Product Details

• Actors: Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradley Whitford, Byron Mann, Peter Donat
• Directors: Jon Avnet
• Writers: Robert King
• Producers: Jon Avnet, Baifang Liu, Charles Mulvehill, Gail Katz, Jordan Kerner
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: April 29, 1998
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304883773
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,020 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Red Corner" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Using a faulty thriller for his soapbox as an outspoken critic of China, a devout follower of the Dalai Lama, and an influential supporter of Tibetan freedom, Richard Gere resorts to the equivalent of propagandistic drama to deliver a heavy-handed message. In other words, Red Corner relies on a dubious strategy to promote political awareness, but director Jon Avnet appeals to the viewer's outrage with such effective urgency that you're likely to forget you're being shamelessly manipulated. Gere plays a downtrodden TV executive who sells syndicated shows on the global market, and during a business trip to China he finds himself framed for the murder of the sexy daughter of a high Chinese official. Once trapped in a legal system in which his innocence will be all but impossible to prove, Gere must rely on a Chinese-appointed lawyer (played by Bai Ling) who first advises him to plead guilty but gradually grows convinced of foul play. Barely attempting to hide its agenda, Red Corner effectively sets the stage for abundant anti-Chinese sentiment, and to be sure, the movie gains powerful momentum with its tale of justice gone awry. It's a serious-minded, high-intensity courtroom drama with noble intentions ... but did it have to be so conspicuously lacking in subtlety? --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

In modern-day China, an American is about to be punished for the ultimate crime...his innocence. Richard Gere stars in this electrifying suspense thriller charged with lethal confrontations, raw passion and international intrigue. On the verge of signing a huge business deal, attorney Jack Moore (Gere) is on top of the world. But his elation soon comes tumbling down after he spends the night with a beautiful woman...and is then accused of her brutal murder! At the mercy of the strict Chinese court systemwhere one is guilty until proven innocentJack finds himself completely alone. But when his defense attorney (Bai Ling) unearths puzzling contradictions in the case, she acts against the court and her country, joining him in a pulse-pounding race to find the true killer...while both of their lives hang in the balance!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gere Enlightens..Ling Bai delights, December 13, 2002

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Red Corner (DVD)

In this 1997 Political Thriller, Richard Gere and Director Jon Avnet(Up Close and Personal/Fried Green Tomatoes)have made a film that brings to light the lack of freedoms given to defendants in the Chineese judicial system.A sytem where a defendant is guilty until proven innocent,where pleading guilty(even if innocent) may prove for a more lenient punishment then defending yourself.

In this gripping eye-opener Gere plays American lawyer Jack Moore trying to close a huge deal with the Chineese Film Ministry. While being wined and dined, he meets and spends the night with a beautiful woman. They drink, have fun, and make love. Moore is shocked to be awakened in the morning by the Police taking him into custody for the girl's violent murder.
He's got her blood all over him, fingerprints all around,and is in her bed. The case is pretty much sealed from that moment on.
To make matters worse, the woman is the daughter of a very important General.Was he framed for this horrific crime? If so, why?

Moore is pretty much left on his own. The American Embassy is no great help to him.(The point is made in the film that if this were a foreigner in our country, in the same situation, we would not want their government interfering either).Then he is assigned an advocate who he has never met, nor discussed the case with. Shen Yeulin(Ling Bai) as well as being young and beautiful, is an intellegent lawyer who knows the ropes of the Chineese legal system. She insists Moore plead guilty to possibly avoid execution. Moore insists that he is innocent, and as he points out the discrepencies of the case to her, she puts her reputation and career on the line and they work together to prove his innocence.

There are many gripping as well as poignant moments,in and out of the courtroom, in the film. Moore escapes at one point running across the rooftops heading for that beautiful American Flag at the Embassy. Shen Yeulin does some secretive investigating on her own, and gets roughed up for her efforts.And of course the beautiful friendship that develops between Moore and Shen Yeulin is heartwarming.

The story is enlightening and thought provoking as well as entertaining. It is beautifully filmed, with a beautiful score by Thomas Newman. Richard Gere makes good use of our own Freedom of Expression, to expose this form of government. He was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award from the Nat'l Board of Review for his efforts.
Ling Bai is stunning in her portrayal of the dissenting Chineese lawyer and reiceved the Best Breakthrough Award from the same board. The film also recieved an award for "Democracy" from the Political Film Society.

The transfer to DVD(MGM) is beautiful. This theatrically released widescreen edition takes in all the action and scenery.The picture is crisp and clear in all scenes, and the colors are vivid. The Sound is in 5.1 surround and the dialouge also clear. Extras include Audio commentary by Avnet which can be played during the film if you choose. There are some production notes, an original theatrical trailer and may be viewed in French.It also comes with a very informative booklet of a behind the scenes look.

If you already know you like this film, you should be happy with this DVD. If you havn't seen it, it's well worth the view.
Check it out.....Laurie

More Richard Gere:Sommersby

First Knight

(see my reviews for film details)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars don't take too seriously, June 5, 2011

By 

Suelzer "Suelzer" (NRW) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Corner (DVD)

It could actually have been a very good film apart from the fact that the characters were too black and white. The story sometimes appears (unintentially?)ridiculously funny (scratches instead of broken bones, hair too-well groomed despite several days in his 1 Star hotel,learning Chinese Law for Dummies by candlelight in 3 days, a very beautiful lawyer vs an ugly judge, the US Embassy within walking/jumping distance in a city with only 12 Million (ok, 10+ when this film was made)). Although Gere is known for his political convictions, having a go at China in this way seemed to me rather immature and actually counter-productive. The behaviour of the Embassy officials seemed to confirm my belief that some of the material was taken from "Midnight Express", which is for me a classic. OK, if you are only wishing for a bit of action, a few surprises, learn a bit of Chinese but don`t wish to have a discussion afterwards about Chinese politics, then this film is Ok...I'll give it 1 Star plus one for Ling Bai =2 Stars, which means this review will probably never be read :-)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Movie that Exposes Corrupt Government Officials, April 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Red Corner (DVD)

Red Corner shows what can occur in the courts of China. It emphasizes the need for change.
In the movie, Gere's character has to go through an uphill battle to prove his innocence. He is told that he is guilty before he has even given a chance to argue in trial. The end result of the movie proves satisfying.
Giovanni's review is inaccurate. Gere's acting is good. His character is not a common business man. Giovanni must have missed part of the movie because it is shown that Gere's character studied law at Harvard. His character requests for a English translation of the Chinese laws and studies them. He uses his intelligence to figure out what can be done in the courtroom, but learns that the laws that he read about don't stand for much.