Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Mai tian

  • 20092009
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
353
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
281,204
167,448
Bingbing Fan and Jue Huang in Mai tian (2009)
ActionDramaHistory
Add a plot in your language
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
353
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
281,204
167,448
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Ping He
    • Writer
      • Ping He(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Bingbing Fan
      • Jue Huang
      • Jiayi Du
    • Director
      • Ping He
    • Writer
      • Ping He(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Bingbing Fan
      • Jue Huang
      • Jiayi Du
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 7 nominations

    Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bingbing Fan
    Bingbing Fan
    • Li
    Jue Huang
    Jue Huang
    • Xia
    Jiayi Du
    Jiayi Du
    • Zhe
    Xueqi Wang
    Xueqi Wang
    • Ju-cong Da Ren
    Zhiwen Wang
    Zhiwen Wang
    • Chong
    Ji Wang
    • Ji Si Po
    Suying Huang
    Suying Huang
    • Old woman
    Shuyuan Jin
    • Old woman
    Yaqin Jin
    Yaqin Jin
    • Old woman
    Ge Li
    • Female chef
    Guitian Sun
    • Old woman
    Jiajia Wang
    • Yan'er
    • Director
      • Ping He
    • Writer
      • Ping He(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Lady in the Portrait
    6.3
    The Lady in the Portrait
    The Promised Land
    6.4
    The Promised Land
    Tian di ying xiong
    6.3
    Tian di ying xiong
    The 355
    5.4
    The 355

    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A Nutshell Review: Wheat
    It might already have been used in many films, but there's always something to having aesthetically pleasing shots of golden wheat fields basking under the yellow sun, setting the tone that this is going to be a very beautifully shot film by cinematographer Zhao Xiaoshi with the visuals getting priority and set to wow, over a period drama set during China's Warring States period some 20 years prior to the Qin dynasty unification of China.

    The state of Qin has invaded Zhao, and the Zhao king had ordered all available troops in a call to battle. Zhao's city of Lu Yi rises to the occasion, with the Lord Ju Cong (Wang Xueqi) commanding all men above the age of 12 to bear arms, leaving behind only the women to do chores and keep harvest while awaiting their return. In his absence, Ju Cong's wife Lady Li (Fan Bingbing) is left in charge of the city, and spends her lonely nights longing for the return of her husband, with sequences told in flashbacks to establish and develop this romantic angle.

    Unveiling itself over 5 days (based on the elements of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth) in somewhat of a chapter styled narrative, it's pretty much a no-brainer to know which state emerged victorious. 2 deserting soldiers of Qin, Xia (Huang Jue) an elite warrior, and Zhe (Du Jiayi) the cowardly opposite, end up in the enemy territory of Lu Yi, but feigned to be from a neighbouring Zhao town, passing themselves off as allies, and lying through their teeth for survival, by telling the city full of women what they yearn to hear. Slight comedy ensues though with the tinge of bittersweet deceit, especially when we see how an eavesdropper so eagerly transmits the lies to the joyous rapture of the womenfolk, elevating the status of the 2 men to cult-like proportions (not to mention the suggestion of some horniness too in their never ending failure to hoist or rip them of their clothes).

    Don't be expecting the pace of the film to be moving at breakneck speed, as some scenes do linger on longer than welcomed. The film is split down the middle into two acts, where the first section dwelt mainly on the lies the men are constantly spinning and the budding suspicions that get quashed because nobody is going to question supposedly first hand eyewitness accounts, especially those who had lived through to tell the story, which was carefully deliberated to ensure authenticity, but in a flipped order. We get glimpses of the brutality of the massive battle, and talk about the frequency of wars during that era, but your attention will likely be on the sets both indoors and outdoors, and the costumes, all of which are intricately designed.

    A major action sequence, though short, separates the two halves. Action junkies will likely lap up this sequence, which demonstrated the power of an elite warrior in the Qin army, though in stark contrast to the desires of the swordsman because of his yearn to go home and become a farmer, and one would shudder should his companion were to wield such abilities, given his conniving scheme to want to take over the city and rule over it like a lord. Some Seven Samurai potential got built up with a bandit attack, though resolution was too swift, leaving you wanting more.

    The second act starts to spiral down the slippery road where the saying of paper not being able to wrap fire, with something just waiting to happen, such as the anticipated return of young POWs, as well as the growing state of confusion and suspicion amongst the women, questioning why their men have not made it back home while these two fellows managed to. It's pretty amazing how devoted to their cause the city inhabitants can be, especially when they know what really is lying ahead of them.

    Fan Bingbing marquees the production being no stranger to period dramas, though this time her role is much more muted and restrained, as compared to co-stars Du Jiayi, who is the court-jester equivalent in being a tad irritating and the perennial troublemaker, and Huang Jue who had risen to the occasion and has potential to be matinée star material.
    helpful•5
    0
    • DICK STEEL
    • Oct 19, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 28, 2009 (China)
    • Countries of origin
      • China
      • Hong Kong
    • Official site
      • Official site (China)
    • Language
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • Wheat
    • Production companies
      • Beijing Classic Culture
      • Beijing Poly-bona Film Publishing Company
      • Xi'an Film Studio
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Bingbing Fan and Jue Huang in Mai tian (2009)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Mai tian (2009)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in August
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Double Take: Celebrity Twins
    See the full list
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.