Very interesting to see history alive on the big screen. Very busy identifying the characters and the stars and associating them with what we have learnt in history class.
As a movie, character development is weak because there are simply too many people parading in two hours distilled from a turbulent 10 years of contemporary China. As an education aid for Chinese history, this is very interesting, lively and educational, thanks to the on screen description. As a mirror to reflect recent China's development, my eyes moist to see history not only repeats itself but somehow even moves backwards.
Same passion from the students, same type of demonstration against the weak and corrupted government. Same demand to open government doors. Even same style of kneeling down to appeal. Didn't we learn anything from history? The students in 1919 even hit some government officials and set fire on their houses. But the Nationalist government did not crash them to death or force them to leave the country. When some students started a hunger strike in jail and asked for newspapers to read as a deal, the prison guards gave in. Can't we see the film is trying to tell us a message about the present state through historic events?
A party based on the strength of workers, farmers and soldiers and the have-not's have developed into a unique style with Chinese characteristics where those at the bottom of the pyramid are still suffering.
The movie may seem boring or bland on the surface. We need to contrast that with reality. The message is safely disguised under the name of history. Where else in China can we see large scale demonstrations, deemed legitimate, in a Chinese movie? I look forward to seeing a movie on the Cultural Revolution and the June 4 incident with equal dedication.
As a movie, character development is weak because there are simply too many people parading in two hours distilled from a turbulent 10 years of contemporary China. As an education aid for Chinese history, this is very interesting, lively and educational, thanks to the on screen description. As a mirror to reflect recent China's development, my eyes moist to see history not only repeats itself but somehow even moves backwards.
Same passion from the students, same type of demonstration against the weak and corrupted government. Same demand to open government doors. Even same style of kneeling down to appeal. Didn't we learn anything from history? The students in 1919 even hit some government officials and set fire on their houses. But the Nationalist government did not crash them to death or force them to leave the country. When some students started a hunger strike in jail and asked for newspapers to read as a deal, the prison guards gave in. Can't we see the film is trying to tell us a message about the present state through historic events?
A party based on the strength of workers, farmers and soldiers and the have-not's have developed into a unique style with Chinese characteristics where those at the bottom of the pyramid are still suffering.
The movie may seem boring or bland on the surface. We need to contrast that with reality. The message is safely disguised under the name of history. Where else in China can we see large scale demonstrations, deemed legitimate, in a Chinese movie? I look forward to seeing a movie on the Cultural Revolution and the June 4 incident with equal dedication.