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Agent J
Directed by	Jeff Chang Marlboro Lai Kuang Sheng
Written by	Jeff Chang Chen Yin-jung
Produced by	Ho Meng-hung Wang Han-sheng Lin Hsin-hung Torquil Boyd Rujiraporn Hanchaina Huang Wei-hao
Starring	Jolin Tsai Kim Jae-won Stephen Fung Carl Ng
Cinematography	Wang Tsan-chin Chin Hsin Tiwa Moeithaisong
Edited by	Chen Jung-huang Chiang Chih-hsin
Distributed by	EMI
Release date	September 5, 2007 (2007-09-05)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	Taiwan
Languages	Mandarin Korean English Cantonese Thai
Budget	NT$33 million

Agent J (Chinese: 特務J) is a 2007 Taiwanese action romance film. Directed by Chang Jeff Chang, Marlboro Lai, and Kuang Sheng, the film stars Jolin Tsai, Kim Jae-won, Stephen Fung, and Carl Ng. The film is composed of three distinct, unconnected segments, each telling the story of Agent J and her relationships with three different romantic partners.

Plot

Chapter One: The Fate of Agent

Jolin and S are a couple vacationing in Paris. After S asks a local for directions, he turns around only to find that Jolin has disappeared. Despite searching frantically nearby, S is unable to locate her. Unbeknownst to him, Jolin has already been targeted by a secret organization, who abducts her and subjects her to brainwashing and intensive training, transforming her into an agent known only as "J". Now, as an operative of the organization, Jolin is assigned covert missions. For the three years following Jolin's disappearance, S stays in Paris, becoming a personal bodyguard specializing in protecting witnesses. He also devotes himself to uncovering the truth about the mysterious agent "J", who eerily resembles his lost love. Jolin's latest mission is to assassinate the very man—S—who has been relentlessly investigating her. She follows him to a rooftop, where she executes her mission with cold precision. However, just before his death, S offers her a smile that leaves her deeply confused. Driven by this lingering question, Jolin visits S's apartment, where she uncovers the secrets of her own past.

Chapter Two: The Crack of Memory

In a British prison, Jolin is recruited by a secret organization, who offers her a deal: complete a high-profile assassination in exchange for her freedom. Her target is Bluebeard, a notorious criminal mastermind. However, Bluebeard is already aware of the plot against him and has dispatched his own agents to capture Jolin. One day, while being followed by two mysterious men, Jolin receives assistance from a photographer, Lu Hsiao-tung, and the two quickly fall in love. During their relationship, Jolin discovers that Lu is actually an undercover agent working for Bluebeard. One night, while following Bluebeard, Jolin comes face-to-face with Lu, only for Bluebeard to open fire on him. Although Jolin successfully kills Bluebeard, it is too late to save Lu, who dies in her arms.

Chapter Three: The Illusion of Faith

In Bangkok, Jolin receives her latest mission from the secret organization: to infiltrate a powerful crime syndicate and rescue Vince, who was believed to have died years ago in a bombing. To approach the crime lord, Jolin assumes the guise of a nightclub singer and soon discovers that Vince is alive and working undercover within the organization. After their identities are exposed, a shootout ensues. Vince is wounded in the chaos, and Jolin manages to take him back to her apartment, where they reignite their old love. The next day, Vince secretly leaves Jolin and heads to carry out the assassination of the crime lord. Though he succeeds in killing the boss, he is shot in the back. Jolin, realizing that she is being followed by members of the crime syndicate, tries to shake them off while arranging to meet Vince at a designated location. When Vince, gravely injured, arrives at the meeting spot, Jolin desperately attempts to revive him, but he succumbs to his wounds and dies in her arms.

Cast

• Jolin Tsai as Agent J
• Kim Jae-won as Bodyguard S
• Stephen Fung as Lu Hsiao-tung
• Carl Ng as Vince

Production

The film is divided into three chapters, with the cast—featuring Jolin Tsai, Kim Jae-won, Stephen Fung, and Carl Ng—spending one month filming in Paris, London, and Bangkok, respectively. The production had a budget exceeding NT$33 million.

Soundtrack

The film was released in conjunction with Jolin Tsai's 2007 album Agent J. As such, all the songs featured in the movie are from the album. Additionally, while the film's score includes "Neron" from the British label Bruton, all other music in the film is sourced from the British label KPM Music.

Promotion and release

On August 27, 2007, EMI released the trailer for Agent J's first chapter, "The Fate of Agent". On September 3, 2007 EMI released the trailer for the second chapter, "The Crack of Memory". The following day, September 4, the trailer for the third chapter, "The Illusion of Faith", was released On September 5, 2007, EMI held a film preview session for the film in Taipei, Taiwan. On September 13, 2007, EMI released a 12-minute highlight reel of the film. The next day, September 14, Tsai hosted the film's premiere in Taipei. On September 20, 2007, she held a 2-minute highlight reel launch event in Taipei, which was broadcast across 58 TV stations, radio stations, and new media outlets in Taiwan. Two days later, on September 22, Tsai hosted a special screening of the film in Tamsui, Taiwan.

The film was released alongside Jolin Tsai's 2007 album Agent J and was not formally shown in theaters. However, the complete film was included in the limited edition of the album, which was released on September 21, 2007.

Critical reception

Tom.com's critic Mi San commented: "The Agent J trilogy includes a plethora of sensational elements designed to captivate large audiences: male and female secret agents, bodyguards, foreign mafias, assassinations by various crime lords, gunfights, pole dancing, aerial silk acrobatics, human experiments, churches, prisons, prisoners, lesbian themes, car chases, drug trafficking, musical performances, and intimate scenes… A Hollywood blockbuster would rarely feature so much in a single film. However, much like reciting lyrics out of context as poetry, which often comes across as absurd, if viewed individually, the trilogy falls short of praise. The film allocates too much time to spectacle and emotional manipulation, while crucial character development and narrative progression are glossed over in a superficial manner. The disconnect between the music and the film is also evident. While the album features a variety of songs reflecting different aspects of Jolin Tsai's character, the film hastily attempts to unify them, lacking proper transitions, making Agent J feel fragmented. Moreover, using the album's tracks as the film's score often overpowers the atmosphere. In many instances, subtle background music—such as orchestral strings, electronic sounds, or ambient effects—would have been more fitting than Jolin Tsai's vocal performances."

Censorship

The film was rated M18 (Mature 18) by Singapore's film classification system, primarily due to a 3-second lesbian kiss featured in the second part of the trilogy, "The Crack of Memory". Chen Xiangyun, Manager of the Chinese Department at EMI Singapore, stated: "The film can be screened in Singapore unless we agree to allow the removal of certain scenes. However, every scene plays a crucial role in advancing the plot. It's like how Lust, Caution lost its impact when overly censored."

Due to the inclusion of the word "Agent" in the title, which is considered a sensitive term, and the film's sexual content, the film was banned from public screening in Mainland China.

In Thailand, the film was restricted from release under the justification of "protecting local culture and resisting the overwhelming influence of foreign culture", thus preventing it from being publicly shown in the country.

References

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External links

• Agent J at IMDb

• 2007 films
• 2000s romantic action films
• 2007 action films
• Films shot in Bangkok
• Films shot in London
• Films shot in Paris
• Taiwanese action films
• Taiwanese romance films