Ba Bai (2020)

Ba Bai: Directed by Hu Guan. With Zhi-zhong Huang, Zhang Junyi, Hao Ou, Xiaoguang Hu. From the acclaimed filmmaker behind Mr. Six comes a riveting war epic. In 1937, eight hundred Chinese soldiers fight under siege from a warehouse in the middle of the Shanghai battlefield, completely surrounded by the Japanese army.

“To put it kindly, you couldnu0026#39;t make a movie nowadays like this outside of China. Most other countries when making supposedly quality war films attempt to show the truth and moral relativism of both sides of which has been represented fairly in films in western cinema as far back as the 1950u0026#39;s and in eastern European cinema too after censorship guidelines were relaxed in the 1980u0026#39;s. This however comes across very much like a war-movie made during a war, that is to say vehemently nationalistic and stooped in hateful sentiment of which they try to pass onto the audience. Granted there are some very moving scenes in this movie and the action is impressive enough, the reasoning behind it though is all to perpetuate an anti-Japanese sentiment among modern Chinese audiences and reinforce a nation-wide victim complex that should be long past any country that cares for its world image. It is unfortunate as the acting is quite good, but used almost entirely to promote the image of all Chinese as civilizing and heroic people and all Japanese as barbaric: destructive and morally bankrupt people: or otherwise, an early 20th century war film with 21st century spectacle. If Chinese cinema ever wants to be taken half-seriously on the world stage, it needs to recognize that the world doesnu0026#39;t want to see a film that demonizes them. I cannot recommend this film for leisure purposes for its 150 minute run time, and would not recommend it for serious viewing unless you are a vehement Chinese nationalist.”