Director David Ren frames the story as a film noir, with flashbacks and a moody voiceover from Jake – film noir via Max Payne or Sin City, that is. But to be honest, The Girl From The Naked Eye could have done without these rather distracting trappings. It has plenty going on in its own right.
This is because the movie's Asian identity emerges in all kinds of curious and engaging ways. There are flurries of impressively choreographed violence, one of which – a long-drawn-out rumble in a hotel corridor – dares to go toe-to-toe with a similar scene in Old Boy. There are moments of broad humour and slapstick. And, even with fists and bullets flying, there's an engaging sense of community among the characters. Sleazy pimp/club boss Simon (Ron Yuan) puts up with all manner of indignities at the hands of the surly Jake (including a rude interruption when he's mounting his kinky girlfriend from the rear,) but he never seems to take it to heart, defending his violent employee to corrupt cop Frank (Gary Stretch,) who's eager to fill him with lead.
As Jake, Jason Yee sits comfortably somewhere between Bruce Lee and Dirty Harry-era Clint Eastwood, and in general the mixed race cast makes for refreshing viewing. Yes, there are numerous flaws (most seriously, the dead girl, as she appears in flashback, is annoying soppy, and you really feel the lack of a meaty bad girl character to as a counterweight,) but The Girl From The Naked Eye scores for its unpredictability and sense of brio. If you fancy a bit of Chinese, give it a go.
