Dongji Rescue recounts the rescue of 384 British PoWs by Chinese fishers during World War II. The film, co-directed by Zhenxiang Fei and Guan Hu, features an $80 million budget and Imax cameras. It follows brothers Abi and Adang, orphans during the Japanese occupation, highlighting their exceptional physical abilities. Adang's encounter with a British PoW sets off a series of violent events leading to the rescue mission. Despite stunning visuals, the film's individualistic focus and simplistic portrayal of historical events somewhat undermine the collective nature of the actual rescue story.
The film opens with the stunning vista of the eponymous island, then under Japanese control. The seeds of discontent are there, as the local Chinese population are forbidden from fishing. Still, they endure the occupation with grim acceptance.
When Adang comes upon a British PoW adrift at sea, his discovery and sheltering of the unfortunate man triggers an escalation of violence from the Japanese, which ultimately leads to the famed rescue mission.
Zhu Yilong is charismatic as a reluctant saviour with an awakened conscience, yet the narrative insistence on a heroic figure dampens the collective potency of the actual historical event.
The gory depiction of Japanese atrocities also pushes the story towards simplistic spectacle. Still, the technical finesse on display during the final section, where we see the fearless fishers coming to the aid of the PoWs, is stunning to behold.
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