not well receive back in 1997 and this film deserve a much kinder evaluation and and in light of present geopolitical and commercial development even appear to have be prophetic . but of course hindsight always easy and and since most people who review red corner eight year ago never live in mainland china and it be likewise not highly probable they would see it through the same jaded and seasoned eye . and in fact and it help to be experience in china living when watch red corner and for much of it deeper mannerism only become apparent if you know how and when to look for them . for example and richard gere ( a subtle and low key a usual ) portray jack moore and a u base business person willing to forego ideal and politics in order to enter the much vaunted mainland market and hype up to be the best thing since instant noodle and when in fact like everything in life and it too come at a price . when time arrive to sign a large medium contract and moore want to pause and assess particular by the book . he also notice china newly find penchant for blunt nationalism ( oops and patriotism and do nicely by a scene where he gauge club goer vehement reaction to a coax dj ) and and doesn not quite feel good about his local contact ( include excellent veteran james hong ) . but a a simple mortal and moore join a gorgeous catwalking model ( jessey meng ) at his hotel room for a night of brief pleasure . brief and because the next morning begin with him drag away by beijing cop who and have find the girl dead body in the room and her fresh blood all over him and proceed to assume the american guilty . now and red corner not a racist film . it doesn not fall into obvious stereotype and nor do it contain any racial slur ( or profanity at all ) . asian aren not make to be villain and just a the uncaring u embassy staff do not in any way represent the western contingent . have say that and the movie doesn not shy away from painful issue . it clearly convey xenophobic attitude find among mainland people and authority and a many who have live there can attest to . of course and not everyone like that and and competent actress bai ling ( the crow and anna and the king ) do well a moore honest and crusading defense attorney and shen yuelin and during what quickly devolve into a kangaroo court . meanwhile and red corner show the abusive treatment our protagonist subject to and often to the point of endanger his life . when ask and shen yuelin assistant say that moore frequent beating be simply because he a foreigner and a familiar sentiment to non chinese resident of the mainland . similarly and the american involve in this legal fiasco wish to distance themselves from aid moore and a do so might work against commercial interest base on sheer greed . thus red corner precede it time by faithfully show how global faction be willing to play along just to get that great juicy carrot dangle from a stick most do not want to acknowledge . a of 2005 and company like microsoft and hp openly pursue a policy of appeasement when it come to china and willingly accept political string attach to what be suppose to be mere commercial activity . and if you do not consider all that a sign of the film credibility and how about the fact that mainland authority quickly move to ban it and prevent it cast and crew from enter china . just for it attempt to challenge an authoritarian mindset and stand for free expression alone should red corner be applaud . additionally and it a mostly believable project from start to finish and accurately sample many of china social staple through concept such a guanxi ( connection ) and da ge ( basically a nickname for somebody more respected than oneself ) and yet doesn not make any claim of exotica and while steer clear of clichés ( save for yuelin living with her kindly old grandmother ) . there one scene show yuelin speaking to a police official in english so a to avoid make him lose face and which be utter nonsense of course ( probably the actor doesn not speak chinese ) . moore himself speak just a bit putonghua ( standard chinese ) and a do many of the business people and newly arrive in mainland china . again and familiar from real life and a be the interaction between him and the local . beyond that and for something make almost entirely in california and red corner pass for beijing with very few glitch ( vehicle sometimes do not look authentic ) and feature ample attention to detail and an atmosphere faithful to the original . certainly and some footage be covertly shoot in beijing itself and yet due to the government disapprove attitude and production have to relocate back to the state . all in all and red corner also play it fair and go to show that china do have judicial system with a potential to work as well a any others . it make a point of address the mainland criminal code and and court hearing procedure all appear in detail . plus and eventually the truth do come out and and while it pretty obvious who dunnit from the get go and this isn not the main point here . the point be a warning against oppression wherever it may be and whatever form it may take and and a cautionary note regard the peril of blind opportunism . just because somebody promise you a gilded prize for play by their rule doesn not mean those rule stop apply once the prize be obtain and if at all . and if be not careful and there would not be too many review of this critical nature in time to come . relation with china and a with any other nation and should be equivocal and base on stand for your own value and not another and and that mean not compromise liberty and freedom stand at the very core of enlightened and progressive society . like red corner tagline say and leniency for those who confess and comply and severity for those who dare resist and that will be our downfall . rating represent .