‘Pierce’ REVIEW: A Flurry of Light Blows
‘Pierce’ REVIEW: A Flurry of Light Blows
Zijie (Hsiu-Fu Liu) participates in a fencing bout | Still taken from YouTube
Nelicia Low’s directorial debut is a translation of her previous passion: fencing. It’s a rather uncanny origin, of which the Singaporean directress channels into Pierce to deliver a striking blow that, though imperfect, produces quite a shock.
The film concerns the brotherly relationship of Zijie and Zihan, the former having been rescued from a drowning river by the former, only to be separated some time later after an incident causes the elder Zihan to be jailed for a period of time. A good chunk of this relationship, according to Low, is sourced from a previously reported murder involving an autistic child. It’s quite the surprise, as these references inform Low and her Polish cinematographer Michal Dymek (EO) of the tête-à-tête style cinematography that frames characters side-to-side or face-to-face that are just dazzling to watch.
It’s also the type of cold and calculated story that is accentuated by performances from Hsiu-Fu Liu and Tsao Yu-ning, the two actors who play Zijie and Zihan, respectively. Much of the film’s success hinges on having a convincing sibling relationship that elevates the situations they’re positioned in: high tension, bloodied, and drenched moments where the controlled chaos of their conflict manifests.
What Low manages to extract from this is a story built highly on uncertainties, a film quite dualistic in nature where tension, anxiety, and disorder are contained. The potency of Pierce is incredibly contained within the art of fencing, and Low manages to supersede its nature as a sport to psychoanalyze his characters, both main and supporting.
Zijie and Zihan (Tsao Yu-ning) participate in a training session | Still taken from Film Fest Report
However, a directorial debut as cold as Pierce doesn’t come without any setbacks. It makes unnecessary shifts in tone, especially towards a side story involving Zijie’s homosexuality that feels shoved in. One might even consider in a story involving the clash of sword-like objects, it's an innuendo that seems unnecessary. There’s a curiosity missing with the film towards the brothers’ relationship with their mother, a rather unexplored dynamic that feels underwhelming as a way of layering the story between the family.
Nonetheless, one cannot deny how sharp and chilling the film feels, especially when it gets closer and closer to the characters. A striking moment that frequently appears in this film is a shot that hovers close to the characters’ helmets. There’s a drone-like sensation that perfectly evokes most of the film’s tone and style. In that aspect, Pierce works wonders in capturing much of the story within its main themes and motifs.
Though imperfect, Pierce hits with a flurry of blows for a story about a tense brotherhood. Its soul is laid bare, framed so disgustingly sharp that one can’t help but be glued to its madness.
Pierce is part of QCinema 2024’s lineup as part of the Asian Next Wave competition.
