The Forbidden City is a crime thriller that is coarse and emotional with the backdrop of the bright and dark Rome streets. It also follows Mei, a young Chinese woman who is trying to find her lost sister Yun, and Marcello, the son of a debts-ridden Italian restaurant owner, as their two worlds collide within the criminal subterranean of the city. What starts as a search in family becomes an adventure of finding dark secrets involving their beloved ones with ruthless gangsters. Their friendship evolves in the midst of violence and treachery and ends with a tense confrontation, which discloses the tragic background of what happened to their families. The gritty feel of the movie, along with the colorful depiction of the dark side of Rome, makes the audience plunge into the world where each loyalty is checked and no justice is easily achieved.
The acts are strong, notably the scathing will of Mei and the tortured innocence of Marcello. The story is full of betrayals and violence, as the movie examines the issue of family loyalty, corruption and redemption. Cinematography reveals the dual beauty and violence of Rome, the dramatic scenes of action and emotional conflicts do not allow the spectators to leave their seats. The twists of the storyline disclose the chain of secrets and lies, and each scene is surprising and emotionally touching. Mei and Marcello develop a very touching note of hope in the midst of a disorientation, the two of them remaining strong and wanting to have a future better than the one they have.
The most striking thing that I heard was that the movie used to illustrate the strength of perseverance and sacrifice in the presence of the sheer darkness. Their lives are the mirror of the universal quest of the characters to find the truth and justice and to keep the hope of the new beginning. The Forbidden City is an intense combination between the crime thriller and emotional drama, the impression of daring and the power of human bond in the swamp of lawlessness.
