Formosa Betrayed Starring James Van Der Beek

Written by Jonathan Jacobs

Formosa Betrayed is just what the doctor ordered for James Van Der Beek. Mired in obscurity while former costars from "Dawson’s Creek" have been soaking up the fame and fortune, he has finally earned the notoriety that comes along with becoming a movie star. Katie Holmes has been a national sensation for her marriage to Tom Cruise and for movies such as Mad Money. Joshua Jackson stars in the hit Fox drama "Fringe". Van Der Beek had not found a signature role since "Dawson’s Creek" ended in 2003. Formosa Betrayed is the movie that will launch his career in a new and brighter direction. It officially opens on April 23.

     The movie opens at the airport where FBI Agent Jake Kelly (Van Der Beek) is concerned over airport security assailing what he believes to be an innocent Taiwanese man he has brought to extradite to the United States. Kelly is disheveled, unshaven and clearly looks upset. Almost arrested himself, Kelly is taken aside by Susan Kane (Wendy Crewson), a liaison to the Taiwan government. Her behavior seems dubious throughout the picture. He is asked to give up his associate or potentially face indefinite incarceration without a trial.

     The red hot opening ends as we are taken back two weeks to the murder of internationally renowned Taiwanese Professor Henry Wen (Joseph Foronda). Ordinary recognized for his achievements in mathematics, Professor Wen was granted tenure in front of a group of his peers mere hours before his execution at point blank range. Wen and his wife (Tonray Ho) were the last to leave the university party in their honor as the snowfall increased in intensity. After letting his wife into the car two Asian attackers on bicycles approached the professor and shot him in the chest killing him immediately. When Agent Kelly begins his investigation he is puzzled if not totally shocked the killers left Mrs. Wen alive as a key witness. At first the only useful information available about Wen is his disapproval of the Taiwanese government and its handling of his peoples’ civil rights.

     It is important to point out that one of the main points of emphasis is the portrayal of Taiwan as a cutthroat police state. The national police seem to be in perpetual search of dissenters whom they conveniently label communists. The theme of government corruption and scandal runs rampant. Not coincidentally the events that unfold are factually inspired.

     When Agent Kelly first arrives in Taiwan he is treated to a banquet in his honor. The authorities make it very clear how much they respect the FBI and America. Kelly is flattered but eager to start the investigation. His contacts are more eager to drink excessively and to delay his efforts. This lends intrigue and suspicion, both of which keep us on the edges of our seats. Susan is involved with the corrupt officials who seek to stall and spoil Kelly’s investigation. After extensive searches as the police department, the agent turns up nothing. Later that evening after another night out drinking, he is contacted by a helpful spy Maysing (Mintita Wattanakul) who is posing as a prostitute. Waysing brings him to the execution of one of Professor Wen’s murderers. The police hid their discovery and wanted to conceal the execution from Kelly. Maysing helped him find out but not without alarming the authorities. Susan has to bail him out of trouble and decides to caution him against going any further.

     The action heats up when Agent Kelly is lured into a back-channel meeting with Wen’s former mentor and professor, a curator of Chinese art in Taiwan. Kelly is brought to a rally and informed of the people’s grievances against the police state. There are undercurrents of resentment over the forced abolition of the indigenous language of Taiwan (Formosa) and the mandated language of Mandarin. Apparently Professor Wen left for America to have a larger platform to tell the world about the injustices committed by the Chang Kai-Shek followers who continue to rule the nation with an iron-fisted grip. In a way this film is a political statement that hopes to bring to the forefront some of the history of Formosa’s transformation after the Nationalist leader Shek lost to Chairman Mao Tse-Tung and was forced into retreat on the island.  

     Since Kelly arrived he has been followed by government "observers" tracking his every movement. Professor Wong brought him to a peaceful anti-government rally where the agent had been arrested after being brutally smacked with a night stick. The crowd was fired on and the leaders of the rally dealt with punitively. Anyone who opposes the rule of the oligarchy faced assassination.

     For years Van Der Beek has been a diamond on the ruff, waiting for a big break. Too often television stars fail to make the essential transition to the big screen. Most of the time it is because their agents put them in roles that are unsuitable for their specific talent. Occasionally their acting skills are simply not good enough. Until Formosa Betrayed Van Der Beek had not found his signature role. Formosa Betrayed is one of the best FBI crime dramas ever made. It is exhilarating and heart-pounding throughout. Undoubtedly this will allow him to re-enter mainstream Hollywood as an absent actor welcomed back.

     I normally do not encourage anyone to watch political films as they are too often biased, or are glaring misrepresentations of history. In the case of Formosa Betrayed there is very little that reeks of bias. It is simply a movie financed by regular people for the purpose of sharing with the world their viewpoint on the post WWII history of their nation's domination by the Chinese government in exile. The purpose of this picture is not exclusively to demonize the Chinese or to condemn the government, it is really to put a spotlight on the suppression of the people who truly wanted their freedom and their way of life to return. It sheds light on a critical moment in the history of their nation and will undoubtedly encourage Americans and film fans around the world to learn about their country's history.