Death as an Equalizer: A Study of Suzhou River, Water, and Mountain Patrol: Kekexili - Essay Example

Death as an equalizer: a case study of three films al affiliation Death as an equalizer: a case study of three films Set in the sprawling neighborhood of Shanghai along the Suzhou River, “Suzhou River” is a film about a love relationship between a videographer and Meimei, a mermaid-costume dancer (Lou, 2000). Their relationship is complicated because Meimei is being followed by Mardar, a man who is convinced that she is his former girlfriend. Awkwardly, Moudan, Mardar’s former girlfriend committed suicide after she realized that he had betrayed their love and participated in her kidnapping. Mardar had been charged with protecting Moudan and during that period they had fallen in love (Lou, 2000). However, Moudan realized that Mardar had taken part in her abduction, and she decided to jump into the Suzhou River, clutching a mermaid doll. Moudan’s death, though a suicide, is somehow beneficial to everyone involved in her life. The suicide is especially beneficial to Moudan because she is saved from having to deal with her father who a felon is dealing in smuggled Russian vodka (Lou, 2000). In fact, at the time Moudan is kidnapped, her father had arranged for her to be taken to stay with some relatives so that he can bring in prostitutes. To add on to her problems, Moudan’s lover ends up being among her kidnappers. In this sense, therefore, suicide is a gain for her as she is able to escape all the problems that she has been forced to face over time. Nonetheless, although Moudan’s suicide is a gain for her, it is a big loss for Mardar who ends up obsessed with trying to find her and even starts following Meimei in the hope that the two girls are the same person (Lou, 2000). Although Meimei rejects Mardar’s advances at first, she later falls for his story, and she ends up taking him to bed. Ironically, one night after being beaten by the owner of the bar that Meimei works in, Mardar ends up finding the real Moudan, and the two are involved in a freak accident in the Suzhou River. As such, both Mardar and Moudan die in the river, and in this case, death acts as an equalizer since both Moudan and Mardar are able to escape the problems that have troubled them for so long. The film “Water” is based on the daily lives of widows in India during the period when India was still under British rule (Mehta, 2005). Chuyia, a 7 year old girl loses her husband and is, as a result, sent to an ashram, a place where widows go to live the remainder of their lives. However, instead of being a safe haven, the ashram ends up being a place of sin as young widows are forced into prostitution in order to ensure the financial stability of the ashram. Kalyani is one of the widows who, although being younger than Chuyia, was forced into prostitution very early (Mehta, 2005). Kalyani meets and ends up falling in love with Narayan, a young man from a rich family. The two plan to escape and get married but while on a boat to Narayan’s house, Kalyani recognizes the bungalow she is being take to as belonging to one of the men she used to entertain as a prostitute. Realizing that Narayan is the son of one of her former clients, Kalyani demands to be taken back to the ashram (Mehta, 2005). However, immediately she gets back, Kalyani is too ashamed and grief-stricken that she decides to drown herself. Narayan discovers the reason for Kalyani’s change of heart, and he quarrels with his father, then returns to the ashram to get Kalyani, but he finds out she committed suicide. Narayan decides to leave on his own, but while on the train, Shakuntala, one of the widows in the ashram hands Chuyia to him. After Kalyani’s death, Chuyia had been picked as her replacement in the prostitution business and the numerous rapes and abuses had greatly traumatized her, forcing Shakuntala to rescue her (Mehta, 2005). As a result, Chuyia ends up being the one going with Narayan to a better place and hopefully a better future. It can, therefore, be said that Kalyani’s suicide is a loss to Narayan and Kalyani herself since she gave up too early not realizing that her chance at a better future was still there. On the other hand, Kalyani’s death is somewhat of a gain for Chuyia considering that if Kalyani had not committed suicide, Chuyia would have been stuck in the ashram for the rest of her life. Most likely, if Kalyani had managed to escape with Narayan, Chuyia would have been forced to replace her as the prostitute, and there would have been no escape route from that life. In this case, therefore, Kalyani’s death can be viewed as an equalizer since, although one side loses, the other gains. Kalyani loses her life and Narayan loses his lover while Chuyia gains the chance at a better life. “Mountain Patrol: Kekexili” is a film which tells of the confrontations between a group of poachers and vigilantes who patrol the Kekexili area (Chuan, 2004). The vigilante patrols aim to protect the Tibetan Antelope, which is facing extinction, from being hunted by the poachers. Ga, a reporter sent from Beijing to cover the confrontations, becomes acquainted with the patrol members and ends up joining them in the search for the leader of the poachers. Ga is especially close with Ritai, the leader of the vigilantes. In their pursuit of the Gang-leader, Ritai’s team is greatly affected by loss of personnel as the injured and sick cannot take part in the raid. Expectedly, when Ritai and the remaining members find the leader of the poachers, the former are obviously outnumbered, and Ritai is killed by the Gang leader (Chuan, 2004). However, Ga survives the raid and is set free because he is a journalist and not a patrol member. Later on, Ga releases reports concerning the illegal activities taking place in Kekexili and concerning the efforts of the patrols to save the antelopes, even with no government support. The report by Ga receives widespread recognition, and the Chinese government establishes a bureau to protect Kekexili (Chuan, 2004). In addition, Kekexili is declared as a nature reserve and the patrol is illegalized. Although Ritai is killed, and the patrol is disbanded, it is clear that were not for the efforts of this vigilante group and its leader, then the antelopes would have been faced out. According to the captions at the end of the film, Kekexili was host to approximately 30, 000 antelopes by the time the film was released (Chuan, 2004). Ritai’s death is, in this case, an equalizer of sorts. Although the patrol and friends of Ritai are faced with the loss that his death has brought, on the other hand, Ritai’s death is beneficial to the nation at large. Had Ritai not been killed by the leader of the poachers, then Ga’s report would not have gained as much attention and most probably Kekexili would not have been classified as a protected area and the number of antelopes would not be so high. All the deaths in the above discussed films have brought both negative and positive consequences in their own different ways. In the case of Mardar and Moudan, their deaths allow them to escape the credulity of the life they are used to while obviously leaving their loved ones in anguish. As for Kalyani, her suicide is a loss for Narayan but a gain for Chuyia, who has the chance at a better future. In the case of Ritai and the vigilantes, Ritai’s death is a loss for the group since the group disintegrates. However, on a bigger scale, Ritai’s death ends up saving Kekexili and thousands of antelopes from extinction. References Chuan, L. (Director). (2004). Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (Film). United States: Columbia Pictures. Lou, Y. (Director). (2000). Suzhou River (Film). United States: Coproduction Office. Mehta, D. (Director). (2005). Water (Film). United States: Deepa Mehta Films. Read More