With revenge as the central theme, the nameless female lead embarked on her journey of vengeance. The thrilling and exhilarating fight scenes left the audience thoroughly satisfied.
Film critics, on the other hand, marveled at Laila's exceptional control over pacing and tone. Not all critics were as devoted as Cooper in their relentless critique of Laila's work; many pursued this profession out of genuine love for cinema. Those invited to the premiere were regarded as true film critics.
Therefore, they were genuinely appreciating this film.
Many critics had always considered Laila a genius, continuously producing horror film classics that became renowned worldwide. However, horror films, in the eyes of many traditional critics, were not considered prestigious.
When Laila transitioned with "Rush Hour," they had their reservations, hoping she would find a new path away from the lowbrow horror genre. While the film was good and had some unique elements, it wasn't enough.
Indeed, making such films at the age of twenty was remarkable. However, the previous film was too simple, lacked depth, and didn't exhibit much in terms of filmmaking techniques.
The current film was different. Laila's control of lighting, tone, and atmosphere had reached a pinnacle. If not for the inappropriate setting, the critics would have wanted to stand up and applaud her!
It was fantastic! This was true cinematic excellence!
Observing the mesmerized fans surrounding them, the film critics and reporters from various media outlets knew that Laila had succeeded once again.
The reporters might not understand terms like lighting, pacing, tone, or the aesthetics of violence, but they knew their readers loved this! Another success for the genius director! Perhaps, even a massive success!
Laila had indeed put a lot of effort into pacing. Good storytelling requires ups and downs, and moments of relaxation. While the fight scenes were thrilling, watching continuous combat for over ten minutes could become monotonous.
In Hollywood, many scripts were produced on an assembly line. Skilled writers handled certain aspects of the script – some excelled in designing plotlines, others in romance, and others in adding humor at specific intervals. Therefore, even in action-packed movies, there would be light-hearted moments or comedic relief to balance things out.
As for the combat sequences...
Captivating the audience with fight scenes and keeping them engaged was a significant challenge for a director. Laila not only had a top-notch martial arts coordinator, but she also perfectly blended the action with the surrounding scenery and tone, making it the film's biggest success.
As time passed within the story, the long-awaited battle involving Roy finally arrived onscreen. On the big screen, he wore a white suit with disheveled hair, exuding a decadent and unrestrained aura.
His fight with Theron was one of the highlights, representing one of the few male-versus-female battles in the film.
Roy's movements were powerful, even more so than Theron's, at least when viewed on the big screen, it seemed like he could split mountains with his strength. To differentiate his actions from others, the martial arts coordinator, Hong Jinbao, designed moves that incorporated more leaps and acrobatics.
High jumps, flying kicks, spins, and more – the variety of actions was dazzling. This allowed the audience to gain a more intuitive understanding of Roy's combat skills.
When newspapers initially reported that Roy had protected Laila from a group of hooligans, many were skeptical about his abilities. However, after witnessing his performance in the film, they believed him. Whether or not his actions in the movie were genuinely exceptional, the fact that he could execute those moves without a stunt double already demonstrated his remarkable physical prowess.
"Nice." Laila praised Roy beside her, earning a radiant smile in return.
She never hesitated to give compliments when they were deserved. In her eyes, praise was essential. In the film industry, as in any other profession, it was vital to maintain the morale of those working under you. What incentive did her subordinates have to give their best when they received lower pay and heavier workloads compared to other companies, all while being berated from time to time?
Observing Roy's delighted expression, she couldn't help but appreciate the wisdom of her grandfather's teachings. After all, he was the formidable boss who had built the Moran Group!
Over 100 minutes later, the film concluded amid enthusiastic applause. The applause was so fervent that it seemed never-ending, continuing for nearly five to six minutes without any sign of stopping. If it weren't for the host taking the stage, the applause might have continued indefinitely.
Laila knew she had succeeded. Even though most of the audience at the premiere were her fans, she could still feel their genuine love for the film.
But that wasn't enough! She knew that "The 13th Warrior," financed by Faiza, was also having its premiere in Los Angeles today. They had significant advantages in terms of budget, the cast, a solid script, and a respected director. Now, it was a battle between the two films at the box office!
The next morning, Laila arrived at her office and had her secretary, Demi, bring all available newspapers to her desk. She wanted to know if her perception of the film, which she thought was well-made, was shared by the critics. She also wanted to gauge the strength of Faiza's competition, as she had displayed it.
The first newspaper she picked up was "Entertainer," her trusted newspaper, which certainly wouldn't say anything negative about the film.
During a previous interview with the newspaper, Laila had instilled a concept – "violent aesthetics."
Violent aesthetics was not something Laila had invented; it had existed since the 1980s in Hong Kong cinema, with films like John Woo's "A Better Tomorrow" and "Hard Boiled."
Today, "Entertainer" featured the headline "The Pinnacle of Violent Aesthetics," passionately praising "Kill Bill" from beginning to end.