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Treat or Trick

Name: Treat or Trick
Director: Hsu Fu-hsiang
Released: 2021
Duration: 106 min

Representation Score

5.9/10

Fair

2021

Director

Hsu Fu-hsiang

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Treat or Trick moves away from Western storytelling by focusing on a localized, non-Western perspective. By remaking a Korean film within a specific regional context, the film embraces cultural immersion and folklore. However, the film adheres to traditional masculine archetypes within the crime-thriller genre. The central conflict is driven by male-dominated professional betrayal, limiting the scope for diverse relationship structures and gender-challenging roles. Ultimately, the film’s strength lies in its moral ambiguity. It replaces the typical 'competent authority' cliché with a landscape of systemic corruption and supernatural mystery.

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Category Breakdown

Does Treat or Trick have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story revolves around police corruption and a diamond heist. There are no LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships shown in the film.

How does Treat or Trick portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on male characters dealing with a high-stakes crime thriller. Although the ghost and villagers offer potential for diverse roles, female characters have limited influence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Treat or Trick?

Good

The film highlights ethnic specificity by adapting a Korean story to a remote village. This approach emphasizes regional identity and non-Western narrative perspectives.

How does Treat or Trick represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative questions institutional authority by depicting police as morally compromised. It uses local folklore and superstition to prioritize regional truths over strict morality.

Does Treat or Trick include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not specifically portray physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong commitment to non-Western narrative perspectives and regional identity.
Effective use of local folklore and cultural superstition to drive the plot.
Challenges traditional institutional authority through themes of systemic corruption.

Limited or Absent

Lack of visible LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationship dynamics.
Reliance on traditional masculine archetypes within the crime-thriller framework.
Absence of representation for physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Feng, a corrupted police officer, ordered to retrieve the diamonds within 48hrs, arrives at a remote village, following the mobile signal of his partner Chiang who stole the diamonds from the gang. While Feng and his men try to find Chiang in the village, they encounter the locals who seem naive but suspicious, and a ghost full of stories. Remake of a renowned Korean film To Catch A Virgin Ghost (2004).

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