[Variety] Tape (2025) “Raindance Film Festival London” Movie Review: A Hong Kong Reimagination of Linklater’s Indie Classic

“Reimagination” is not a newly coined term, but in recent years, many new-age and contemporary filmmakers have begun using it as a smokescreen, an excuse to remake existing works without fully committing to the fresh and original storytelling. It often feels like giving birth to a child that’s already been born—only now, you’re tasked with reshaping its nose or tinting its skin to better match the shifting hues of the current socio-political climate. By leveraging the familiarity of existing films, a significant portion of the marketing is already done. By making some minor narrative tweaks in the subplots to reflect current social issues, a ‘ready-made’ film is repackaged as something new.

Directed by Bizhan M. Tong, “Tape (2025)” is a reimagining of Richard Linklater’s 2001 indie classic “Tape”, which starred Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Robert Sean Leonard. Set in Hong Kong, this new version casts Adam Tin-Nam Pak, Kenny Kwan, and Selena Lee as the trio of estranged high school friends as Wing, Jon, and Amy. Selena Lee also co-wrote the screenplay, i.e., her part, with Linklater himself serving as an executive producer.