When watching The Hire: Ambush recently I hadn't realised that it was actually a series of films rather than just a specially made one-off. The second film in the series is Chosen, directed, to my surprise, by none other than Ang Lee! The plot here is essentially the same in that we are given sparse details to allow a chase sequence to be set up. This time the driver has a very young monk (clearly earmarked for a great destiny) and he has to evade capture again. Unlike Ambush though, this film has an odd tone to it as it plays out over classical music and is general shot with a still air of calm in contrast to the action.As a result i didn't find it quite as thrilling as I could have done but it did work pretty well. In particular I liked that it was at night and that the use of selected illumination in certain bits helped add the feeling of speed and danger. I also enjoyed the tight manoeuvring in small areas being the focus rather than speed – so it is still a chase but a rather different one. Of course as an advert this shows us the ability of the car to handle really well compared to the others (how they must have enjoyed outclassing and smashing that Mercedes) but it does still work as a chase sequence. The end of the film is perhaps a little weak, but I suppose it has to produce an "end" to the story, even if it doesn't really have much of a story in the first place. Owen is good again, although the little kid is an odd device that distracts a little bit by virtue of the situation. Ang Lee's direction is odd given the nature of the project but it actually works pretty well.Enjoyable little short though, it may well be selling me a car but I appreciate it trying to do it by entertaining me.

This wonderful little short film finds Ang Lee at his best! Full of quiet Ang Lee-esquire moments(when the little Dalai-lama guy in the backseat feels hot, he opens the power window, then rolls it back up; the driver looks at him, understands the little guy's urge for cold air(much like that of his native Tibet), cranks down the temp to 65 on the BMW's climate control system.) Of course, the prominent humorous self-conscious Hulk reference didn't go unnoticed by the viewers, including the ones here on IMDb. This is just one instance of director's amazingly light touch.Also, the music is absolutely wonderful, which wouldn't be that much out of place in Lee's period piece Sense and Sensibility. The music had me smiling throughout this short film, thinking of the connection to the Sense and Sensibility.I'm amazed by how Ang Lee transformed the film(whose only aim was to advertise the great German cars) into the first-rate cinema by applying fully his sensibilities and preoccupations.

The car chase in the second "The Hire" short, is so choreographed that it's almost like the cars are dancing with each other! Really a must see for the fans of Eastern cinema.The cinematography and editing work better for the movie than was the case in the first "The Hire" short "Ambush" but it still is Ang Lee's directing that is the highlight of the movie. The story tries to be a bit more than just a car chase which was not really necessary but not really disturbing either. The ending is really fun!The music by Mychael Danna is a bit simple and kind of irritating at times and the action might not be as good as in other "The Hire" shorts but it still is on par with most of them, thanks to Ang Lee's directing!7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

While John Frankenheimer's AMBUSH was a hardboiled vignette, Ang Lee's THE CHOSEN is an attempt at doing a lighthearted mixture of action and comedy. Unfortunately Ang Lee's comedy falls flat. While he might showcase the BMW's maneuverability to good effect; The actual chase between Clive Owen's enigmatic driver escorting a small Tibetan boy and the mysterious henchmen seeking to harm his charge, is staged in a light jokey tone that eliminated all tension and replaces it with uninspired slapstick. Indeed, as the film progresses to its punchline of a conclusion, one suspects that Ang Lee was seeing how to make a film that kids would like along with adults in preparation for his then-upcoming HULK movie (as hinted at near the end). While the final result might be something BMW owners can show to their children, adults will find themselves bored and frustrated.