Customer Reviews

China Moon

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ed Harris is always better than his material. Madeleine Stowe's sexy performance would get a rise out of a stone idol. This movie reminds me of "Casablanca" inasmuch as it was done as a low budget not-well-advertised film. But with this cast and excellent direction it crackles and cooks on-screen. Once in a while you find a movie that kind of "got lost" in distribution but turns out to be a surprisingly good experience. Harris goes for Stowe in a big way and I believe, so would any other man. Watching Stowe is easily the equal of a double-Viagra dose; trust me.

Very good movie . I have to worn you - if you expecting regular , happy ending Hollywood cheapy , you are in wrong place .
Ed Harris playing a police homoside detective . His character is street smart , talanted , but very lonly . His partner is young and kind of laisy .One evening , Harris meet a beatifull woman ( Madelein Stowe ), and we fell in love with her character right away : smart , very attractive , intellegent and funny . So did the detective . She dissapears that evening , but Harris find her , of cause . The relationship developes and getting more and more interesting every scene . But everything goes not that easy for tham - she is married . Producers made an exellent selection of an actor for the role of her husband ( we dislike him right away ). He ownes a big Florida bank chain , cheating on his beatifull wife and pushing her around constantly . We know right away - something will happen , somebody going to get killed . And most likely , this someone will be her husband .
What I like in this movie , is the love story between Harris and Stowe . Both actors perform on such high level , that keeps your attention from begining all the way to the end . We want them to be together . And when Stowe get in big troubles , we want Harris to help her .
At same time we have to think ,That she is just seting him up , but we want to belive her . We WANT to belive that she loves Harris character . And at the last moments of the movie , insted of being sad about the ending , we feal relief - this was a true love .
Highly recomended.

41. CHINA MOON (thriller, 1994) Homicide Detective Kyle Bodine (Ed Harris) is a veteran of the force who knows the ins and outs of every crime scene. His partner, Lamar (Benicio del Toro) is a young rookie who's under Kyle's tutelage and like everyone else, admires his good record. Kyle meets Rachel (Madeline Stowe); a beautiful woman who's sensual charms he falls under. They begin a steamy relationship and Kyle falls in love. But then he finds out she's married to a violent, wealthy man. His constant harassment leads Rachel to kill him in self-defense. Kyle now has to decide whether to bring her to justice or help the woman he loves.

Critique: Nifty little thriller borrows from the film-noir tradition. The solid screenplay by Roy Karlson introduces many elements of the genre. Theirs the honest cop whom falls in love with the 'femme fatale' and the violent husband as 'middle-man' who ends up dead. But just when you think things are headed into conventional plotting, there's a twist. Good direction by first-timer John Bailey elicits excellent acting all round. Ed Harris gives another powerhouse performance, Madeline Stowe plays victim-victimizer beautifully, and Benicio del Toro (a much underrated actor who reminds me of James Dean) lends an interesting menace. Great ending too.

QUOTE: Kyle: "You were just ******* me weren't you?! I was loving you and you were ******* me!"

I watched China Moon shortly after it was originally released on DVD. My motivation for watching it was Ebert's review on Siskel and Ebert, the television show. I recall Ebert stating (I'm paraphrasing)...

'Everybody wants to make a film noir but few of them actually WORK. Here's one that does. I honestly did not know what was going to happen until the final frame.'

Agreed. Tightly written, flawless script that rivals the Coen film, Blood Simple---my personal all time favorite noir. I'd also take China Moon over Bound, the excellent Wachowski film, that takes a bit too long in it's first 1/2 hour in my opinion, to reveal the major ensuing conflict.

Bailey's direction of the film: Beautifully restrained, measured, minimalistic. Great, minimal use of sountrack as well---powerfully used in keys scenes.

The acting by Stowe and Harris makes Hurt and Turner in Body Heat appear staged, forced, at times absurd, by comparison.

China Moon: A TRULY GREAT AMERICAN FILM.

Jeff Sekerak

I was really impressed with the movie "China Moon". The DVD quality is excellent, with outstanding picture quality. In this movie, Ed Harris stars as Kyle Bodine, a Florida police detective who's been in the business a long time and has been teamed up with Lamar Dickey, played by Benicio del Torro, as his new partner. One night at a local bar, Kyle spots Rachel, played by Madeleine Stowe, and is immediately smitten. It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what will happen next. Suffice it here to say they begin an affair, but Rachel is married.

The scene that impressed me most was the one out on the lake, when they are out in the canoe under that brilliant moon, with the water shining in the moonlight. It's really stunning visual imagery and the director did an outstanding job of using this scene to help create real chemistry between Harris and Stowe. They seemed to relate well anyway, and were highly believable as being in love. Charles Dance also gives an outstanding performance as Stowe's highly abusive banker husband; he gives you the chills just by looking at him.

If you are looking for a romantic suspense thriller with real chemistry and stunning visual imagery, plus excellent acting, I highly recommend "China Moon." It is one to hang onto and watch over and over.

Stowe and Harris are quite competent. One of those adulterous "beaten wife- shining knight" numbers. Stowe is positively stunning in some of the hot scenes. A must see but only as a rental unless you are crazy about Stowe as I am...

they dont make movies like this anymore.Lamar Dickey is just another wide eyed wet behind the ears rookie cop or so it would seem to his partner.this movie takes a very Hitchcock like turn and suddenly the detective investigating the bank owners murder is now the prime suspect!

The incorrect zone format was sent to me. It was for a PAL system.
Rather than go through the hassle of trying to return it, I gave it to our Spanish exchange student. He'll be able to watch it when he gets back to Spain.

This 1994 film is a fast paced, tense and passionate tale about a love affair that grows increasingly complex and dangerous as the story moves on. Ed Harris, in a stellar performance, is cast as a homicide detective whose eye for detail is something to be admired. Benico Del Toro is cast as his sidekick with a lot to learn and the two seem to make a good pair. Enter the femme fatal - Madeline Stow. She's beautiful and troubled but Harris falls hard for her. She's trapped in a loveless abusive marriage to a wealthy man who cheats on her and treats her badly. It seems weird that she stays with him even though she and Ed Harris fall in love. The plot moves very quickly though and I was pulled right into the story as it progressed to include deception and murder as well as surprises that I never saw coming.

I enjoyed this film though all its twists and turns. The acting was excellent. The pacing just right to hold my interest and the ending was creative although a bit unbelievable. Basically though I really enjoyed it.

This minor Ed Harris romantic thriller features an early performance by Benicio Del Toro.
Great trivia question dept.
Q: What was Benicio Del Toro's big screen debut?
A: 'Duke the Dog-Faced Boy' in BIG TOP PEE-WEE (1988). (VHS) (DVD)

CHINA MOON is perhaps spoiled by a too-familiar storyline.
It's a modern film noir, with Ed Harris as homicide detective Kyle Brodin. He falls for Rachel Munro (Stowe) a married woman who's being abused by her banker husband (Chance). When the man is murdered, Harris must investigate. Rachel admits her guilt to Kyle and he chooses to cover up the crime rather than turn her in. But then suspicion falls squarely on Kyle himself.


"China Moon" is available on DVD.

Related items:
A year after this picture, Ed Harris portrayed NASA center director Gene Kranz in Ron Howard's space biopic, APOLLO 13. (VHS) (DVD)
Harris also was astronaut John Glenn in THE RIGHT STUFF (1983). (VHS) (DVD)


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(5.9) China Moon (1994) - Ed Harris/Madeleine Stowe/Charles Dance/Patricia Healy/Benicio Del Toro