I wrote it on 27 February 2018 on www.imdb.com. You can find my article on this website with my name "dingding-90547" or on https://www.imdb.com/user/ur70913446/?ref_=nb_usr_prof_0
Making good domestic war films with heart would be welcomed by the Chinese masses. This movie illustrates this truth.
1. Weak point:
a. When the terrorist sniper was killed, he was not as cunning as when the first time he injured his ear by sniper from Chinese Marine Corps.
b. The terrorist leader had even committed suicide. In contrast, Saddam Hussein did not commit suicide, as he had hidden himself in the cave. And Bin Laden did not commit suicide, as he had used his wife to block the bullet!
2. Strong point:
a. The plot is compact. No extra lines, less emotional play and continuous shooting or gunfire, make the audience overwhelmed.
b. Collectivism is the main tone. Chinese Marine Corps operations highlighted teamwork, as well as did not promote individual heroism. This movie breaks the myth of the protagonist in the past movie as Superman who is undead. After all, one soldier and one correspondent were killed in this movie.
c. The sense of authenticity is very strong. Because the details of this movie were done very carefully, it makes the audience feel the reality and faces the cruelty of the war. For example, the bloodied bodies and the wailing of survivors of the buses that were hit by mortar shells. After fighting with terrorists, a Marines found himself missed his fingers. Another Marine was thrown back the grenade, then he found one of his arms blown off. One is being knocked off the half face, still suffering from pain and fighting until death.
d. This movie reinforces the role of the actresses. A female marine corps, Tong Li and a female journalist, Xia Nan, were as brave and smart as male comrades in marine corps. In this movie, the actresses didn't put their comrades in unnecessary danger, as in other films and TV shows. And they were not stupid enough to delay critical time. They play a vital role even in many vital moments. The role of female characters in this movie is no longer the influence and motivation of male protagonists in the past, but to change the dangerous situation through their own roles.
In general, the movie tells people through the bloody war scenes: the war brings us only death and disaster, and at the same time, we know that today's happy life is hard and avoid war as much as possible.