[Review] We appraise The Eyes of Mona Lisa: it's slow and boring
For mystery lovers, Shinsuke Sato's new film All-Round Appraiser Q: The Eyes of Mona Lisa offers a perplexing story - if you have the patience to sit through the whole thing.
Nothing escapes the sharp eyes and wits of Riko Rinda (Haruka Ayase) aka All-Round Appraiser Q. She's sent to Paris to see if she's got what it takes to be the curator of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa when it comes to Japan for the first time in 40 years.
But suddenly Riko finds that her powers of observation are being used against her. Will she and her journalist sidekick Yuto Ogasawara (Tori Matsuzaka) be able to free themselves from the Mona Lisa's curse?
Adapted from Keisuke Matsuoka's mystery novel, the film is beautifully shot with thoughtful transitions. Set in France and Japan, it's the first Japanese movie to include scenes from inside the Louvre.
Unfortunately the pace will probably be too slow for the average Hongkonger. It's especially frustrating when the villain sets fire to a pile of logs under the painting instead of just burning it directly. Come on, it doesn't take an All-Round Appraiser Q to spot that flaw.