孤注一掷 - No More Bets

孤注一掷 (No More Bets) is an 2023 film out of Zhong Guo. The movie stars Zhang Yixing (Lay Zhang) and Jin Chen (Gina Jin). The supporting cast include Wang Talu (Darren Wang), Zhou Ye, Eric Wang, and Sunny Sun. Yong Mei is credited as a main cast member, but is more in a cameo performance. The movie has been doing very well at the Zhong Guo box office. At the moment, it is the 3rd highest grossing film of the year in its home country.

Zhang plays a Pan Sheng, a talented AI programmer. Unhappy with being past up for a promotion at his company, Pan takes up a job in Singapore that looks very good. On the way to Singapore, they have a layover in what appears to be Thailand. The group leaves the airport for a short layover tour of the city. Instead of continuing on to their final destination, they get kidnapped and forced into an online scams underground organization. Pan and his group are now trapped without their passport and forced to work as scammers.

This was a very intense film. It does go into graphic detail in some parts and than scales back in some. I do not think they can go into details like a Election (黑社會), but they have to show the cruelty of the enforcers to explain why the people did not try to escape.

It has been suggest that there are some elements of a true story in the film. The movie does play off of it well. The movie is essentially divided into 4 main arcs. I was actually starting to get antsy as I was watching it. Both for its graphic nature and then how long each arc lasted.

I can see why it is doing well in its domestic run. It's a well made movie. But its not a happy one so be prepared to be think and contemplate life.

I caught this at a local AMC theatre.