User reviews

The narration says that the United States invaded China and China fought for self defense and for their people. Sadly, 70 years after the war, Chinese government still not telling its people the truth, i.e., the north Korean invaded the south first, and the south and its allies are actually defending themselves. The reason for China to be involved in the war is not because Chinese people are heroes like depicted in the movie, but the results of political game between Chinese communists and Soviet Union communists. Ordinary people died in vain. They are "the sacrifice" for the politics.

The moving shooting and special effects are actually not bad except the part that the cowboy hat never flew away with open canopy on fighter jet. It's so fake.

If it wasn't made in todays situation, I would surely have given that movie a 7 or 8 of 10. But in todays political situation the whole scenario, the heroism that is told about North Korea in China that days, plus the end of the movie is today unbearable to me. The today's human rights situation tells a close story and at the date the movie plays, Mao Zedong was about to build up the communistic system in China, which also lead to the North-Vietnam war in consequence. America didn't succeed in Vietnam we know. It was a disaster which better wouldn't have happened. But this movie is also the wrong way. It shows that masses of people which are loyal enough to their country are heroes when giving their live for the communism. That's the message of the movie. And it's simply unbearable today. Praise to the director and actors, ... but no, not! I even wouldn't recommend it to Chinese people.

No pun intended - actually the international title of the movie. Or is it just the german title? Not sure, but anyway, the movie is based on historical events and may elevate certain things too. I can not tell you how accurate it is. I can tell you that it feels quite patriotic. But you should not have an issue with that. US movies do the same thing - making the heroes bigger than they are.

In war time certain sacrifices have to be made. Production values are really good - the setting seems simple enough. Or at least it is contained so you won't lose your train of thoughts or won't get lost in who is who and who is fighting for whom. Action and drama work hand in hand - not the best movie ever (at least for me), but nmore than decent enough.

The whole film gives me a feeling that the People's Volunteer Army truly has the spirit of bravery and self-sacrifice. However, it fails to tell me why, what the significance and meaning are.

Also, most of those gory close-ups are not necessary, even being abused. There is no need to utilize those to show the bloody aspect of the war, let alone those remains of dead bodies are all the respectable heroes'. They should have tried other smarter methods.

I have my sincere respect for the actor Zhang Yi. He has shown his tremendous acting here. Also, other items like visual effects, costume, photography, are all above-average levels...

...except that one of the co-director Guan Hu himself is selfish and nasty. He deliberately wore a U.S. Navy's hat when he was in an interview about this film in which his compatriots fought against the U.S. Army. He was impolite at all when they cast visited the monument to the martyrs of this war. Just imagine that Tom Hanks wore a Nazi armband when he was in an interview about his film Saving Private Ryan, and danced delightedly when he was visiting the monuments of the Normandy landings, what would you feel?

I vote six stars for this film, and minus three of them owing to Guan Hu.

This movie is about China's involvement in the Koran war with an ill-equipped army. The cinematography is excellent as were the majority of the actors. The pacing was a little slow, but this was due to the strategy involved, and not the directing. However, some scenes were used more than once, which was odd. One commentator wrote that this movie is propaganda; well, what does that make Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbor, if not over the top propaganda war movies?

Very good war drama. Has good action and I love how they filmed from both the POV of foot soldiers, the American warplanes, and the gunners side to get a close-up of what it was like on the battlefield for each perspective.