; not because it doesn't have an intriguing premise, or even some good psychological and heart felt sequences which Lee is well known for, but because it's long winded nature and inconsistent development of the story through the running time leaves a film that never gels properly, and in some cases, makes you laugh unintentionally, particularly in the first half of the film. There's also a certain sick mentality at work in the film too, particularly with the nature of the intimate relationship which serves as the central dramatic story line in the film. Overall, this film is nowhere near as good as Lee's previous film, Brokeback Mountain, and it's probably one that won't leave you feeling satisfied or interested once you're done watching it.

The film is set at a time in China's history where major changes were unfolding in the way the country was being governed. Enter a group of patriotic students who band together to attempt to assassinate a spy, Mr Wee (Tony Leung) whom they believe is selling their country out to the Japanese. Their plan is to use Wong Chi (Tang Wei) to seduce him, catch him off balance and then kill him when he least suspects it, which is not as easy as it appears as Wee is one of the most suspicious men you're ever likely to meet. The film centres around their evolving relationship, bizarre as it is, and its inability for either party to remain truly committed to their cause. It's perverse, yet supposedly touching at the same time, but I never really got in to it despite the best attempts from all involved, particularly the charismatic and rich performances from veteran Tony Leung and newcomer Tang Wei.

The first half of the film is perhaps its weakest. Here we see the young group as they come together to form their plots and although the idea is to portray them as naive and inexperienced, it came across as more annoying to watch than anything else, particularly when they argue amongst themselves about how to proceed, and especially when they kill their first target (which is such a clumsy affair that it's embarrassing). When the story shifts more toward the relationship between Chi and Wee in the second half of the film, things becomes somewhat more dramatic but even so there's something overtly perverse about what you're watching. I also found the movement of Chi's "heart" from being so focussed on killing Wee to falling in love with him a bit arbitrary, especially the way Wee treats her in certain scenes and the way her colleagues treat her as well. The film ends as a downer, but the problem is that it doesn't feel all that tragic given the malicious nature of the characters involved.

A positive however is the visuals and production design which are first rate. The recreation of 30's Shanghai and China is spectacular and wonderful to watch. The images are rich and vibrant, and you can tell that a lot of effort has been put in to every detail presented on the screen.

"Lust, Caution" is a film that doesn't really hit its marks and has a perversity to its core that I didn't think worked in its favour.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: The video transfer is for the most part excellent; there are only a few hints here and there of film grain, but that actually contributes to the old-style look to the film. The audio is excellent if unremarkable; this movie is quiet, and dialogue driven so don't expect too much coming out of your surround system. Overall, an excellent transfer.

EXTRAS REVIEW: There is only one major extra on this disc, that being a seventeen minute behind the scenes featurette which does a reasonable job of taking you behind the scenes, with some interesting footage (particularly on the old Shanghai sets), and some very good cast and crew interviews, but it's hardly extensive. It does have the benefit of not being a promo piece (at least in its style). There's Spanish and English subtitles, as well as additional Spanish and Mandarin language tracks. Could have had a lot more here, especially given the amount of technical detail that went in recreating the period this film is set in.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it.