The Immeasurable – Movie Review & Ending Explained

Story

Good story

The Immeasurable describes a whirlwind romance that splinters over their drastically different views on activism. Xiang is an environmental activist group leader, coordinating radical protests against a commercial real estate development project. He's young, hopeful, and full of principle, fighting against what he believes is wrong. His stance differs from the simple-minded and down-to-earth Vic, who only cares about a comfortable life without disrupting the status quo.

I like how The Immeasurable highlights this type of relationship conflict. In an increasingly polarized society, it feels relevant to portray couples that aren't compatible over their political views. The resulting drama is more refreshing than another love triangle, or coming-out story, or other familiar BL tropes. I love how The Immeasurable tackles a different topic that strays from the norm in this genre.

Unfortunately, I wanted a lot more development than what we got in this twenty-minute short movie. It feels like The Immeasurable barely scratched the surface with the story. Xiang's activism feels like a plot device instead of a fully realized narrative. This movie took a few steps in the right direction, but it needed dozens more steps to establish an immersive journey.

Romance

Steamy romance

The Immeasurable is a sexy movie that doesn't shy away from displaying passion. The couple engages in lots of kissing and steamy interactions, which make their whirlwind romance feel persuasive. This physicality is always welcomed in BL, especially when involving two muscular studs with pecs, abs, and biceps. 😙

Unfortunately, Xiang and Vic have a doomed romance over their differing belief systems. The movie introduces a relevant allegory about how two different goldfish species can't live together in the same tank. This concept also applies to relationships, because two lovers with conflicting ideologies are incompatible. Some couples might compromise and make the connection work despite their differences. However, Xiang and Vic are too strong-willed to back down from their rigid principles.

Acting

Good acting

The Immeasurable is carried by the two leads (Rosen Tsai and Trent Chen), who both do a solid job with their performances. When the movie began, the first scene featured their characters yelling at each other in the rain. Initially, their confrontation made me laugh because I thought it was too melodramatic. However, after the story unfolded and I understood their circumstances, the heightened emotions totally resonated with me. I was crying alongside them by the end of the movie! 😭

As mentioned earlier in the review, part of what makes The Immeasurable so immersive is the physical rapport between the characters. These actors are very comfortable with each other, diving into their kisses sensually and aggressively. In a twenty-minute movie, you don't have much time to sell a persuasive romance. However, the performers do convincing work and made their attraction feel authentic.

Ending

Sad ending

The Immeasurable has a sad ending as Xiang and Vic confront each other at the student protest. Despite Vic's warning, Xiang still attended the rally with his friends to oppose the real estate development project. The event took place in heavy rain and erupted into a hectic showdown with the police fighting the protesters. In a surprise twist, Vic is revealed to be a police officer. His job was deliberately concealed until this point, leading to an unexpected moment when he comes face-to-face with Xiang.

For a while, Xiang is paralyzed with shock and confusion. He only just realizes that his new boyfriend works as a cop. However, his disbelief quickly transformed into rage. He continued his protest, yelling angry slogans into Vic's face. Vic remains unfazed, shouting back at him. As they continue the screaming match, their voices get lost in the shuffle of the chaos. In the final scene, we get a close-up of their faces, inches apart from each other. It becomes difficult to distinguish between the raindrops and their tears.

Ending explained

I like the emotionally charged moment where Xiang and Vic confront each other in the rain. However, it's a little strange that Xiang seems blindsided by Vic's career. After going on multiple dates together, he should have asked what his boyfriend does for a living, right? Did that conversation never happen because they were too busy having hot passionate sex with each other? 🤔

Nonetheless, I appreciate that Xiang stuck to his convictions and attended the protest. His character would've appeared pathetic if he stayed home just because his boyfriend said so. I'm glad Xiang stood firmly for his cause, even in the rain, against police brutality, and faced with his sellout boyfriend. Whether he's fighting for environmental change or another noble campaign, I respect and admire his character's never-say-die spirit.

The movie ends without addressing Xiang and Vic's relationship after the protest. However, I can't imagine an activist leader & a police officer happily dating after this incident. From Hong Kong protests to Thailand demonstrations, cops and protesters worldwide are never on the same side. It's not just a mere difference of opinion, but they're on two opposite ends of the spectrum. One is advocating for change, whereas the other is resisting it. Since neither character is willing to compromise their values, this doomed romance doesn't seem likely to work out.

Ending review

As much as I enjoyed the dramatic confrontation, I felt unsatisfied that the movie ended here. What the hell, I wanted to see more! It teased us with this emotionally gripping moment, but then didn't continue the narrative afterwards. We're left on a frustrating cliffhanger without any aftermath. Ugh, I hate this sense of incompleteness in the ending, like I'm not getting the full version of events.

Is it because they ran out of budget to continue the story beyond these twenty minutes? If there's enough interest, maybe The Immeasurable will secure more funding to extend the story substantially. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a full-length film of The Immeasurable in the future. I think it's a decent short movie with potential to turn into an epic masterpiece, so let's see if any rich investors feel the same. 💸

Best character

Xiang

Between the two characters, I'm definitely on Team Xiang. I will always side with the dedicated activist striving to make a positive difference in society. No, he isn't as famous as Greta or Malala, but his efforts can still influence the people around him. Activism is about taking a stand, starting collective dialogues, and motivating progress through your commitment. Change won't happen if you sit on your ass all day, so get up and take the initiative like Xiang.

Vic might be a super hot stud with a chiselled body, but his ignorance is an UGLY look. I hate his attitude about going along with evildoers just to live a ~comfortable life~. Even worse, he actively looks down on people working hard to improve the world. Why do you have to cause trouble, you can't change anything, blah blah blah.

At BL Watcher, we don't lust after unintellectual neanderthals who support wealthy corporations to impose a crackdown on student activists. 🙄 Vic is a vapid bimbo who has nothing going for him other than his body. It's time for Xiang to cease this dead-end relationship and find himself a better boyfriend.

Skin & nudity

Underwear scenes

The Immeasurable has an immeasurable number of shirtless scenes throughout the film. These characters are often without clothes, usually after one of their passionate sexual encounters. Besides the shirtless scenes, we also see the characters rolling around in bed in their underwear for a quick moment or two.

In case the pictures don't make it evident, I need to emphasize that Vic's actor (Trent Chen) is a total beefcake. He has a body sculpted like the Greek gods, and he comes with a dark tan that only makes him more attractive. Earlier in the review, I said his character has nothing else going for him beside his body. But honestly, with that body, he doesn't need anything else. 😝

Triggers

Protesters vs police

The only triggering part of The Immeasurable is probably the shock ending. You may or may not have figured out that Vic is a cop. Either way, it's jarring to see him as a police officer, facing against his boyfriend the protester. I wonder if these two would have dated if they knew about each other's background beforehand. Probably not, right? Xiang should've looked up his boyfriend online, see one picture of him in a police uniform, and be like "#acab byeee~"

If you have followed any protests around the world, you know how quickly the tensions can escalate. In Myanmar (aka. Burma), the heroic protesters get shot dead for being in attendance. Even an environmental protest like this one isn't exempt from danger. There's always a risk, which makes these protesters braver for speaking up.

However, it should be noted that we actually don't see any displays of police brutality in The Immeasurable. The movie captures the chaotic protests, intensified by huge crowds and lots of overlapping voices. However, nobody gets hurt. While the police hold batons in their hands, we never see them using their crowd control weapons. You can watch the movie without being triggered that much.

Highlights

Ambiance

I love the moody ambiance in The Immeasurable. You can tell it's the work of a skillful cinematographer, composing each scene thoughtfully and elegantly. Many moments in the movie capture the warmth and intimacy between the couple. The atmosphere looks visually impressive for a short BL movie and exceeds the average standard of quality in this genre.

I don't know if this following comparison is too unsubstantiated. However, there's a resemblance between The Immeasurable and Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together, one of the most stylish films in gay cinema. A few scenes in the bedroom, on the rooftop, or the characters dancing together evoke a nostalgic feel. I wonder if that's the source of the inspiration.

Feedback

Longer length

I know it's unfair to impose my standards of a full-length movie onto a twenty-minute short film. Not even the best storyteller can squeeze an epic story and romance within that amount of time. Nonetheless, it's regrettable the movie seems so short. A regular length would have expanded the story with more nuance, adding depth to the events and character development. Plus, I'm sure we'd get even more steamy sex scenes in a longer movie, a prospect that makes me giddy already. 😙

The biggest frustration is that I don't think they could've improved upon The Immeasurable as a twenty-minute film. The filmmakers did everything possible to make the best version of this short movie in the allotted time. Despite their efforts, there's still not enough content to make the story feel satisfying. The only way to elevate The Immeasurable to a higher tier of BL is with a longer movie.