It's 1937. Japan has conquered much of northern China leaving alone the foreign quarters of Shanghai. Japanese forces attack Nanjing, several hours west of Shanghai. British reporter George Hogg (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) arrives in Shanghai and sneaks into Nanjing. He starts documenting massacres committed by the Japanese. He is almost executed when he's rescued by communist Chen Hansheng (Chow Yun-fat) and his men. He is directed to an orphanage by nurse Lee Pearson (Radha Mitchell). Mrs. Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is a local trader. As the war approaches, they lead some sixty orphaned boys on a long journey to safety in the desert.
It's a sincere adaptation of a true story but the drama struggles to come out. There are many interesting instances along the way. There are some big scenes. However none of them really rises in terms of tension and the whole movie is unable to pull all of the disparate pieces together. JRM is good and so is the rest of the cast. There isn't much tension or emotional coherence.
It's a sincere adaptation of a true story but the drama struggles to come out. There are many interesting instances along the way. There are some big scenes. However none of them really rises in terms of tension and the whole movie is unable to pull all of the disparate pieces together. JRM is good and so is the rest of the cast. There isn't much tension or emotional coherence.