Mystery

Thriller

Crime

China Moon

Tig Productions

United States of America

English

Ed Harris

Madeleine Stowe

Charles Dance

Patricia Healy

Benicio del Toro

Tim Powell

Pruitt Taylor Vince

Robb Edward Morris

Peggy O'Neal

Sandy Martin

Roger Aaron Brown

Marc Macaulay

Larry Shuler

Paul Darby

Theresa Bean

Danny Cochran

Buddy Dolan

Robert Burgos

John Bailey

Roy Carlson

Carol Kim

Jill Savitt

Barrie M. Osborne

Carol Littleton

Willy Kurant

George Fenton

Thomas Kittle

Don K. Ivey

James E. Webb

Conrad E. Angone

Robert W. Henderson

Elizabeth McBride

Bill Phillips

Carl Fullerton

Douglas Vaughan

Lawrence J. Cavanaugh

Jeffrey Wilhoit

Vicki Graef

Selena Evans-Miller

Elisabeth Leustig

Neal Martz

Eric Jewett

Vicki Jackson-Lemay

Adam Jenkins

Gary C. Bourgeois

Artie Malesci

Tom Bahr

Dennis Deveaugh

Patrick Selts

Don Reddy

Mike Moyer

Harvey Shield

Neal Thompson

The porcelain prince and princess.

China Moon is directed by John Bailey and written by Roy Carlson. It stars Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, Benicio del Toro, Charles Dance and Patricia Healy. Music is by George Fenton and cinematography by Willy Kurant.

To be kind since China Moon is a very good film in its own right, that is for lovers of film noir and its off shoot neo-noir, it's a film where its only crime is not being as great as previous instalments of noirs classic era and neo. Story treads deliciously familiar ground, where Harris' intrepid cop falls deep for Stowe's sultry babe and before he can say " I would do anything for you", he's in it up to his neck.

In true noir fashion there's a twisty road to be navigated, nothing is as it at first seems, with hidden agendas, shifty shenanigans and emotional turmoil all playing a hand. The police procedural aspect intrigues greatly, with the devilish kicker of Harris investigating himself, while the intricacies of crime investigation - such as bullet science - is not given short shrift.

As a mood piece it scores high, the sweaty Florida settings ripe for Bailey (a cinematographer by trade) to mix a bit of poetic ambiance with misty shimmers, rainy bleakness and colour coded criminality that's not detrimental to true noir essence. Perfs are from the higher end of the scale, and the makers add enough original touches of their own so as to not let this become a pointless retread. 

Closing superbly with a double whammy finale, China Moon is one that film noir lovers should sample. 7/10

**_Neo-noir in the heart of Florida with Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe and Benicio Del Toro_**

A good detective in the Tampa Bay area (Harris) trains his greenhorn partner (Del Toro) while starting a relationship with an alluring woman (Stowe). It turns out she’s in an abusive marriage with a pompous banker (Charles Dance). Havoc ensues.

“China Moon” (1994) is a crime drama/thriller similar to “Body Heat” from over a dozen years earlier; even the setting is similar. The difference is that “Body Heat” was a hit at the box office while this one failed to acquire an audience and basically went into obscurity.

Regardless, it’s a well-done ‘modern’ film noir that’s more conventional than highly stylized, but includes some brooding rainy night sequences. The acting is great, but the forced ending is ridiculous. It wasn’t necessary. Kyle (Harris) finding himself in an ironic role while his rookie pal suddenly discovers how to be a detective was interesting enough. Then it gets eye-rolling. Why Sure!

Still, if you like neo-noir and the actors, it’s worth checking out.

The movie runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in the Greater Tampa Bay area, including Lakeland and Bartow, which are an hour’s drive east of Tampa; and St. Pete’s Beach.

GRADE: B-

China Moon (1994) ORIGINAL TRAILER

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Ed Harris

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Charles Dance

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Robb Edward Morris

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