Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Superficial but fun action movie has a lot of violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Weekend in Taipei
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In WEEKEND IN TAIPEI, John Lawlor (Luke Evans) is an undercover DEA agent. After a drug bust goes sideways, his superior (Pernell Walker) sends him on vacation. John uses the opportunity to go to Taipei in hopes of digging up some evidence on wealthy businessman Kwang (Sung Kang), whom he knows is an international drug dealer. Kwang is married to Joey (Gwei Lun-Mei), who's clearly unhappy with the arrangement but stays so she can care for her 13-year-old son, Raymond (Wyatt Yang). Raymond hates his stepfather, especially because Kwang's fishing business—a cover for the drug-smuggling operation—is responsible for killing dolphins. So just in time for John's arrival, Raymond steals an important ledger that has secrets of Kwang's business practices. Unbeknownst to any of them, John and Joey have a shared history and, as their paths cross, sparks are about to fly.
Is It Any Good?
Another slick B movie from Luc Besson's action factory, this one is all surface and no surprises, but it's lean and crisp and has a pleasant lightness that makes it appealing. Weekend in Taipei was directed by George Huang, whom we haven't heard from much in the 30 years since his debut Swimming with Sharks; Huang wrote this screenplay with Besson, and Besson is very good at this kind of thing. The movie has a lot of fun with its flashback structure, slowly revealing the events of 15 years earlier that led all the characters to this place. They're playful and rhythmic, designed to dole out information in increments.
Otherwise, there are fights and shoot-outs and several nifty car chases. In one scene, Evans chases an escaping vehicle on foot, launches himself into a flying kick, crashes through the passenger window, thwacks the driver in the face, and knocks him out the driver's-side door. When we first meet Joey, she's introduced like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, wearing dark glasses, a little black dress, and pearls, while "Moon River" twitters away on the soundtrack. She's said to be an expert mechanic and driver, and in one scene she takes a gorgeous red Ferrari Spider out for a high-speed test drive. Sung Kang (best known as "Han" in the Fast & Furious movies) plays the arrogant villain, and he's a character you love to hate. Things climax with a showdown fight in front of a movie screen playing Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, and it looks spectacular. Weekend in Taipei may not be as good as that movie, but it might be just a teensy bit more fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Weekend in Taipei's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How is communication highlighted in this story? What happens when characters don't communicate versus when they do?
How are drugs, alcohol, and smoking shown? Is substance use glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Do you consider Raymond admirable for his pro-dolphin activism? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 8, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : December 3, 2024
- Cast : Luke Evans , Gwei Lun-Mei , Sung Kang
- Director : George Huang
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Ketchup Entertainment
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence
- Last updated : March 30, 2025
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