Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage – Movie Review & Film Summary

Liao and Xun are college friends. They share a dorm with a handful of roommates. While the others have loud and outgoing personalities, Liao and Xun are quieter than the rest of the group. Lately, Xun has fallen into an emotional slump. He skips class, avoids the group, and barely speaks to anyone. Only Liao can reach out to his friend and check in on his well-being.

One of Xun's biggest worries is the looming military conscription. In Taiwan, all young men are required to complete a year of service. This precaution is necessary due to China's authoritarian regime, which constantly threatens war against Taiwan. However, Xun dreads the idea of training, drills, or anything involving a uniform. According to an online rumour, some guys have allegedly dodged the draft due to low hemoglobin levels. Xun tries to make himself unhealthy enough to fail the medical exam and slip through the cracks.

No one knows about Xun's secret scheme except Liao, who chooses to help his friend. The process is unpleasant. It involves needles and some sketchy equipment meant to drain blood. Xun tries to drain just enough to fool the military doctors, but the pain is hard to handle. His hemoglobin levels stay stubbornly high. After his failure, Xun opens up during a quiet one-on-one. He admits to feeling vulnerable and appreciates Liao's companionship during his lowest point. Liao feels moved by his friend's sincerity.

Liao secures some shady medications that are rumoured to help drop hemoglobin levels. Xun takes the pills and wakes up the next morning with a nosebleed. He's thrilled by the results. Now, he has found a way to fail the medical exam. Caught up in the excitement, Xun shares an affectionate moment with Liao in their bedroom. This gesture gives Liao the courage to finally confess his feelings. He has been nursing a quiet crush on his friend and believes Xun feels the same way.

I'll begin with brutal honesty. I didn't enjoy Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage. Upon finishing this short film, my opinion was negative. I felt bored for most of the story. I was confused by the flashbacks. And I didn't care about the characters or their relationship. Plus, the ending was too disturbing. Speaking as a BL fan, this film isn't my cup of tea. I prefer my love stories to have more sweetness and optimism, thank you very much. But from a reviewer's perspective, this movie is intriguing. And I have plenty of thoughts to unpack!

The most interesting part of Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage is its subject matter: compulsory military service. Unfortunately, we live in a time of war. The ugly news reports remind us that conflict is everywhere, including China's aggressive military drills near Taiwan. As Taiwan prepares to defend its country, that comes at a cost. Conscription takes away personal freedom and forces young men into a system built on hypermasculinity. For those who aren't straight, the experience can be harsh and alienating. I'm glad this film exists because it explores a sensitive LGBTQ+ topic that rarely gets attention.

On the surface, Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage is about a guy with a crush on his friend. But if you dig deeper, the story focuses on nonconformity. Neither protagonist fits in with the norm. While their peers treat military service as a proud duty, Xun secretly hates it. Likewise, Liao feels isolated due to his same-sex attraction, which clashes with the heterocentric culture around him. He feels drawn to Xun since both are outsiders who don't conform to the majority. Dodging the military draft is powerful because they're going against the roles society forces onto them.

Unfortunately, Liao misreads his relationship with Xun. He assumes just because they're both outsiders, their friendship can grow into a fantasy romance. After sharing an affectionate moment in bed, poor Liao gets his hopes up. Bless his little gay heart. Let's just say the relationship doesn't unfold as he had hoped. If you want to watch Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage for the BL content, I must issue a warning. Besides a brief display of intimacy, the leads don't have romantic interactions. This love story is sad, cynical, and almost like a bitter cautionary tale.

Since Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage is a student film, it comes with rough edges. The narrative structure feels disjointed, and the frequent use of flashbacks makes the story hard to follow. Visually, the cinematography annoys me. The camera hovers behind Liao's shoulders, so we must stare at the back of his head instead of reading his expressions. This technique weakens the emotional impact. It also hinders my ability to judge the actors' performances. I don't have a strong impression of the two leads when the camera hardly showcases their reactions.

True to the movie's title, the ending is marked by a great deal of bloodshed, outbursts, and rage. Initially, I thought Liao was going to mope around and feel sorry for himself. Instead, his intense response caught me by surprise. Even though I disagree with Liao's actions, at least the final scene is shocking and memorable! Sadly, my opinion remains negative. While I admire the story's themes and the filmmaker for doing something different from the norm, I still don't enjoy Hot Blood and Outburst of Rage. It's too dull, too bleak, and too uncomfortable for my taste.