31 Days of Asian Horror: Dumplings (2004)

Welcome to the first day of the 31 Days of Asian Horror! Today we are talking about a classic movie from Hong Kong that I think deserves to be on everyone’s radar if they are into Asian horror and gastro horror, 2004’s Dumplings directed by Fruit Chan. The movie was originally part of a horror anthology Three…Extremes, and was then turned into this full-length feature. I have not seen the short yet, so I don’t know how it compares but from what I’ve read it is fairly close, leaving out a few storylines from the length. Both movies are based on a book of the same name by Lillian Lee who serves as script writer for the films.

I very much wanted to make this review as spoiler-free as possible because Dumplings is so very good and like any good movie most of it is in the reveal - but the main reveal happens fairly early on, leaving the rest of the movie to spend its time taking it to new extremes so while I won’t spoil all I will spoil some. The premise is quite simple. Mrs Li, a former actress who is not handling aging well and is in a failing and loveless marriage, finds help in Aunt Mei, a chef who makes “special” dumplings that she claims help with youth and rejuvenation. The cure isn’t fast enough for the actress and she begins asking for stronger and higher potency doses to the point of obsession. The secret ingredient being used that of fetuses - mostly those that have been aborted - making it harder to find for Aunt Mei the right type to help her client.

The movie uses several techniques to lean into the unsettling nature outside of the reveal of the special ingredient that I thought worked well to create the tension of the watch. The sound design is most unique adding to the true tone of the movie, most of it heightened in unnerving but not overpowering ways. Not a good fit for anyone who has a sensitivity to food sounds (great if that’s your ASMR thing!), but it also ups the volume on a lot of background noises of everyday life. It is also very realistic in its presentation of these edits and creates a world in which you get placated by the reality of it all as the story progresses.

The way Aunt Mei creates her dishes are (gruesome) works of art that end up looking like any other dish you would be presented with from a chef who loves their craft. Aunt Mei’s approach to it is very matter-of-fact and views it as a way of using something that has already been discarded for her benefit. It’s not unbelievable that someone would go to these extremes for their desired wants. The outward change in the person is very subtle, mirroring that of someone having lost a few pounds or even just playing around with their outward appearance with clothes and makeup. With the exception of not knowing how old Aunt Mei is (she only hints around that she’s old enough to be called an Aunt), nothing seems too fantastical. It’s all so subtle but so excruciatingly important to Mrs Li, yet the viewer sees very little difference. It’s mostly that the confidence that the dish is working is what makes Mrs Li feel like it truly is changing her on a biological level.

There are moments in the film where we see Mrs Li’s husband eat balut, a fertilized egg that has been cooked in the shell. It’s a popular dish that is not seen as something that is too taboo to eat and is a mirror to what the dumplings are. The movie uses these types of imagery to subtly focus on the inconsistencies of what is acceptable for males in society and what is not for females. At its core, the movie is about the constant pressure females have to maintain a level of youth that their male counterparts don’t have to, even at the risk of going to the darkest most extreme and harmful place. There is never a point in the movie that Mrs Li is seen as looking bad, and while her husband is unfaithful he never specifically mentions her looks or alludes to his promiscuity coming from that. Even with some of the dialogue between the two women, it highlights the internalized trauma that society has placed on women. While Aunt Mei seems like the one that has the most freedom being her own “boss” she still lives in a society where she has to look her part and has kept up this ritual for most of her life.

All-in-all I do think this is an essential movie to add to your watchlist if you haven’t already. I thought it was entertaining and it kept me on the edge of my seat in all the right horror ways. The cinematography is fantastic, and the script kept me thinking and guessing as to where we were going to go. Bai Ling and Miriam Yeung are amazing in their roles and played well off of each other in a cat-and-mouse game where the two were ultimately looking for the same sad prize: the validation of males.

While it was just taken off of Tubi so there is no free streaming place to find Dumplings, it is available on DVD and OTT places to rent. Three…Extremes is a bit easier to find and on several services for free.

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