Gripping and intense film depicting terrible deeds during Japonese invasion in Shangai and Nanjing (1937) . After that, at the city take place violations, mutilations, and massacres. Some prisoners are interred in a prison camp but later they are led to fire squad, scaffold and alive burying. Later on , an orphaned children group escapes led by the journalist named George Hogg (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a nurse (Radha Mitchell) and a communist Chinese (Choe Yun Fat).
Director de-glamorizes war showing true horror and terrible events . It's a staggering evocation of the Chinese Holocausto in Nanjing , as the atrocities are depicted matter of factly as by-product of sheer Japanese evil. The opening twenty minutes in which the reporter appears as hidden observer turns out to be a graphic depiction the facing off is , on its own, and is magnificent . As the exciting beginning results to be pretty stirring , the developing of the movie regarding invasion China is partially similar to ¨Empire of the sun¨ and suffering of the children on the escape is really moving . The starring, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and the rest of the cast are excellent , as the movie is powered by splendid performances in charge of American and Chinese actors who during filming suffered some inevitable pains for the hard environment . Filmed in perfect color by cameraman Zhao , reflecting appropriately the Chinese scenarios . Spottiswoode makes a breathtaking work which directs spectacularly with groundbreaking scenes in a heartbreaking context . He dedicated long time joining information and interviewing experts for that scenes would adequate to reality of events. This masterpiece finally didn't garner the world attention and respect that the story deserve and had a regular box office . The motion picture is acceptably directed by Robert Spottiswoode who realizes a spectacular and impressive production. He's a successful director from TV movies and cinema, as terror genre(Terror train), adventures(Air America,Shoot to kill), Scif-Fi (6th day), James Bond film(Tomorrow never dies), and his best movie is ¨Under fire¨.
The film is based on actual events about George Hogg , a courageous British reporter , who along with a brave nurse saves a group of orphaned children during the Japanese occupation of China in 1937, these are the following : George Aylwin Hogg (1915-July 22, 1945) was an English adventurer. He was a graduate of Oxford University in economics. He is known as a hero in China for helping New Zealander Rewi Alley save 60 orphaned boys during the Second Chinese-Japanese War, including leading them 700 miles (1,100 km) through dangerous mountain passes, escaping the approaching Japanese secret police in the Shaanxi area .Hogg then decided to relocate the boys to Shandan in Gansu Province 700 miles (1,100 km) away. The first half (33) left in November 1944 and in January 1945, the remaining 27 boys followed. They traveled heavily snow-covered mountain roads by foot. After a month of travel by foot, 450 miles (720 km), they arrived in Lanzhou.Hogg hired six diesel trucks to complete the trip. Early March 1945, Hogg and his boys arrived in Shandan. Alley rented some old temples, turned them into classrooms and workshops, and appointed Hogg as headmaster .
