Wu Sha
2019 / 112m - China
Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Sheep Without a Shepherd poster

Watches

October 14, 2020

3.5*/5.0*

I didn't really know what to expect from this film, the only thing I'd heard was that it had fared pretty well in China. Based on the poster art I'd feared a sentimental drama, instead I got a rather slick thriller. Admittedly, I was quite happy with that, as Chinese sentimentality can be a bit much.

Li Weijie has a hard time being the perfect dad for his family. When his daughter inadvertently kills a boy who is trying to blackmail her with nude footage, he feels it's his time to shine. Together they stage a perfect crime, but the cops are hellbent on figuring out what happened to the kid, as his father is a wealthy politician.

Sheep Without a Shepherd is unmistakably blockbuster material, but the execution was better than expected. The film's pretty atmospheric, the cinematography is nice, performances are decent and there are some fun twists, even though they're quite predictable. Simple but effective entertainment in other words.